Author’s note: I originally posted this article in my personal blog about two years ago. I haven’t updated that site in ages, but a recent search yielded a few pieces that were worth revising and re-posting in a more visible forum. Hope you find this information useful, especially in these tough economic times, and don’t be surprised if I “recycle” a few more blog entries. Hey, we’re nothing if not environmentally conscious at PopCultureShock! — Kate

eBay can be a godsend to the manga lover on a budget. You don’t need to be a member of the Better Business Bureau, however, to realize that eBay can be a risky place to buy things. Every eBayer has a horror story about a seller whose notion of “like new” corresponded to most folks’ idea of “used and abused,” or who simply failed to send the item.

If you’re looking for a cheap copy of a brand new title—Black Jack, Code Geass, Real—visit Amazon.com, Buy.com, or a brick-and-mortar retailer with a discount program. You won’t find great discounts on eBay, and may, in fact, end up paying more for the book than you would elsewhere. A recent example: I noticed an eBay seller offering the complete run of Tezuka’s Phoenix—a twelve-volume set—for $200.00 plus $8.00 for USPS Media Rate shipping. An enterprising soul could easily assemble a complete run of the series for about $120.00 – $130.00 on Amazon (new copies cost $11.00 – $16.00 per volume) and not pay a dime for Super Saver Shipping. A frugal fan could assemble an even cheaper set by buying second-hand copies through Amazon’s extended network of sellers, or by using Google’s product search engine to compare prices from a wide array of retailers.

If you’re looking for complete or partial sets of long-running series, or out-of-print titles like Dance ’til Tomorrow, Eagle or Flowers and Bees, however, eBay is worth the time and trouble. Some of my greatest scores: the first fifteen volumes of Lone Wolf and Cub for $65.00 (shipping included!), the first three volumes of One Pound Gospel for $6.00 (the first edition), and the first five volumes of Hellsing for $24.00. That translates into a savings of 50-75% off the cover price for manga in good used condition.

Want to make a manga kill on eBay? Here are some tips for getting the most out of eBay:

• Do some comparison shopping before you hop on eBay. Check out Amazon.com, Overstock.com, and other sites to learn how much the book costs new. If an eBay seller’s price is at or near market rate, you’re better off buying the book from a conventional retailer. If the book is out of print, find out if copies are scarce (e.g. Four Shojo Stories) or easy to come by (e.g. Snow Goddess Tales), whether the book’s condition plays a major factor in pricing, and how much used book dealers charge for it.
• Do a thorough search before you bid. You may need to experiment with several different search terms before you find all the available copies of, say, volumes one to seven of Death Note. (To look for these volumes, I’d try “Death Note manga,” “Death Note 1,” and “Death Note Viz.”)
• Spend a week or two monitoring auctions of similar items. What’s the going rate for a particular title? Do complete sets sell at a higher per-volume cost than individual volumes? How many sellers are offering the same basic product (e.g. full run of Chobits)?
• Make sure the shipping costs are reasonable. Some retailers reel in customers with low startingbids, but offset their losses by charging exorbitant shipping fees. No one should charge you $7.50 to ship one book via media mail.
• Read the description carefully. If the listing doesn’t include pictures or describe the condition of the books, be wary—the items may be damaged. If your goal is simply to obtain the cheapest copy available, look for sellers that specialize in overstock and remainders.
• Make sure you’re buying the English edition. If someone is offering the full run of Slam Dunk, chances are they’re selling a Chinese or Japanese edition. Double-check with the seller if the pictures and/or copy don’t indicate which edition it is.
• Check the seller’s ratings. If a seller doesn’t have a 100% approval rating, look at his feedback. One or two negative responses are probably not a cause for concern; dozens of angry feedback comments, however, are usually a fair indication that the seller is unreliable. (Or a jerk. Or both.)
• Know your maximum bid. Figure out how much you’re willing to pay, and bow out if a bidding frenzy ensues.
• Never do business with a seller who only accepts checks, cash, and/or Western Union. If the transaction goes south, your money is lost forever. Use PayPal instead—if your merchandise never materializes or is damaged in transit, you can file a grievance with PayPal asking for a replacement or a refund.

One final suggestion: if you plan to bid on popular items, consider using a service like eSnipe. eSnipe (and dozens of similar sites) will submit a last-minute bid for your item (usually in the final 5-10 second of the auction), greatly increasing your chances of winning it. Simply sign up for the service, provide the numbers for each auction you’d like to monitor, and name your maximum bid. Fees vary by site, but are generally low (about 15-50 cents per transaction).

Score a great deal? Discover a trustworthy seller? Share your experiences with us in the comments!