With the holiday season gearing up tis the season for things you can ONLY get on eBay and yes, sad but true tis the season for the scammers to come out of the closet for high dollar items!

I am writting this guide in hope to help those of you who may be new to eBay, or have been a member and are scrambling to get the right gift for your child for xmas! I am going to give you some great tips, that I hope will help you have a safe eBay experience and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

TIPS:

1. CHECK A SELLERS FEEDBACK: Dont just look at the % read a bit about what people have said about their eBay experience with this seller. Seeing what people have to say is a great way to get an idea of who you are dealing with!

2. CHECK WHAT COUNTRY THE ITEM IS LOCATED: See if the item is in the country of which you live... no I am not saying that you shouldn't buy any items outside of where you live, but myself I like to buy from sellers here in the USA where I live, or if they are VERIFIED with paypal maybe in Canada.

3: WHAT TYPE OF PAYMENT DO THEY TAKE: Check what type of payment they take, do they take paypal? Paypal is always good because you can use your credit card, and also you have "some" recourse if your item does not arrive, or is not have the seller said it was! Now not to say that EVERY seller who does not take paypal is a scam, but just an added benefit!

4: ARE THEY PAYPAL VERIFIED? This is an extra way paypal takes steps to make sure the person is who they say they are. Myself, I would only buy from paypal verified during the Christmas Season for shopping

5. MONEY ORDER  WESTERN UNION OR WIRE TRANSFER: Now before I get emails from sellers who are upset because they just don't want to take paypal I am not saying this is for ALL sellers who only take Western Union or Wire Transfers... This is usually a sure way to know that the auction may not be the "best" one for you to bid on! Most scammer only take these payments since the buyer will have no recourse on the seller. I would HIGHLY suggest not buying ANYTHING high dollar this way

6. STOCK PHOTO VS.REAL PHOTO: Now there are some really "smart" if you will scammers that get a photo that looks like it is in their own home of the item you are wanting to buy, and place a listing that shows the picture... so you think "well they have it in hand" don't be scared to email them and ask them to take a picture and email it to you with something next to the item to assure your transaction: EXAMPLE: maybe ask if they would take a picture of the item with a TV remote next to it... or something along those lines. Myself, anything I list for xmas I will be having a picture of the item with my eBay name next to it.

7. READ THE LISTING VERY CAREFULLY!: Some scammers are smart and will not actually say "new in box from factory PS3" they will dance around the question with something like PS3 picture or something along those lines.

8. KEEP IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SELLER: I am a power seller and I am like a hawk with my emails... I always keep in touch with my buyers, so they can feel safe with our transaction. If you dont hear from your seller for more than 2 days, I would begin to question what is going on.

9. BID ON A LISTING THAT IS SHIPPING A SAFE WAY WITH A TRACKING NUMBER WITH INSURANCE: Tracking numbers are great for high $$$ items, and make sure they offer insurance. If a seller says they are not responsible for items damaged due to the mail if a person does not have insurance, you the buyer are out! Get insurance! Even if it is extra!

10: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IS!!!! : If you are buying lets say a PS3 which are now going for $1500-$2500 and it is a buy it now for $500, its probably not the auction you really want! My Father always said " if something sounds too good to be ture, than it is!" Keep that in mind!

If you found this guide helpful please check "YES"

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