Buyer Beware

I wrote this guide to help those of you new to the EBAY communityto learn some of the tricks and tips to avoid having a bad experience. Now that we are approaching the Holiday Season again, this guide will assist you in knowing what to look for, what to avoid, and what to do if you make a mistake, or feel you have been taken advantage of. Hopefully, this will be useful to make your EBAY experience an enjoyable one, and you will want to continue to shop year round.

If It's Too Good to Be True...........

Most people have heard this their entire life, but forget it when it comes to Ebay items. In the desire to have the winning bid, all common sense sometimes goes out the window.  When I 1st started I noticed a listing for a great deal on one of those 'Have to have it yesterday game machines', ( You know which ones).  The listing was straight forward, the machne, extra games, extra controllers, and a tee shirt. There were 39 bids, but the highest one was only $230. I thought something doesn't look right, so I clicked on the item to get the FULL description and B_I_N_G_O my eyes were opened! In big bold letters the listing read " JUST KIDDING! , this is way too cool to sell so we're sending you JUST the shirt instead".  I don't know what was more shocking, this guy was selling a shirt for over $200, or that 38 other people also placed bids on this.  The point is, like the saying goes, ' If its too good to be true...'. 

READ THOSE LABELS (LISTINGS)

The next thing to do to avoid bidding on items and being disappointed is to make sure you read the FULL listing before bidding. Alot of listings clearly state the condition of the item, and let the buyer know in advance it is not 'perfect' . For instance, in the above example of ' The Machine', many lisitings state items are missing such as the power units, controllers, harddrives, etc. Other listings I have seen clearly state the item is broken or in need of repair. Remember, when you bid on an item, you are entering into a contract. Unlike the above situation, it's a little hard to ask for a refund if the seller states upfront the problems or issues with the items.

Make a Freind...Contact the Seller

The easiest way to clear up any doubts or reservations you may have about an item is to ask. Most sellers are more than willing to answer you and to give more information about an item. In my personal experience, I have asked sellers questions I had about waht exactly was or wasn't included. I have also had people contact me to ask about items I have sold.  For example, someone has a camera listed and the litsing only states many extras included. That can be anything from a battery, to a case, to lenses, filters etc. Remember, the seller has listed the item to SELL, the more people they can attract the better. If they think you may be interested it is in their best interest to answer you. If they don't then think twice about bidding on that item. Better Safe Than Sorry.

OOPS I Didn't Want That

Hey, we've all been there, we came, we saw, we bid, we got killed by a spouse/other  when we shared our new 'bargain'! Although this is not a popular topic with selllers, if it happens contact them . Again, the item is there to be sold. If they think for one minute the item may not be aid for, some will be willing to retract the bid, or help you., especially if your new! The key to this is to let them know as soons as possible, and DO NOT WAIT until the end of the auction. Yes, it may or may not look bad on you, it may or may not cause you a negative feedback, but if you're honest and upfront, most sellers will work with you.

Research, Research, Research

Ok, you found your item, you're ready to bid, but there's only 3 minutes left. The desired item is only $4, but it has a shipping charge of $55, it doesn't matter. I HAVE TO HAVE IT! To avoid this, take advantage of the search tool. If you put the item you're looking for, it will bring up ALL the listings. You can comparison shop, if you use the tools on the left side you can even narrow the items to sepcific dollar ranges, buy nows, etc. Don't bid on an item and pay top dollar only to find a similar one cheaper. Research the item you want, then pcik the one that best fits your needs and budget.

A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words

This is pretty well self explanitory. If the picture looks bad, or looks like the item may be damaged, broken, or not well taken care of...guess what? The pictures are a great way to see exactly what you are getting. It is also a great tool to get a refund if someone misrepresents what they sold to you. If the pics and descrips don't match up then don't bid...plain and simple.

I Want That, and I WANT IT NOW!

This is one of the vbest ideas Ebay came up with. By using the Want It Now option, you can post exactly what item you want, and how much you want to pay for it. By utilizing this the sellers actually contact you and direct you to their items. It may even be an item that's not listed yet. Someone can have the item lying around, and decide to list it after seeing your  request. This is a very powerful tool.

The Famous 'Zero' Feedback SCAM

I recently ran across this little 'scam' and thought this should be added to my guide. All weekend I tried to get a video game system for my brother. When I bid, I would be outbidded by someone who had a zero feedback. Some of these were legit bids, but it's the other ones I want to write about here. When the auction ended I would get my typical Ebay email informing me I did not win the item. Then within minutes, almost too soon to be true, an email would appear from the seller telling me they had just been informed from the 'winning' bidder that they would not pay.  Here's the scam part.....instead of doing a legit 2nd offer to me for the actual high bid I placed before the 'winning' bid(s), I was offered the item at the highest bid price.  My bid was $160, the seller offered it to me for $230! DON'T FALL FOR THIS! It is mainly done to avoid Ebays Fees, and to artificailly raise the price of the bidding.  Any seller who is legit about being scammed on the bidding will more than likely offer the item to you at what you offered or a few dollars more.  If they don't, either work out a compromise to what you feel is reasonable, or tell them to re-list. After all, if it is legit thay will sell it to you, if not they will have to re-list.

Excessive  Shipping Charges

I originally wrote this back in June, 2006. One thing I have noticed a lot of lately is the excessive shipping charges for items. For instance sticking with the topics already discussed, someone actually did a listing where they sold a video game box, no game, just the box, and was charging $10 shipping, and it was 1st class mail. A $0.50 postage fee would have got it there just as fast. Look at the method of shipping and make sure unless it staes Priority or some other express method that you aren't paying through the nose for something that costs less than a $1 to ship.  This year EBAY has decides to actively assist the buyers in these scams by going after people who charge these outrageous fees. Most of them do it to avoid the final sell fees from EBAY, but to be honest, it's just another way to get more money out of the buyer.   Remember, if it is a must have item this Holiday season there will be other listings for that item. Most Ebay sellers are honest people, the few that are not, make it bad for all of us. If you think the item should not cost that much, then move on, bid on someone else's item.  

Report This Item

In the previous topics a lot of issues were mentioned involving different types of scams. If you feel that the items is listed wrong, the person is charging too much shipping, that the ads are deceptive,  the item may be illegal, such as copyrighted material, bootlegged items, etc. There is a recourse called REPORT THIS ITEM. By clicking on this, you can fill out some simple pre-filled forms and turn the seller into EBAY for them to investigate.  Especially if there huge discrepancies in the ad listing, and the details. For instance one of the biggest scams are the Xbox 360s going for just a couple of  hundred dollars, that includes games, extra controllers etc. However, when you click on the ad, it sates in the description to email the seller to make arrangements to buy a lot of 25-50 of these for a flat rate of anywhere from $1,500-$6,000. This is a scam and  is another method used to avoid or circumvent EBAYS fees. By reporting the item as a violation you can help get these scammers off of EBAY, and allow the honest sellers to be able to sell their items.

Double Check That Invoice !

O.K. Youv'e finally done it, you made your EBAY purchase, everything worked out, there's one more small thing to do now. That is to make sure the invoice you are sent is correct, and what you agreed to. When the auction is over and you win, you will be sent an invoice. Make sure it is correct before paying! Make sure the amount is what you agreed to, the invoice amounts can be adjusted after the auction, and have been. I had an experience where I was supposed to pay $5 s/h, I was invoiced for $15. I emailed the seller and told them of the so called error, and could not believe my reply. The seller said it was no error, the item sold for a lot less than what he wanted it to, and he was recupping his money. I wrote him back and told him, I would not pay the higher fee, and unless he billed me correctly, I would report him to EBAY. He finally agreed, and sent me the correct invoice.  Just because they send you an invoice and you won the item, DOES NOT mean you HAVE to pay for it, if it is incorrect. Don't fall for bullying emails telling you otherwise, if it is not correct, stand your ground. Mistakes happen, the honest sellers are more than willing to re-invoice you correctly.  The other main item to check on the invoice is the SHIP TO ADDRESS! Make sure this is correct! If there is a mistake, email the seller and make sure you update your account to reflect the changes. The invoices are generated by the information on your file, if you made a mistake, the invoice will be worng, and could reduce the arrival time of your item, or prevent it from getting to you at all.

SIGNATURE REQUIRED!

I had to add this due to the fact recently, I've been burnt on this one myself. If you purchase an item thet is being shipped FEDEX, make sure you pay the extra to have it sent via SIGNATURE REQUIRED. Here's why: Recently I ordered an item that was supposedly delivered to my house. At the time of the so called delivery my wife was home. The driver never rang the doorbell or knocked on the door. FEDEX has a policy that unless the SELLER ships it with a signature required, they do not attempt to get one, regarless of the value of the contents. You would not beleive the headaches I have had to go through to attempt to get this resolved, especially since FEDEX has NO LOCAL phone numbers! All calls are directed through their main hub in either Memphis, or Atlanta. I was also told by the FEDEX rep the only way they could pursue this further was to have the SELLER file a claim on my behalf. Unfortunatley the seller already has thier payment, and is unwilling to sign a simple waiver to allow them to deal with me directly. ALL of this could have been simply avoided if I had paid the extra money, which is not much, to have it shipped as signature required. This is not unique to FEDEX, if you are purchasing an item that has a high value, or is something you really have to have, make sure you choose the signature required option. If the seller does not offer it, ASK them to offer it. In my case the seller offered it, I just didn't think I needed it. Yes, it may slow down the arrival of your item, but at least you will GET your item!

               DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DID

It's easy for me to give advice now, but trust me, it's the result of several mistakes I have made, and my own personal leraning curve. This is my last point, a while  I myself bidded on an item for my son. I received it and as soon as I picked up the box, I knew something was wrong. The box weighed half of what it sould have. I opened the box and sure enough the video games were there, the controllers, and memory cards were there, but the game unit itslef wasn't. I was livid! My 1st reaction was immediately to write the seller and give him a piece of my mind and tell him how it was 'his' fault that my sons's present was  ruined. The seller was more than patient with me. He apologized over and over again, even though I went on and on about he deceived me. When I went back to the listing, hoping  to report him to Ebay, I  realized this guy was right. In his ad at no point did he ever mention the system, it was not pictured, it wasn't even shown or mentioned in the full description. Then I got thinking about how little the shipping charges were. I assumed the item was included. (by the way that line about not assuming, it's right it did make one out of me). Anyway I apologized to him and did eventually get another one for my son on my own. If I had followed any of the above steps I listed this would have never happened. So in parting keep these three things in mind:

1. Enjoy Ebay, don't get int a bad experience and you won't have one.
2. Read before you bid, make sure you know what it is you're bidding on BEFORE you bid.
3. DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DID