Using eBay to Find Outdoor Supplies on the Cheap

Getting into the swing of summer happening is a cinch at eBay. You can always find great bargains on pool supplies, patio furniture, and (especially in the winter) patio heaters. Prices — even including shipping costs — may even beat the best deals at your local discount store.

Keeping your green thumb happy

You no longer have to find a special nursery to find rare and unique plants. Just read your landscaping book and run a search at eBay for the plants you want. You can find almost every exotic plant you desire. Here's a lay of the land:

Horticulturists from the Pacific Northwest are selling seeds and flats of their cherished lavender and herbs.

A nursery in Indiana, rosemeadownursery, specializes in miniature roses, and is selling them by the dozen for spring.

Sellers from Hawaii are selling cuttings and seeds from those luscious Hawaiian plants.

There are rules for nurseries that ship to different states. Some states require bare root shipping. The seller removes all dirt from the plant roots and ships the plant in a moisture-laden container. California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona have special plant rules. More information can be found on the eBay help page.

Or click Site Map on the Navigation Bar. On the site map, look for Is My Item Allowed at eBay? and click it.

Swimming pool equipment

Yes, eBay has its share of 6-foot inflatable alligators, water wings, underwater exercisers, and swimming-pool basketball sets. But eBay is also an excellent place to save money on swimming-pool equipment and parts.

Anyone who has ever used a mechanical pool sweep knows that they are pretty temperamental items, and you need to work on them from time to time. There are sellers at eBay who sell brand new replacement parts for these pool monsters at a major savings from your local pool store.

Pool equipment of all kinds, including test equipment and supplies, can be found at lower-than-discount prices.

Calling all sports

One of the better aspects of getting involved in a sport is buying all the stuff you need to perform the sport looking your best. You can, of course, find individual sellers devoted to all your sporting needs, but eBay also has complete stores devoted to sports, as well. eBay covers everything you need, whether you are a participant or merely a fan. You won't find better bargains anywhere.

You can look for everything from camping equipment, to paintball supplies, and even curling. (Yes, curling.)

You may want to rent (or buy) a timeshare for your vacation. If you want to practice your game, you might want books and videos or get practice nets and putting greens for your home or office. See how a theme is put together? You also might want golf memorabilia (a Tiger Woods 1996 Rookie card, PSA 10, is worth $37,000), autographs, perhaps even a pair of tickets to the Ryder Cup or the Masters.

You may be surprised to discover that pool tables among the items for sale at eBay! zBilliards has been selling full-size billiard tables at eBay for a few years. The proprieter originally got interested in using eBay in his business when he saw his mother's collectible business turn from pretty good to a pretty big moneymaker with a little help from eBay.

Adam Ginsberg is the man behind zBilliards. He contracted directly with overseas factories to produce the tables according to his own exacting specifications (talk about branding!). He imports the tables directly and keeps them in his Los Angeles warehouse.

Tables sell at eBay for amazingly low prices, and a quick glance at the feedback rating reveals that Ginsberg has plenty of happy customers. Many of the feedbacks also reflect comments by the installers that the tables bought from Ginsberg were half (or even one-third) the local purchase price.