The reason I am writing this guide is to  give some tips that I have found useful in buying and selling on ebay concerning what is expected from me as a seller, and what I might expect from someone I am buying from. So many times people don't read the "fine print" when bidding on an item. There also are sellers who find themselves regretting a sale simply because they weren't specific enough with their policies. Let me address the latter first.

If you want to be a successful seller, you need to be as clear as possible when describing an item and when adding payment and return policies. If you do not want to take returns, you must make very sure to disclose any problems clearly in the description of an item you are selling. After doing that, you must state that you will not take returns for any reason. This should not be a problem if you were totally honest in your description. Then, if the customer decides not to read this policy, as so many people do, you certainly shouldn't be responsible for their neglegance and should be able to refuse a return without any self doubt. Another thing that I add to my policy is that customers should always ask questions before bidding . It's just another way of ensuring that you are giving every opportunity for the bidder to be sure about their purchases. Of course, nobody is perfect and no matter how many precautions are taken, there may be an instance when giving a refund is undoubtedly the right thing to do no matter what your policy. These are very rare occasions, but they can happen to even the most honest of sellers, and taking care of these matters in the appropriate way is simply good business.

If you do want to accept returns, make sure that you give specific reasons that you will , and reasons you will not. State what the refund will actually include such as shipping one or both ways, insurance cost, restocking fees etc. A lot of the time, if an item didn't cost that much to begin with, it may not even be worth the cost of shipping it back. Other things it is important to let people know are what days you ship, method of shipping, method of payment accepted, amount of time you expect to receive payment etc. The more detail you put in not only the listing itself, but the policies that go along with it, the easier it will be to deal with any problems that may arise. Of course, the most important thing is that the bidder read your policies first. You can bet that a good portion of them won't. But as long as they are there, whether read or not, you can avoid many problems that may arise without them.

With that said, I only have a quick bit of advice for the BUYERS. READ THE FINE PRINT!! So often someone bids on an item, wins it, and receives it only to find that it's not exactly what they expected. Then what do you do? Did you read the whole listing? Did you read the return policy? What if you won something and want to pay by check? Does the seller even take checks? That is why it is so important to read the entire listing before bidding and if there's a question you have that still isn't answered, contact the seller first. Don't just look at the photos and decide to bid. Photos only tell so much. Read the description. That way if it comes to you in a condition that wasn't mentioned, you have a right to get a refund even if it's the sellers policy not to. I myself, am guilty of this too. There have been a couple of times when I didn't read the description thoroughly and have been disappointed when the item arrived. When I went back and checked, sure enough it was something I had missed and there was nothing that could be done. So, I just had to chalk it up to my negligance and move on. You can't get mad at a seller for something YOU missed. A seller can't refuse you for something THEY didn't mention. Therefore, read the WHOLE listing, ask questions, bid cautiously and so many problems will be avoided!

Thanks and good luck to all and HAPPY EBAYING!!!