Online shopping and money making tips

eBay is undoubtedly the most popular place in the world to find and buy second hand items and get a good deal.

However, while many items such as mobile phones, cameras, clothes can be shipped easily through courier companies or postal services,bulky items like tables, vehicles, motorcycles cannot. Therefore, the majority choose the option "local pickup only" for these items. This means there will be less bidders and generally lower selling price.

By following the following steps, these items will no longer be unreachable to you.

Get item location information

Let's say you have found an item that you want to purchase but only available locally. Save the item to your eBay watch list and then ask the seller where the item is located. Get as much information as you can, including address details, town name, zip code. Once you get that information, it's time to find a suitable delivery service company that can help you deliver the eBay item.

Look for the delivery company

Firstly, have a look at local directory websites or Yellow Pages and find the correct category for delivery companies.It is wise to only select national or regional delivery companies. You don't want to end up calling a man and van that only delivers locally.

Directory websites such as Yell or Freeindex also provide reviews about particular delivery companies which gives some insights into their service quality.

Once the list of your preferred delivery companies is created, give them a call and check whether they operate near the item location and ask for their quotes. Note down the important details including the next date they are going there, their quotes as well as insurance details.

After getting at least a 5 to 10 quotes, pick the best ones based on prices and date availability.

If you are busy and do not want to spend time calling around for quotes, transport marketplace websites are the solution.

When using these online transport marketplaces, you submit your delivery request and get quotes from delivery companies operating on the sites. Many of these websites offer quotes in a reverse auction type in which transport firms bid against each other to give you the best quote.

With the eBay delivery options ready, it's time to go and bid for the item.

Pay and get the item delivered

Once you have won the item, the next step is to pay and get it. As most sellers who list "local pickup only" items expect cash on collection, you can ask the delivery company to pay for the item for you. If the eBay item is rather valuable, you might want to pay via PayPal or bank transfer..

It is important to make sure the delivery company is reliable and trustworthy. Ask for their references, visit their office, check their delivery vehicle capacity and their insurance details..

Before the delivery company picks up the item, ask the eBay seller to give you some high resolution pictures of the item so you can compare the item condition upon delivery.