Things You'll Need:
- a few moments to read this article.
-
Step 1
shoppingIf you have never shopped on ebay before, you will want to read this article. It is important to be safe when shopping on ebay to reduce your chances of being takened.
Although I personally can not guarantee that you won't ever get takened purchasing items on ebay, there are things you can do to lessen the risk. -
Step 2
Ebay can be tons of fun. I have been buying and selling on ebay for years. The truth is, I have been ripped off a few times even though I am very careful when purchasing on ebay. Unfortunatedly, it happens.
If you do get takened when buying on ebay, you can take steps to get your money back. It doesn't always work, but it usually does. -
Step 3
The first step is to contact the seller and let them know there is a problem. If that doesn't work, than go to the resolution center on ebay and fill out the form. I have a link to the resolution center in the resource box below this article.
Ebay will then contact the seller for you and try to work out a solution. -
Step 4
Now that you know what to do if something goes wrong, let's talk about smart buying on ebay.
When shopping on ebay, it is always a good idea to purchase from a powerseller or someone who has 100% feedback after several sales. You will find this information on the upper right hand side of the auction listing. -
Step 5
The next step is to see if the seller offers free shipping. Who doesn't love free shipping? You will find that information not only in the listing but at the very top of the listing page.
-
Step 6
The best sellers make it very easy to read their listings. All terms are spelled out in a few sentences. Be sure to check and see if the seller offers a return policy. Not all sellers do. I am a good seller but I often sell items in as is condition with no returns. If being able to return an item is important to you, make sure you thoroughly read the listing before placing a bid.
-
Step 7
Most sellers are very good and will email you and let you know they mailed out your package. If you just expect it to take a week after payment to receive your item, you probably will be pleasantly surprised when you get your package after only 3 - 4 days.
Sometimes, things take a week due to delivery problems. I always email a seller, if I haven't received an item after 7 days and ask them to check their records. -
Step 8
Most of the time, ebay sales go very smoothly. Occasionally, you get ripped off even though you were careful to purchase from an experienced seller. Just remember to give the seller a chance to correct the problem before leaving negative feedback and using the resolution form.
Most sellers are very good. If you happen to get a bad seller, work with ebay to recover your money. Ebay does not like sellers that purposely rip people off and accounts can and do get closed. -
Step 9
On the other hand, learn how to be a good buyer. A good buyer pays quickly through Paypal and waits a week to receive their package before complaining.
Remember to leave positive feedback for your hardworking seller. They really appreciate it. -
Step 10
Finally, if you are new to ebay, I have links in the resource box below this article to sign up for an ebay account and for a paypal account.
It is extremely important to note that once you sign up for an ebay and paypal account, you will get a lot of spam messages that pretend to be from these sites. They are just phishing emails looking for your information. Do not open emails from ebay or paypal once you open an account. Go directly to the websites. You can access all information within your accounts and not through emails. -
Step 11
There are tons of great deals on ebay. The trick is to learn how to discern real deals from deals that are too good to be true. The ones that look to good to be true are the ones to watch out.
Have fun buying on ebay. Good luck and stay safe.
