How safe is buying off of EBAY?

Question

How safe is buying off of EBAY?

Answer 1

I have done it several times, no problems.

Answer 2

You need to look at what kind of feeback rating the seller has and how long the seller has been a member on Ebay.  Length of time is very important because some con people will quickly rack up positive feedback and then pull a major con.  By the way, if you want to know a way to get money back every time you shop at Ebay and over 120 online stores, then send me an email.

Answer 3

eBay can be very safe, provided you do your homework.  First, read the terms of the auction carefully.  That means read every word in the auction.  If you buy the item, the auction is a binding contract.  Next, ask the seller a question in advance of the auction to see how responsive he is to your question.  You can ask if the item comes from a smoke-free home, or about the seller's return policy.  

Regarding the auction, is the item description clear? Is there a good photo of the actual item, or is it a stock photo?  Red flags would be stock photos (instead of photos of actual items), excessively high shipping rates, an "all items sold as is" policy, and a sketchy, brief description of the item.  

Check the seller's feedback on their eBay profile (should be 100% positive or close) and by going to http://www.toolhaus.org and typing in the seller's name.  Check both the seller's feedback that he's received from other users, as well as feedback he has left for other users.  If there is a lot of drama going on on a seller's toolhaus page, avoid them!  

Do your homework prior to bidding.  Check what similar items have sold for in the past 30 days by doing a completed auctions search.  Check what similar items are currently selling for.  Add all similar items to your watchlist and keep an eye on them.  

Check the auction prices against your local store's prices for the same item, and against online shopping websites.  eBay is not always the cheapest way.

eBay can be a safe place to buy.  Remember you are buying from individuals.  As on Yahoo, individuals vary greatly.  So do your homework before you buy, and you'll be less likely to be disappointed and more likely to have a positive buying experience.

Answer 4

well, one thing. dont buy tivo off ebay or anything by bape or anything nike off ebay.

Answer 5

I buy stuff from eBay all the time. It's pretty safe if you use PayPal.

Answer 6

Pretty safe, I've been doing it for years. If you use PayPal they never kow your credit card #.

Answer 7

It's considered pretty safe, and most of them use a paypal account to transfer funds and make a record of the purchase. Also if you think you got the wrong end of the stick, you can send email to ebay and they will investigate. ALSO...you can and should leave feedback for the seller. If you check the seller's record on the ebay selling page, it shows the feedback from previous customers.

Answer 8

Very safe, as long as you pay attention to a couple of things. First, it is a good idea to purchase from a reliable seller. Everyone on eBay has a rating, and the higher the rating the more sales they have been involved in. Also, make sure they have a high percentage of satisfied sales partners. Someone with a rate close to 100% is generally very safe to buy from. Also, if you are comfortable paying by credit card, PayPal is a very good tool to use and is very reliable for making a sale. When you have to send a check or money order, it puts more risk of the payment being lost. Overall, eBay is a very safe way to purchase.