Guide Purpose: Give New Ebayers assistance and assurance. Plus some tips from savvy ebayers.  Honest evaluation. I love Ebay and shop here often.

Ebay is a fun place to shop. Ebay should be your first stop for those times when a local store will not do.

Why is a local store preferred?

1. Buyers remorse. Wal-mart allows returns- even for items that are perfect. Ebay is not conveniently set up to do so. Most sellers do not allow returns. If a seller offers returns, the return shipping is usually prohibitive. Most sellers do not cover return shipping.
2. Local stores give you an opportunity to see the merchandise. Sometimes that will help decide if it is right. Hard to judge size and smell; jewelry and perfume especially.
3. Faster. Instant gratification.Or fast if need to have it for event. USPS does lose some mail.
4. For jewelry may be a more sure place to buy.
5. Rarer considerations that may not apply: 

• May be easier to buy add on items at the same time/place.
• Items are fresh. Boxes are intact. Ebay can sell dated/expired items (you may not think to ask), or boxes may be bent/discolored. This could be important for a gift.
• Safer if you are in a high crime zone where packages are pilferred and mail is stolen.
• Easier if you do not want to go to the post office to pick up package/sign for one.
• May be flimsy, etc. Sometimes after nseeing it, you may not like it. Could be stuck with Ebay.

Why is Ebay preferred?

• Intense competition tends to drive prices low, for many items (excluding rare specialty).
• Sometimes bulk buyers get discounts and pass savings onto you, like being in a buyers club without the minimums.
• Save time to drive to the store several stores to find.
• YOU may not be enticed to buy more than you want at a store. Sometimes in a local store, the check out aisles, or clearance sale, just has to attract you! (Though if a seller offers combined shipping you may want to see what else they have).
• Sometimes you will not pay sales tax, so that will offset the shipping.
• Ebay has just about everything. May offer more choices than a local store.
• Ebay is easy to search. Use a minus in front if you do not want -zircon. -gold plated -GP.
• Some sellers will tell you about the items and its use -where to get add ons. Really nice folks.

Ebay is  NOT a safe place to shop. To have a more safe experience, follow these guidelines.

1. Seller Selection: Buy from sellers with a 99 rating or higher, that have at least 100 trades. Make sure they take PayPal and credit cards. Review their feedback to see how they treat returns. Sometimes negatives are noted even in positive feedback rating.
2. Calculate cheapest total price. Make sure you set your custom display to note shipping.  Remember the cheapest total may not be the best deal. Consider their feedback, shiopping spead, rating, etc. Sometimes mega stores with hundreds of transactions are dismal at customer service. Bargainland and Finding King come to mind.
3. Email seller for big items.If you are serious about buying someting of value, email the seller to see if they respond and how they respond if they have a good command of English, etc.
4. Pay with credit card and PayPal.
5. Insure or Signature confirm expensive /hard to replace items. SEE NOTES BELOW.

So why is EBAY NOT a safe place to shop? 

• Ebay offers darn little seller protection. It costs you $25 to file a not as described via Ebay. If your transaction is under that amount, that is no protection. There could be a max of $200, as well.  You may need to hire an expert to prove not as described. I don't know check it out for yourself.
• Paypal offers less seller protection than you know.  If the seller has no money at paypal, then even if you win your case you get nothing, nada, zip. You can only file so many chargebacks via Paypal a year. I think three but check for yourself. There are time windows to file too...if the seller takes so long to ship, you may be into the window before you know it. HOWEVER...if you paid by credit card, you can get a refund from them see below.
• People steal your ebay information and send you bogus Paypal and Ebay emails all the time. Also bogus second chance offers.
• Naive Ebay sellers will list ads and if they do not get high enough bids will renege and Ebay does just about nothing. If you give them bad feedback they do likewise.
• Ebay does nealry nothing or not enough to screen fraudulent sellers. Sometimes good sellers go bad. Maybe they need money or they get bad goods and need to recoop.

So why PAY by Credit card within PayPal? 

1. PayPal requires the seller to get a shipping confirmation. If the items does not arrive (i.e. is scanned) you are protected. If the items is stolen off your porch afterward you are out of luck, so ensure or signature confirm under $250. Paypal requires the seller to signature confirm over $250. S you really do not need to insure small items despite what the seller says. Sellers must provide proof the item arrived.

2. You can return a defective/not as described item* and get refund from credit card. Then Paypal must recover from seller. Your returns must get a tracking confirmation as proof. To Return. Always notify seller right away -best to go via ebay to have this history email logged. If Priority mail use USPS Click and Ship site, they have better tracking. If cheaper, first class item-- one easy way? Have a friend Paypal you a penny then create a shipping label instead of sending to your friend, send back to company. They you have tracking. Safest return,  is to go to the Post Office and get delvery confirmation. This is because it is scanned right then and there.  This costs money and time and hassle..so NOW YOU KNOW why we said to buy from reputable people with good ratings in the first place AND TO BUY LOCALLY FIRST.

• First pick a credit card that does NOT charge you to dispute a claim.
• Second, try to buy from sellers where returns are not a problem.
• Third, buy items that are unlikely to be returned.
• Cheap computer/electronic items have a high failure rate
• INK refills have high failure rate 
• items likely to be returned are no bargain, since the shipping may be more than the item.
• Finally some credit cards DO honor seller's policy. *So this may not be a caveat to return items that are as described or with seller that offer no returns.

A return is only intended for items not as described. So think of a return as a last resort.

Please NEVER BUY FROM EBAY WITH THE THOUGHT YOU CAN RETURN IT. This is not what Ebay is set up to do.

Sure- I've done hassle free returns, in fact a few sellers just refund your money and say keep the merchandise, or ship new items to replace defective without a return. Believe me it is not worth the hassle to keep checking did I get a refund, explaining to the credit card, company, etc. And you are risking your EBAY rating, too.

3. A credit card and Paypal gives you some Leverage. You can indicate to the seller you will return the item, and have a bargaining position with the seller, since they will not only get in a pickle with paypal but will be charged ten dollars for the chargeback. If you get a credit card refund, you possibly can get the shipping refunded too.

EBAY and PAYPAL will quickly end relationships with unscrupulous sellers and freeze their accounts. But that does not mean you will ever see your money or the goods unless you paid via paypal and credit card. Bad sellers may just get a new account and start again..that is why look for a seller that has been around and has 100 valid transactions..(not just penny items, e-books, gmail invites or private sales).

ABOUT INSURING.

• IF THE ITEM IS NOT CAREFULLY PACKAGED YOUR INSURANCE DOES NOTHING. 
• I've had printers that were damaged when the seller packed in peanuts. The correct way is to wrap in plastic garbage bag THAN add peanuts. The seller just shoved peanuts all over the senstive electronics. OUCH. That is not covered. You can bend little sensor flags trying to pick out the peanuts.
• almost all essential and fragrance oils I've bought leaked. The safest way is to NOT use tip tops, i.e. use only cap lips not dispensing lids, and to wrap the lids with electrical tape. Then seal in baggies.
• Most fragile things require a box within a box. I.e. to be safely wrapped and sealed; then anotother protective foam/bubblewrap/peanut layer then a box where no sides are directly touching item such that there is give/cushion. 
• Royal pain to collect. Both parties must fill out paperwork. Might need to wait 30 days...so for something you need fast and timely, you could have trouble. 
• Signature confirmation, to me, makes it more likely the post office will not lose. But there is the hassle of signing. This can be cheaper than insurance.

Help...not happy with purchase.

Received item:

1. Contact seller right away.
2. Be nice.
3. If the value is just an issue, suggest a partial refund. This can be a win-win.
4. Consider the cost to return. Is it worth hassle?
5. Carefully explain the issue in unemotional terms. (I KNOW that may be hard).
6. Make sure you get delivery confirm if you return the item.

Not Received item: