is it really safe to use ebay!?

Question

I've never used ebay before, and it seems so simple, but some things i just don't know if its worth buying and then in the end just getting ripped off?

Answer 1

Yes, but you need to educate yourself, and use some common sense. Here's some things to look for:

To protect yourself from Fraud:

Before bidding on an auction you may want to ask yourself the following questions and consider the answers.

1. Does this person have any feedback?
If he has lots of positives you can be sure he is a legitimate seller and won't simply take your money. However be sure to check his negatives too to see what kind of person you are dealing with. Note: In this case you'll want to be looking for feedback as a result of selling an item. Positive feedback for a purchase doesn't help to determine if this guy can be trusted as a seller. NOTE: One small thing - with takeovers, the feedback tends to look really good (they like to take over accounts with good feedback) but a careful look will give clues - a Roseville collector suddenly selling laptops, not responding to email, or with strange responses, and those offers to sell outside of eBay.

2. How long is the auction posted?
We have found that those wishing to commit fraud will list items for a short amount of time, often only 1-3 days. This allows him to get his money as soon as possible and reduces his chances for exposure. If this is a short auction it may warrant a bit more scrutiny.

3. Are there no pictures or is the picture stolen from another auction?
Those unscrupulous individuals intent on committing fraud never take their own pictures of items because SUPRISE they don't have any items for sale in the first place! That's not to say that having no pictures is necessarily bad. Just check the seller out a little more closely before you bid. Comparing the auction to the other items on this list is a good way to do that.

4. Is the item described well?
Make sure that the item has an actual description. Does he say how much use the item has had? Does his description match his picture? A description that basically states that it’s great is no description at all. Opinions on the TYPE of item are useless unless they are coupled with an accurate description of the item actually being auctioned.

5. Is the price too good to be true? Does this seller have a large number of items with prices that are well below their normal selling prices?
When a person falsely lists an item for sale he doesn't really care if he gets full price because, again he isn't really selling anything. Low prices don't always mean fraud but drastically low prices warrant a closer look before you bid. Ask the seller about the item in a case like this. The more difficult and technical the question the better. If you don't get a reply it would be wise to pass on this auction.

6. Is the seller offering unreasonable or unusual features?
Lets face it, the sellers on eBay are generally not just here for the fun of it. They are good people trying to make a living or at the very least enjoying a hobby. Nobody is here to lose money. So when folks offer things like 10 day inspection periods and totally free shipping it warrants a closer look.

7. Can and does this seller answer questions in a timely, courteous and technically proficient manner?
Asking questions about the condition, finish and functionality is one of the best ways to screen the good sellers from the bad. Most sellers wishing to commit fraud won't bother answering and in that case it may be best to move on. Asking for a serial number (if the item is supposed to have one) is another good way to verify the item is for real. Again the more difficult and technical your questions the better, make sure this seller knows what he is selling.
If the answers to these questions leave you with a bad feeling let us know by shooting us an alert at: http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/index.html

How do I protect myself from fraud if I have already won an auction?
There a number of things to keep in mind before sending your money to a seller that has little or no feedback for selling.
How does the auction hold up against these 7 questions?

1. Does he have feedback for selling? (does he have negative feedback for deadbeat bidding)

2. Was the auction posted for only a few days?

3. Were there pictures?

4. Is there a detailed description of the item?

5. Was the price way too good to be true?

6. Is the seller offering unusual percs like a "10 day inspection period"?

7. Has this seller answered questions about the item in an acceptable manner? Make sure and get a valid phone number for the seller. If he gives you a fake one contact us immediately and we'll look into it. You are not required to complete any sale in which the seller or an
employee of the seller does not make himself available for a phone conversation.

Answer 2

Actually, yes! EBay is a very safe way to buy hard-to-find items! I buy rare CDs all the time. Sometimes a seller will rip you off, but you can file a complaint with eBay, and they will settle the issue for you, and either get you your money back, or get you your item. If you have major troubles with it, and you paid a large price for something, you can actually take the seller to court; my dad is currently doing this, since he paid a large sum for an item he never received, and the seller won't respond to his e-mails. However, I have found eBay to be safe, fun, and easy. Be sure to check out the seller's feedback ratings, though. The better the percentage of positive feedback, the safer you'll be. Enjoy!

Answer 3

yes and no. what you want to look for are the sellers feedback rating, if it's relatively low then stay away from them. usually the higher volume people are better, most of the time. check their negative feedback. if they have some from a while ago that's fine. big volume sellers will have more than everyone else but you must figure in that the more volume you do, the more opportunities for things to go wrong so don't be fritghened by that. people who have a feedback rating of 120 with 15 negatives, you'd want to stay away from them. just check the feedbakc rating and look at the negatives. if they are reasonable complaints then let them be, it happens. if they're stupid ones then don't even worry about them. depending on how often you use ebay, you will get burned eventually. happens to everyone. just make sure you ALWAYS use paypal and you won't have to worry about losing your money if the deal goes sour.

Answer 4

I LOVE Ebay and have used it many times. The best way to keep from getting ripped off is to shop around and make sure you are getting a good deal. Then, make sure to check the shipping price to make sure they aren't going to get you there. As far as ordering something and never getting your stuff, ebay sellers have ratings, and previous buyers leave comments on their transactions with the sellers. If you are considering buying something from someone, check out their score. I would not recommend purchasing from anyone below 95%, but that's me.

Answer 5

Pretty safe. Just know what you're buying and look at the feedback of the seller. Get a Paypal account set up, safest way to do business online.

Answer 6

I have been using eBay for several years and have not have any problems yet.

Read the feedback ratings and make sure there is a picture of the item. You can also buy insurance for some purchases.

Answer 7

there are ALOT of scams on ebay. Just be careful, make sure you ae dealing with a real person in this country, never ever send money by western union, or send it out side the US.

Answer 8

use the seller ratings to see how many experiences (should be over 80) they have and look for a score of at least 90% positive

Answer 9

Hi:

There is a free ebook that will help you understand everything about Ebay... it´s really good and best of all it´s FREE.

Good Luck,

http://www.auctionsprofit.com/download/?aff=6023

Answer 10

it is safe if you are smart, but it gets really annoying that there are scammers all over ebay.