Buying on eBay: Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed

A short guide on what to do to make sure you don’t run into a scam

Ebay, the world’s leading online auction site, is a real goldmine for Internet shopping, but if not used “carefully” it can also be a source of bad experiences.

Here is a short guide. on what to do to make sure you don’t run into a scam.

CHECK COMMENTS

The first thing to consider, before buying an item on eBay, is the number of comments from the seller, the numerical equivalent of the sum of their commercial activities carried out on the site.
A lot of comments tell us that the seller is very active on the portal (which is very good), but we must always look at the “quality” of these, which the site calculates by averaging the negative and positive judgments of their activity. seller. The closer the score is to 100% positive reviews, the more trustworthy the seller will be. Even better if the total of “shares” is high.

EVALUATE THE PRODUCT

Look at the listings to the smallest detail before bidding or buying a product, because by bidding or buying a product right away, we are committing ourselves to the seller and eBay.
At

the bottom of the ads, check especially if the seller accepts the return of the product in case of return, change of opinion or breakdown: something that should be required by law, but not everyone allows it. Also check estimated delivery times to avoid unpleasant surprises and delays.

CONTACT THE SELLER

Before buying or bidding, always contact the seller with private messages. If the seller is slow to respond, does not respond, or writes improperly, forget it.

CHECK YOUR VAT NUMBER

Make a note of the VAT number of any professional seller (you can find it on the seller’s card) and check its presence or accuracy on the tax agency’s site under the heading “control of community VAT numbers”. If the VAT number used does not exist or corresponds to something other than the product category, it may be better not to proceed with the purchase.

SEE PAYMENT METHODS

The safest way to shop on eBay is PayPal, which allows you to get refunds in case of obvious scams. Therefore, beware of sellers who do not accept this type of payment, as they are very likely to highlight potential scams.