Help and advice for buyers

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I will declare from the outset that I am a buyer and seller on 3 different eBay IDs.

I thought I would start a thread where members, both buyers and sellers, can put advice and helpful hints for buyers in one place.  I am not looking for this to be a "whinge-fest" from sellers to complain about buyers, but a place for REAL advice to help buyers on eBay have a more rewarding and successful experience.  Happy buyers are frequent buyers, so let's keep it upbeat.

Try to keep each post short, with each post suggesting one tip or piece of advice.  Post as many times as you like, and give kudos to posts to help buyers assess the advice being given.  If you post a screen grab to help show your advice/hint it will help buyers.

I'll kick it off with a couple of posts.

[digital*ghost]

---

@maranock wrote:

Edited to add: I am a slow typer, and DG can write much more eloquently 🙂

---

I ninja-ed my way into the middle there, but you have extra pointers in shorter space. 😄

[i-once-was-bump]

To help buyers it is a good idea for sellers of pick up only items to put the suburb in either the title or subtitle.

While subtitles do not come up in searches (and, yes they cost money) they can be invaluable to a buyer trying to scroll through hundreds of listings for very similar items.

[phorum_junkie*]

Before you even think about buying a charger, cable, mains lead, replacement battery or anything of that kind please google the subject of how dangerous the cut price ones can be, not just from ebay but from cheapo stores and market stals too. They can minimally fry your equipment and there are multiple cases of them having started house fires and even of having electrocuted users. Only ever buy that type of item from an Australian registered business, preferably from a well known store and always at a reasonable price.

[cq_tech]

Further to the above, be advised that buying from an Australian seller is still no guarantee that a mains powered charger or other mains powered electrical device has been approved as being electrically safe for use in Australia, as many local sellers are privately importing their own illegal, non-approved stock from Chinese wholesalers for on-selling to local buyers.

If the device you intend purchasing (or have purchased) does not have insulated pins on the mains plug (similar to those pictured below) then it is illegal, and is not approved for use in Australia. Furthermore, any person found selling these in Australia is liable to be prosecuted and fined.

[phorum_junkie*]

I am afraid just checking the look is not enough, There is a very scary TV clip on a UK consumer program where an undercover reporter went to a Chinese factory making everything from USB chargers to electrical sockets and customers could choose to order copies of almost every legitimate item you can think of complete with safety marks, realistic looking serial numbers and for all countries including Australia, the US and the UK. It was only on them being opened up that the true state of affairs was obvious with none of the safety elements that go into a legitimate product.

That is why I saud to buy from a well known, well established retailer as it is much more likely that they will have purchased from a genune supplier.

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

A CatsPjs tip for happy buying 

Take a few seconds to check a sellers feedback before purchasing items

Always worth having a squiz at how a seller has responded to any neutral or negative feedback, this may give further indication of the type of approach the seller is likely to adopt if something goes wrong with the transaction  ie. mature and professional or sus rudis (rude pig).

[grumpy*cat*rocks]

What a wonderful idea for a thread.

Great job indeed!

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

A CatsPjs tip for happy buying 

It is always wise to check the measurements provided in listing descriptions. 

If measurements have not been provided, and they are critical to your satisfaction with the purchase, then ask the seller politely to provide them before bidding or buying.

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

A CatsPjs tip for happy buying 

Feedback we leave for sellers also reflects on our own reputation as buyers.

Many sellers do check a buyers feedback left for others and block those buyers that appear to be difficult to please, serial neutral or negative feedback leavers or just careless in their buying habits.  

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

Buyers, many members are both buyers and sellers.  Following on from the posts that deal with feedback . . . . you can 'filter' the information contained on a member's feedback page.

For sellers, the feedback you should be looking at is the feedback that has been left for them as a seller, as well as any follow-up feedback they have left to the negs/neuts.  Some sellers will go on a buying spree if they receive some less than flattering (neutral or negative) feedback so that the negs/neuts go off the first page because they know buyers do not look at page after page of feedback and many do not know how to filter feedback, especially new members.

Here is an example of a seller's replies to negatives that will let you make a further judgement about whether you would want to deal with them or not.  If you had a problem with an item you bought from this seller would you feel comfortable that you could get a reasonable outcome from them?