Most people, especially if they do considerable business on EBay has had at least one transaction which did not run as smoothly as both parties would have liked. Maybe there was a problem with the item. Perhaps it was a problem with shipping.  No matter what the issue, bad transactions are something everyone wants to avoid. There are ways to avoid bad transactions and negative feedback on EBay. So what can you do to avoid bad transactions on EBay?

As A Buyer

1.    Read over everything carefully
2.    Note important information
3.    Request confirmations
4.    Notify the seller of any issues immediately

As the buyer, it’s important for you to read over everything in the ad carefully. This is especially necessary if the ad is long, detailed, or awkwardly laid out.  If you have any questions about any part of the ad email the seller before bidding on the item. To avoid getting back a generic response from the seller be sure to make your questions as specific and detailed as possible.

There are some important aspects of any ad that need to be noted. These aspects are the fees, lead times, and shipping information. To make sure the transaction goes smoothly make sure to make payments on time based on what the seller requires. It’s also important to note any payment clear lead times, if you made a payment using a method that requires clearing. This will add to the time it take before you receive your item. Some sellers have shipping schedules, meaning they only ship on certain days of the week. Not making a note of these things might lead to confusion or a transaction that doesn’t run smoothly.

Once payment is made, it’s a good idea to request an email confirming that payment was received, unless you are paying with an online method that generates a receipt. Then request an email be sent out when the item ships so you know it’s on the way and an expected arrival date range. Depending on shipping this is usually between 7 and 14 days.

If your item doesn’t arrive within the expected arrival range, let the seller know. They will usually have a lost in mail or other policy that might not be listed on the ad.

Once you receive your purchase, check it over promptly and make sure everything is the way it was advertised and that the item was not damaged during shipping. If there is a problem make sure to contact the Seller as soon as possible to make arrangements for a return, replacement, and or refund based on the seller’s policy. Return and refund policies are usually adhered to strictly by sellers.

Following the simple steps of reading over everything carefully, asking pre-bid questions, making note of any important information, requesting confirmations and communicating with your seller will make sure that all your transactions run smoothly and that any problems that arise are handled quickly and with satisfactory results.