Is It Safe To Shop On Ebay?

[Cherrypie7]

Are the sellers on there geniune? I'm thinking of buying a 9ct gold chain on there but is it safe? Are all their products second hand? Do buyers get any protection from scam sellers on there?

[daffy654]

It is safe as long as you aren't stupid when shopping there. Always check seller's feedback and postage costs before bidding.

[hc4361]

It's like a big open market. Some sellers are businesses, some are individuals selling their unwanted goods, some are scammers.

Even big high street stores have outlets on eBay.

You will find both new and used items - it will be clearly indicated on the listing.

Shopping on eBay is very safe if you use your common sense, pay with PayPal and only buy from sellers with lots of previous sales and good feedback.
I wouldn't buy anything branded from Hong Kong or China but would take a gamble for a low value item.

eBay and PayPal do give protection to most buyers in most circumstances.

[fliptheswitch]

I only ever buy from sellers who have 100% positive feedback. I would advice doing the same.
Only you can know if the items they are selling are second hand, by sending them a message and asking them. That's if it's not already mentioned in the actual listing.
You are covered, but only if you pay via Paypal.

[Cherrypie7]

Sounds good, are the products on ebay high quality? As I need to get a 9ct gold necklace for my niece and don't want to buy something that will break up or isn't real gold.

[RAV1D]

ebay is a total con. Basicly aslong as ebay are making money from the buyer and seller they don't care less! ebay have full control. They can see who has bidded the most money, they can pick who and how much the item wins for. In a normal auction there is not someone in the middle who can see what the people are going tobid up to but on here they can and they know where the most money is gonna come from for them to profit the most with there charges! They also decide desputes and if someone will have to pay back the money for an item sold if the bidder who comit to buy changes there mind and opens a dispute! They also take the fee if the item sells and the winner then don't pay for it. Then make it hard as possible for the seller to get there item fee back. I put three items for sale on ebay before christmas. all three sold yet none of the winners came to pay in the end so i was left with the item and the ebay charge because i apparently sold them. I didn't get my charges paid back. I was worse off than started. I didn't make a penny but i lost out on 30 or so quid. It's a total con. Yes I told ebay all this but still no fee back!

[ChuckFickens]

"they can pick who and how much the item wins for"

What???....Keep wearing the tin foil hat!

[annadomino]

RAV1D - what utter rubbish.
Cherrypie - I have made over 400 purchases from ebay, and not a bit of bother. As has been said, a paypal account gives extra protection.

[islasmum]

I have both bought and sold approximately 40 items on Ebay as an indivdual over the past few years, and have only ever had one problem with an item. I also only buy from people with one hundred % positive feedback, I also read their feedback - to find out other people's comments. I also only use Paypal, and have not had any problems there.

[woofgang]

If you want to buy from a seller with less than 100% check what the poor feedbacks are. Sometimes they are un warranted snotty comments from buyers, sometimes irrelevant to what you are buying.

[vodkancoke]

I buy and sell on Ebay....please don't only buy from people with 100% feedback. I have had one negative in the time I have been using it because the buyer asked a question and I was on holiday so couldnt reply in time so the daft boot gave me a negative which takes me to 97.1% feedback. Please take time to read why they have the neg feedback in the first place as woofgang has said.

To answer your question, I personally sell brand new or nearly new (e.g dvds that have been watched once or twice) I have never had a problem with it and sometimes you can get some fab bargains.

[boxtops]

Cherrypie - take no notice of Ravid's rant, I have been buying and selling on eBay for years and I haven't experienced any of that. You do have to keep your wits about you, and look at feedback from other people before you bid for something. Only bid to the maximum which you can afford, don't get carried away. The same as high street shopping or other mail order, if it says 9ct gold it has to be.

Open a PayPal account and pay that way, it means you don't have to give your bank account details to the seller.

I have had problems - late payers, stuff not quite as described - buying and selling too, but it's always been resolved quickly and satisfactorily. I always go to eBay these days when we want to buy something, there are some great bargains to be had.

[boxtops]

Ravid, what you say about your non-sales doesn't make sense. I've had buyers who haven't paid, and when I have opened the dispute with eBay, after the due period eBay have ALWAYS refunded my seller fee. Unless you didn't report it in time, something's gone wrong here, which you need to take up with eBay - you can relist an non-sold item quite easily, or sell to the next highest bidder once the sale's been cancelled.

[Carakeel]

Only buy from sellers who have a 100% positive feedback rating and have had a high number of sales! I have bought and sold on Ebay many times over the years and have never had any problems. But just like anything that involves money, you do need to be careful and read everything that is written about the product you want to buy etc. If you are unsure about anything you can put your questions to the seller and they will get back to you quite quickly. Always pay via paypal, which is the safest method. Also, if you do have a problem with a seller, Ebay / Paypal will investigate it and sort it through their resolution centre, but it does take time. Do not bid on something unless you are absolutely sure you want it! You cannot change your mind once you have placed your bid. It is sometimes better to go with the "Buy it Now" items, as at least you can be sure you will get it, rather than having to wait to see if your bid was the highest and has won. Have fun!

[woofgang]

"Only buy from sellers who have a 100% positive feedback rating and have had a high number of sales!"

Please don't do this or new honest sellers, like myself, will never get started.

[grasscarp]

Recently my daughter purchased a watch that claimed to be much more than it was i.e. it was a rather nasty fake. She got in touch with ebay and they refunded her money to her. Normally everything goes well and ebay is very much on the side of the buyer if there is a problem. I buy and sell on there a lot.

[grasscarp]

I'm with vodkaandcoke. I have less than a hundred per cent feedback due to a negative. A person "didnt like" the smell of a perfume I sold. I refunded their money and told them not to bother to send it back! Ebay agreed that it was unfair and withdrew the comment, but said they could not withdraw the negative! wonderful.

[Squitty]

I always prefer to collect and pay cash whenever I can because then you get to see what you are buying before the cash gets handed over. I deleberatly choose closer not cheaper items.
So many horror stories about not being able to get your money easily back via ebay and paypal i would probably not bother with that route.
Depends on the item cost.

[crisgal]

i've had over 700 transactions, mainly me buying, over about 7 years. I love it, it's a great way to get a bargain. in all that time, i've probably been let down 2 or 3 times. just make sure you read the description very carefully. Pay with paypal and you've got extra protection. x

[NOX]

If you pay by paypal it's 100% safe for you, and as others have said don't be put off by the odd negative remark- we all get them if we trade a lot because there will always be nutty customers.

[boxtops]

squitty, doesn't the cash-only option really restrict your buying and selling? I've sold as far afield as Alaska and New Zealand - PayPal is the only option there.