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!

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.

PayPal is highly recommended by most eBay users including myself.

Why such the lofty rating?

PayPal equals protection, reliability, and consistency.

PayPal acts as a third party escrow system that will protect the money as it exchanges hands from the buyer to seller. Sellers prefer PayPal because it prevents the check from bouncing, is much quicker, and an easier way of doing business. Buyers love PayPal because it does not give out personal information such as the credit card and social security number when transferring money between parties.

When you shop on eBay you will find out that a lot of sellers prefer payment through PayPal if not requiring it. PayPal is just so secure and reliable that most other forms of payment cannot even compare to the easy of using PayPal. You will also find that buyers prefer paying through PayPal because the payment is made sooner and ultimately the product shipped sooner.

When you register for an account on eBay, you are given the option of also signing up for PayPal. If you do not sign up for PayPal at that stage in the registration process but wish to now, do not be afraid. Signing up for a PayPal Account is very easy.

Log onto: “PayPal.com” and check out the home page.

On the left hand side of the home page you will find a small grey login box. Make note of that box, as whenever you return to PayPal that is where you will sign in.

For now you need to create a new account. Click on the “Sign Up” link directly below the “email address” and “password” box.

You then need to select a country of reside and language spoken. Remember that PayPal is a worldwide escrow system, which is awesome because it connects people with similar interests in business transactions from all over the world.

You also need to select which type of PayPal plan you want to own. Personal accounts are for individuals who shop online, Premier accounts are for individuals who buy and sell online, and Business accounts are for merchants who use a company or group name.

The excellent benefit of PayPal is all three accounts listed below are entirely free. The accounts may charge small fees for money deposited or withdrawn, but the general rule is all bank transaction done inside the United States are entirely free.

After you select a type of PayPal account you will fill in required contact information such as name, address, and phone number. Keep in mind this personal information is needed to verify your name and bank account, as well as send checks if you wish to get paid that way. You will also need to enter a valid email address and create a password. The email address serves as part of your login and also is where you will receive notices about money deposited or withdrawn from the account. The password needs to be at least 8 characters long, shouldn’t contain personal information (such as Social Security), and something you can easily remember.

Write down your login information and store it in a safe place to verify security on the account.

You must also agree to the PayPal user agreement and terms of privacy before registering.

After you account is set up, you can check back at any time to view your available funds and other options featured on PayPal.

photo by lasziophoto