First trick to eBay is same as any other auction. Know what you're bidding on and know exactly what it's worth. Dont get caught up in the action and overpay.
They give you enough tools and information now to spot most of the scamsters. As GonZo said, read the feedback for one thing. And I also agree that it is safest not to spend more than you're willing to piss away anyhow. Treat it like a large yardsale, especially when dealing with individuals without a long history.
My big fault with eBay isn't any fear of getting scammed. It's the damned sniping of bids. For an item where there are actually competing bidders, it comes down to being a contest of who can get the very last bid in before the auction expires.
It should be a contest of who is willing to pay the most. Onsale.com always had this down pat. They had a scheduled end time for bidding, but if there were still bids coming in at expiration time, the auction was extended. It would be extended indefinitely until 5 minutes passed without a new bid. That is a much better way to run an auction. Bidder who wants the item most gets it and the sellers gets the maximum any of his bidders were willing to pay. That doesn't happen under the current eBay methodology.
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