The process is essentially the same regardless of the website you use.
Before you can buy or sell, you need to register online (this takes about two minutes).
To sell
First you list the item with the trading website, posting a picture of it and specifying the minimum price you will accept - the reserve. A number of sites allow you to sell at a fixed price - in such cases you may be charged a listing fee.
Buyers then place their bids. At the close of the auction, if the reserve has been met, the highest bidder becomes the purchaser. They are sent your contact details and vice versa, and you get in touch with each other to arrange payment and delivery.
To buy
You visit the site and enter the item you are looking for in the search engine. Alternatively, you can just browse the different categories.
Is it safe?
Only a tiny fraction of online auctions turn sour, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Most sites offer an "escrow" service. This is where a trusted third party holds money on behalf of the buyer and seller whilst the transaction is in progress. The buyer pays money into the escrow trust account.
That money is not released to the seller until the goods arrive and (perhaps more importantly) it's clear they match the description given. There is a charge to use an escrow service. Whether this charge will be shared or paid by the buyer is usually indicated in the blurb placed by the seller. See SafeTrader for New Zealand services, or Escrow.com for international services.
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