There’s good news for all those buyers and sellers on eBay. With the launch of m.ebay.com, a new website designed especially for smart phones, you can now browse items, make purchases and sell goods, simply by the touch of a finger at the palm of your hand. The new site is designed for iPhone and iPad applications, Android and Blackberry phones. Buyers now have an option of whether to view the full eBay website or the simplified mobile version, or whether to download an application to purchase items. So, even if you are away from your computer, you’ll constantly be  updated on your eBay purchases and sales. Thanks to the mobile version of eBay, selling and buying got a whole lot easier!

Features of eBay’s mobile website

Mobile websites are usually quite limited in their features as compared to the full site experience. However, the mobile version of eBay promises features that give buyers a whole new experience when shopping using their cell phones. These include expandable swiping galleries, auto-complete, a floating menu bar that displays the most essential controls on the screen, and remote content for those galleries that don’t need additional download. Besides these, the features that the normal site offers are also included. They are:

Ø Search: For searching for a particular item, you simply need to click on the search tab and then type in whatever it is you want to search for in the search box. Once you hit on the “Submit” button, the search results will show up. You can either view the items in the conventional way or have a grid view of them. For information on a particular item, you need to click the listing title. You can also search for items that are listed by the same seller.

Ø My eBay: To view your account, choose the tab “My eBay,” which is located at the top of the page. After signing in, you’ll have the opportunity look at a summary of your activities of purchasing and selling on eBay. You can also view individual details.

Ø Bidding: Once you have chosen the item you want to purchase, you can make your bid just as you had done on your desktop. All you need to do is click on the bid link. If you haven’t signed in as yet, you will need to do so. You will then have to enter your minimum bid and confirm it. If you’ve entered a bid that is too low, you will need to enter a new bid. However, if the amount you’ve entered is high enough, you will be informed that you’ve got the highest current winning bid.

Ø Checkout: On winning an item that you have bid for, you can pay for it from your cell phone by completing Checkout. You need tosimply click on “Pay with PayPal,” log into your PayPal account and click on “Pay now.” That’s it! You will also be given the opportunity to create a “Mobile Only” PIN code, which  ensures that your payment is made faster in the future.  

Ø Selling: Using your iPhone’s camera you can take a photograph of the item that you want to sell, and list it on eBay. With the eBay Selling app, listing is now fast and simple. You can use the barcode scanning feature and eBay’s product catalogue to list your item. The research feature helps you to put a price on your item. For listing an item, you need to fill a form with listing details, attach the photos that you have taken with your iPhone camera and then confirm your listing.

Ø Listing: Listing on eBay got a lot simpler. This is an application is recommended for every seller. eBay is giving an offer for listing your items. However, this is a promotional offer available to sellers on the US www.ebay.com site and is for a limited time. You will not be charged a Scheduled Listing Fee. Moreover, you can add up to four photographs, without being charged.

Ø Other features: The other features include:
è Save as well as refine the searches you make
è Sort results by time, location and price
è Locate auctions that are similar to what you are looking at

So, while traveling, or sipping a cup of coffee, you can browse through m.ebay.com in the web browser of your mobile phone or access the site using the portal of your network operator.

eBay for Smart Phones

Ø eBay iPhone application

Using the eBay iPhone application, members of eBay can now search for items, purchase them, make payments, and check their activity and status—anywhere, any time. Alerts are sent to buyers to inform them of changes and updates in status so that they can make a last-minute bid if they truly want to own that rare item. Besides, sellers can view the status of their sales. You can also check on your account, leave feedback, reply to messages, or view the Daily Deals.

Ø eBay for iPad application

With the eBay for iPad application, members of eBay will be able to see an interface that is simple yet impressive and is especially designed to suit the features of the iPad. The eBay experience is colorful, streamlined and extremely simple. Searching gets a lot easier with its seamless transitions. What’s more, with the iPad app, you need not click through pages to search for items or while bidding, purchasing or paying for them. Integrated access to My eBay allows its members to check their status and activity.

Ø eBay application for Android

eBay application for Android gives members the opportunity to search, purchase, pay and check the status of their activity. Buyers will also be alerted about their auctions, while sellers get status updates. Sellers can also leave feedback. What’s unique about this app is the voice-enabled search.

Ø eBay application for BlackBerry® smartphone

Similar to the eBay application for Android, the Black Berry® app allows users to search, purchase, pay, check the status of their eBay activity, reply to eBay messages, and check current auctions no matter where they are. Besides these, with the BlackBerry Push, users will be able to receive real-time alerts whenever there are status changes on eBay. These alerts will inform buyers if they have won an auction or have been outbid, or when a listing on their Watch list is about to expire. These alerts will go directly to the user’s BlackBerry smartphone email inbox. Thanks to BlackBerry® Device Software that supports multi-tasking, the moment the user clicks on a notification he or she has received, instantaneously the eBay application will be launched.

eBay applications

Ø eBay Deals application

The eBay Deals application gives you the opportunity to search and purchase the best deals on eBay. You can create, edit and save your searches, besides sharing the items on your favorite social network. Further, with the upcoming releases you will be able to refine your deal searches and set alerts for those deals. Ensure to download eBay Mobile which runs on Apple iPhone and iPod
Touch. This will give you the chance to carry out your business anywhere, anytime.

Ø StubHub iPhone and iPod Touch application

With the StubHub iPhone and iPod Touch application members of eBay can access and search for concert and theater tickets at any point in time and from anywhere. You’ll be able to search for your favorite band or team, or events which will take place shortly at your favorite venue. Once you have found your event for the day, you can share it with your friends on Twitter or Facebook.

Ø Half.com iPhone application

With the Half.com iPhone application, you can purchase your choice of media titles in movies, music, textbooks, games and game systems. With the help of the barcode scanner you’ll be able to search for textbook titles, get the best price and then have them shipped to you. Not just that, from the home screen itself you can also browse through popular items by category to have a fair idea of what others are purchasing. You will always find excellent deals on Half.com and now, thanks to the iPhone application, you can shop from anywhere and at anytime.

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