eBay is a hugely popular website, with lots of safeguards and policies for both buyers and sellers. However, when you purchase an item on eBay, you’re not buying it from the site itself – you’re buying it from an individual seller. For this reason, there are several precautions you should take to avoid any potential problems when bidding and buying on eBay.
Always pay through PayPal
PayPal is a safe and secure way to pay for your purchases online. eBay and PayPal are closely linked, and eBay offers a link to pay with PayPal when you purchase an item. Always use PayPal to complete your transactions, because PayPal offers built-in fraud protection. Be wary if a seller ever asks you to pay for something outside of PayPal.
Read the product description before buying
Sellers can set their own terms when listing an item for sale. Be sure to read the fine print for any item that you plan to bid on. Some sellers list their wares “as is” and won’t accept returns for any reason, while others might accept returns but will make you pay the shipping charges. If there are any pictures of the item shown, check them carefully to make sure you can’t see anything wrong with the item.
For used items, there are several different levels that an item can be described as, such as “good,” “very good,” “acceptable,” and others. See what the item you want is listed as, and read the eBay definition of that term so that you know exactly what you’re bidding on.
Inquire about a warranty
For some items, sellers will offer a warranty. If the item breaks or fails to work within the specified time, you can return the item for a refund or replacement. Sellers usually list warranties in the item description, but if you don’t see one listed or if it’s not clear, ask the seller about their warranty policy. Some sellers will require you to ship the item back at your own expense before they will send you a refund or replacement item.
Check the seller’s feedback rating
Every seller (and buyer) on eBay is rated using a 5-star feedback system. Check the seller’s feedback rating before bidding on an item. If the seller does not have a high rating, you may want to avoid dealing with him or her, and try to find a similar item for sale from someone else. A low feedback score can be indicative of a continual problem with the seller, which could be poor-quality merchandise, exaggerated or false item descriptions or just about anything else.
