Many ebay sellers sell used stuff, don't make the common mistake that everything you see is brand new.  In many cases the items you buy on ebay may look like new, or be still in the original box, and even function perfectly.   This is a guide to help you determine the condition of the item you are bidding on BEFORE you bid.

Bidders are responsible for knowing what they are bidding on.  If a seller has clearly advertised the items as "DAMAGED" or "USED", or "MISSING PARTS" you may have no recourse if you find out later that this item is not what you wanted.  

What are some ways to find out the item condition before you bid?
1) Read the attributes (also known as Item Specifics)

Not all listings have item specifics, but when they do it is helpful to determine the condition of the item you are buying.  Most (not all) ebay categories prompt the seller to insert items specifics, but they are totally optional, and may not always be there.  Some seller new use them and some will always use them. 

The CONDITION attribute will offten be a choice of "USED" or "NEW, Never Opened" or "-".  Sometime the item you want could be listed with "USED" or "-", just because the box is open does not mean the item is used or worn out.

2) Read the listing.
Look for specific words like "AS-IS", "USED", or "LIKE NEW" - these are indicators that the item may not be brand new.  In many cases, the item might be new, but because the seller bought it, or got it for a gift last Christmas, they can't refer to it as "NEW" any more.   In this case its really important to review the entire item description to determine the true condition of the item.

Many sellers will include a section like "Product Condition Notes" that will clearly indicate the physical or functional condition of the item you are buying, along with specific notes about the item like "Scratched LCD Display" this will help you to know exeactly what you are bidding on.

3) Look for Items NOT Included
The seller may be selling a high end SLR digital camera, but do they specifically say that the Lens, Battery and Instructions are included?   If it's a Laptop - is the battery, power cord, restore media and AC Adapter included or not?  Don't assume anything is included there if the seller does not spcifically say it is. 

4) Is the picture a "stock" photo, or a photo of the actual item for sale?
Many sellers use stock photos, (meaning they use the same photo for multiple listings of similar items).  The picture you see may not be a picture of the actual item you are bidding on, but may simply be a stock photo of the a similar item.  Be sure to look for statements like "Pictures Shown May not be the item for sale"  or "Items shown in the picture may not be included" - these are indicators that the seller is using a stock photo.  Using a stock photo is not a BAD thing to do, but you need to be aware that the picture may not match what you are bidding on.

5) Read the terms
If the sellers includes statements like "As is - where is" or "Untested", or "We don't know if it works" - you need to assume that this item is NOT working.  Even if a sellers says "Full refund if the item is not as advertised" you may not be able to send the item back.  If the seller told you the item was untested, and it does not work, then you still got what you paid for.

6) Sellers want happy bidders.  If a seller has been on ebay for a while, they have probably learned what to do or say to protect themselves against getting unhappy bidders.  Most (not all) sellers strive to provide as much detail as possible so there is no mistake about what you are bidding on.  After - they don't want to take the item back, or worse yet - get negative feedback.