Biggest online marketplace eBay invites many scammers to plot scams on a daily basis. So Beware of the ebay scam and know the tips on how you can make ebay safe.

In online market, everyone is aware of Ebay brand and how they function. I will never mind admitting the fact that eBay has changed the mindset of online marketing in many ways. This is one of the largest marketplace where buyer and seller meet virtually to do the deal. Though I called it virtual, it is not complete virtual because eBay make sure that everything is authenticated and take all measures to make it as safe as possible to keep the fraudulent activities away. In spite of all these, I met many buyers and sellers who are afraid to be present on eBay and met many who are there but don’t feel comfortable to complete the transaction there, Instead they rely on tradition method of transaction with online presence in ebay.

It has certainly brought the advancement in online shopping but it also carry the most important concern – Is it safe to be here? If you will ask me personally, my answer is “yes, it is safe” because I am ebaying from last 6 years and faced a problem only once that too got resolved by ebay in a matter of days (thanks to their supportive team).

Having said that, I do not qualify my statement blindly because unscrupulous practice is always there by the scammers who always find new ways to misuse to power of eBay. In general, people feel that only the buyers get scammed and not the sellers but the fact is that both the parties carry the same amount of risk. However this risk can be averted with proper measures.

What are the safety tips for buyers. Before you bid or buy, make sure you’re comfortable with the listing and the seller and measure the following points.

Evaluate the listing:

• Review the shipping terms, refund and return policy, and other terms and conditions. If there is no refund or return policy, avoid high priced item. You might get bad item in no working condition.
• Make sure that you’re eligible to bid on the item. If the seller has any buyer requirements that you don’t meet, contact the seller for permission prior to placing a bid or using the Buy It Now feature. Sometime you might make the payment which will be rejected by the seller and he will ask you to pay by some other mode.
• Make sure that the seller offers your preferred payment method and that the payment method offers purchase protection. Always rely on Paisapay or PayPal where are assumed of claim in case of any disputes

Know the item

• Confirm the authenticity of the item. Check the internet to find the model and genuineness of the item.
• If you have questions, use the Ask seller a question link in the listing. This applies to bidding as well Buy it now item. It is not a good practice to keep on bidding and after you declared as highest bidder, you start asking question about the item. Better you ask all your doubt before you start bidding and the same goes true in case of Buy in now item. Make sure to get all your clarification cleared before you proceed for payment.
• Use common sense. If something seems too good to be true, it often is. I remember 2 years back, I bought 42″ LCD for $530, which was a fraud listing.

Know the seller

• Check the seller’s Feedback Profile. If someone with 0 or 1 rating selling high priced item at a low price than the market, you are right to suspect the seller.
• Review the seller’s current items to get an idea of this person’s areas of expertise. For example, if the seller has only sold recipes, and then lists a plasma television, make sure that you’re comfortable with the transaction before you bid or buy.
• If you’re unable to contact the seller, don’t bid on or buy the item. This is very important to contact the seller and make sure he is easily accessible.

Make sure your seller can communicate with you

• Update your contact information, including your email address, whenever it changes. If you do not, your packet might get shipped to your old address.
• Make sure that you don’t have any spam blocking software installed that may limit a seller from communicating with you.
• If you have computer or connection problems, you can access your eBay account through any computer with Internet access, such as those at a library or a friend’s house.

Tip: If the seller offers to sell you the item directly without bidding on and winning the item on eBay, please don’t respond. You might be inviting a scammers.

Know what you can do to protect yourself before sending payment to your seller.

• Contact the seller to arrange payment. If you have a problem communicating with the seller through email after you’ve won the item, you can request the seller’s contact information (including a phone number).
• Exercise caution with international transactions, as well as high-priced and popular items.
• For high-priced items, you can pay using PaisaPay (credit / debit card or online bank transfer). Your money is automatically returned to you if the seller doesn’t ship within timelines or you can request a refund if the item is not delivered within timelines. Learn more
• Don’t pay with cash or with instant money transfer services, such as Western Union.
• Keep records of all purchases. You might need the recorded information to claim any dispute.

In my next post, I will list the steps for the sellers to be safe in eBay.