eBay has over 200 million users and unfortunately, not all of them are honest. Whilst there is only a small percentage of eBay users out there that are scammers, it is likely during your time browsing eBay you may encounter at least one.
eBay bans hundreds of scammers daily, but sadly they can’t catch them all, and sadly, many people become eBay victims on a daily basis. This is bad for buyers, sellers and also eBay. Luckily however, an eBay scammer is relatively easy to spot.
When looking at any eBay seller, the first thing you should look for is a good feedback rating. Negative feedback can happen unfairly, so if someone doesn’t have 100% positive feedback, read the negative reviews to ensure you don’t judge them too harshly.
The next thing to look at is the country of origin. If the user is from Nigeria and selling Nigerian handicrafts, then maybe it’s a legitimate sale. If they’re selling the latest iPhone, then chances are it’s a hoax.
Payment method
If someone asks you to pay with any form of payment that is not officially supported by eBay such as western union, you can be sure that they are trying to take your money. Don’t expect to get anything in return. PayPal is the preferred payment method because if you have paid via PayPal, and something goes wrong you can appeal for a refund.
Whilst there are many scammers and fraudsters out there, generally as long as you check feedback and try to be careful you will not have a problem. Sometimes the problem however is with counterfeit goods. If you receive what you believe are fake goods, then you have every right to contact the authorities as well as eBay because fake goods are illegal.
eBay scam artists or fraudsters don’t only bother buyers though!
eBay scammers are a problem for many sellers who are kind hearted enough to send goods before a check clears. The golden rule here is, use PayPal to ensure the safety of both parties. PayPal isn’t cheap, but it does guarantee a certain degree of safety.
Above all, most importantly you must look out for deals which appear too good to be true. These days there are a lot of pre-release cell phones out there, and there are many people gullible enough to believe that they are genuine and that once the auction ends they will receive a pre=release.
eBay sounds like a nightmare doesn’t it? In reality though however, problems are rare thanks to the fact many users are able to police eBay for themselves. This makes sure that scammers, fraudsters and cheats are all reported quickly. If you see one on eBay, the least you can do is to report it, keeping you and other people safe.
eBay is a great site to buy almost anything. Don’t be put off by the fact it may seem like a dangerous place to shop because generally it’s not. Have fun, and above all keep vigilant, there are bargains to be had everywhere!
Posted in How To, PayPal, Selling, Shopping, eBay | No Comments »
It’s time to treat you to something new and special. You’ve worked hard for months now and someone wants to give you something nice. Say you have always wanted this rare antique set. Your average Wal-Mart likely will not carry it. What about eBay? The site has just about anything you could ever imagine.
How to buy on eBay is really simple. First off, you need to know what you are looking for. You also need to have an account on eBay. Don’t have one? It’s free and only takes a few minutes to sign up for. Once you have a new account or have logged on, search for the item you want.
I’m a big video gamer. What about the new NCAA Football 10 for XBOX 360? Enter the product description into eBay’s search engine. This could range from simple (“NCAA Football 10”) to complex (“NCAA Football 10 XBOX 360”). eBay will gather a list of items based on the keywords you entered in the search engine.
The game just came out and I want it now. Scroll down the page and browse the title of different products related to NCAA Football 10. I find a product with the heading “NCAA Football 10 2010 (Xbox 360) NEW SEALED – SHIPS NOW.”
I click on the link and discover that the product description fits exactly what I am looking for. The product is new, ships with first class mail (which means I’ll get it quickly), and the reputation of the seller is 99.9% positive (out of 6,108 sales).
Everything looks great. The current bid (or price) of the item is listed at the top. Right now the product is going for “$61.00.” The auction ends in “1h and 22 minutes.” The “History” of the item shows that 16 bids have been placed on the item. If I click on “16 bids” I can see what price the item started at and what each and every bid did to raise the price.
On certain items I can avoid the hassle and time commitment of bidding, thanks to “Buy Now.” Buy Now is only offered on select products. The description is just like what the title implies. Click on “Buy Now” and the item is yours. You’ll pay the agreed upon price including and shipping and handling charges (sometimes sellers attract buyers with free shipping if they select “Buy Now”). Once the product is paid for (most likely through Pay Pal), the seller will ship the item and it should arrive around the estimated time for the shipping method.
Bidding is more complicated. Obviously you need to land the highest bid or the product is not yours. Competition gets stiff during the final minutes of bidding – the higher the demand for the product, the stiffer the competition. Unfortunately products like Auction Sniper exist that other users will utilize and make almost impossible to outbid. Your best bet is to set the maximum bid you are willing to spend for the item minutes before the auction is over and to cross your fingers that it does not get out-bid.
If you win the item, terrific, you are now ready to check out and pay for the item. Check out the sellers preferred buying methods. Make sure you agree to their terms before you win the item. Most will prefer Pay Pal while others will select credit card or check as well. I recommend you use Pay Pal to help protect your personal information. It’s also the fastest way you can pay possible which mean the item will only arrive sooner into your loving arms.
Posted in How To, PayPal, Shopping, eBay | No Comments »