EBay can be a penny-pincher’s paradise, but the online auction isn’t without its perils. St. Petersburg Times’ reporter Laura Coffey offers five tips:

¢ Supercharge your search. Enter every variation of the name of the item you’re after – and don’t forget to include common misspellings!

¢ Watch ratings. The best way to gauge sellers’ dependability is to check their user rating and read through customer comments. To minimize risk, avoid sellers with fewer than 10 transactions and ratings lower than 98 percent.

¢ Compare prices. Take the time to compare prices at sites like Bizrate.com or Overstock .com, and make sure to factor in shipping costs.

¢ Bid smart. Don’t begin bidding until late in the game. Once you start, try offering unusual amounts. Why bid $5.50, when winning the auction may only require only $5.12?

¢ Charge it! Using a credit card gives buyers a built-in insurance policy. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase and the seller is uncooperative, just contact your credit card company and have the charges reversed.