Ebay Buying Guide

eBay auction is the largest of the internet marketing meet where buyers and sellers interact by bidding for the innumerous items that are listed for sale. When the base of an international medium of transacting sale and purchase of goods becomes too large, the fake counters too try to wreck havoc by taking advantages via fraudulent means to make easy victims of the gullible public. Such is what happens when companies or sellers under the pretext of genuine players cheat the buyers of a wide range of electronic items including ipods. Here before venturing into any deal a buyer has to be more extra cautious even though it is by and large a consumer’s market. The case in point are those items that are basically electronic in nature and are in huge demand and offers great scope of replicas, manipulation and duping the buyer in spite of the images that he sees in the website.

In order to prevent being taken for a ride, the buyer must be informed of the electronic item he wishes to purchase, the cost in ranges of the products and try to ascertain the correct angle of the image that may be presented before him. This is more important because unlike open market purchase he never gets to know the real physical condition of the products until he has purchased them. In case of electronics the wide range of an item with a host of accessories, digital contents and settings it is sometimes even impossible for an experienced person to make out which is genuine and which is not.

Usually the salient points of a fake ipods are that it looks cheap price wise and has a slightly different look from that of the original. A buyer must read the item description carefully and thoroughly. After going over it and not finding much to question about he may take the next step and that is to look for the items location. The item is basically from USA yet may be stated as being made in China, Thailand or some exotic destination that has nothing to do with true scientific researches except making fake and duplicate ones. Also take note of the countries that are involved in the racket over time especially so in case of electronic items. A buyer can get the information vide the internet by keeping abreast with the latest changes and trends in electronic items as well as newspapers and journals. Usually an ipods are highly digitalized stuff and cannot be easily duplicated still there are countries which unofficially encourage such practices that may result in one looking quite like the original ones. Further, as the buyer reads through the description, he should make it doubly sure whether the cost price is inclusive of freight charges or shipping costs. Usually the sellers charge an extra without your being aware of it. Fake ipods carry shipping costs from far off destination although they may be packed and kept right next to your home country or some island economy. Look at the ipod accessories carefully. What looks sometimes don’t, the accessories like the headphones and chords readily gives away.

Shoes are a cover for your feet to traverse rough terrains, climb hills, play and for casual walk. Without shoes you wouldn’t have the feel in you that the earth is smoother than you had thought. It signifies speedy movement and protection of you feet against blisters, dust, soiled mud, harsh surface or water logging. In modern times you cannot do without a pair of shoes. It is an essential wear for all modern attires.

Shoes can be bought from the open market as well as online. The greatest choices are no doubt available from online via eBay. It is also among the most sought after items and has a great consumer satisfaction level. Both ladies and gents shoes are available and can be purchased by a registered buyer from eBay.

Shoe buying has a distinct advantage over items like electronic gadgets or jewellery. A buyer for all purpose tends to be slightly knowledgeable as far shoe buying is concerned. This is mainly because he or she has always in most parts of his lifetime remained wearing a shoe and has often discarded an old one for a brand new one. In all likelihood he or she must have physically experienced difficulties, pain, sores or scars wearing one of these. At times the person might have been even allergic to some of the makes of shoes. For those who haven’t had any of these problems before shoe buying via eBay auction wouldn’t pose much of a problem. Yet there are even more cunning and ruthless band of sellers who would try to dupe a buyer if an occasion prevails.  Popular brands like Nike and Air Jordans are popular targets for dupes.  In order to avoid this, a buyer must be careful and alert. There are a few noteworthy points to consider when one is purchasing a pair of shoes from the eBay online.

Before going for outright purchase of a pair of shoes a person must select a shoe style which suits or interests him. The choice of ones shoes may be many and may vary from individual to individual and circumstances and of course ones pocket. Some people love to wear athletic shoes on most occasions. This is mainly to influence ones thought and behavior as an athletic. There are tennis shoes, basket ball shoes, cricket shoes, climbing shoes and many others. Some again, would prefer to go out in boots depending on the weather condition. There may be cowboy shoes, work boots, hiking boots and boots for water logged areas, marshy grounds and snow fields. For woman these shoes are highly fashioned and sometimes heeled. Measurement wouldn’t be a problem as one should be quite aware of ones shoes size.

The other shoes like Clogs are worn for protection by earlier factory workers. Nowadays they are worn in several versions and styles. The Mules type shoes are usually closed toe shoes and have open back and heels. The Flats have no heel and are preferred and made for women as street wear. Then there are heeled shoes and men’s official shoes. The latter is worn during business meetings and other official purpose. The sandal variety is for casual wear for both men and women and is available in wide range of colors and shapes. Armed with this information and a general idea of eBay buying techniques one can make a bargain shoe purchase.

Jewelry buying has been in existence since times immemorial. All great civilizations of the world carried trade in jewelry mainly of gold and there was a great variety of them available from the crowned monarchs to aristocrats. Even peasants in those bygone days were decked with all sorts of jewelry. Jewelry then was simply not something to be adorned by people, but was greatly encouraged as work of arts. The tons of artifacts, hard metal jewelry and ornate jewelry in the museums and public auctions amply emphasizes the fact that these were not only worn for show but acted as a symbol of opulence and power. In modern times too jewelry had started to make a come back and you have innumerable varieties to choose from. EBay has seen a phenomenal increase in the number of visitors to this auction.

One of the foremost things a person should note in a jewelry auction is the cost of the item. Since, almost all jewelry items are value based due to the very nature of their product, they are all premium priced. This again makes it mandatory for the buyers to be fully aware of the product and keep abreast with the latest facts and figures of the jewelry one wishes to purchase.

Jewelry can be of several types. Items like diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, precious metal jewelry vintage and antique jewelry, men’s jewelry, watches, collectibles, clothing and shoes are within the range of items called jewelry. Diamond jewelry is a class in itself and remains very popular with online buyers. However, there is a note of caution. A buyer wishing to purchase the item must have the requisite knowledge about 4 Cs. These are cut, carat, clarity and color. Besides, they must have a fair idea about the seller. Never try to deal with a seller whose credentials are not known or ambiguous. Try to initiate an enquiry by yourself or with the help of eBay help. Go through the process of slow study over the items displayed for. Again, the cost being very high one has to tread with extra caution. Among the different gemstones one must be wary of genuine rubies, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, amethysts, aquamarine, peridots, opals, citrines, topaz, turquoise and others. Beware of fake ones as there are several such fraudulent sellers at eBay. While trying to ascertain the item one should be better off if one acts on the advice of a gemologist. In cases of very highly priced products have it insured before being shipped. This lowers ones risk to the product.

Other form of jewelry includes different types of pearls, watches ornately designed and made of gold and studded with gemstones, premium metal jewelry like platinum, gold and silver. Besides, there are handcrafted, artisan make and ethnic jewelry as well as vintage and antique jewelry and men’s jewelry. The latter contains a range of items like rings, bracelets, cufflinks, belt buckles and tie tacks.

The modern or latest trend while searching for jewelry is to follow celebrity trend. Film stars, sports personalities, musicians and even politicians have become jewelry conscious and adorn a great range of attractive stuff that are equally famous and eye catching.

Man is an artist and a careful observer. The beauty of his brain is that it can fake and make replicas of what Nature has so abundantly provided all around him. They may not be of the same grand designs as nature had provided yet they are a miniscule part of his efforts to give his thoughts and emotions a platform of expression. Unfortunately, in the era of globalization and ultra modern consumerism where every product in the market whether natural or artificial are subject to strict patent laws and other conditional stipulation, then to make an unauthorized replica of a product is by its very nature a fraudulent and opportunistic act. This is more so for a branded product or copyright material.

There is no doubt several products that are faked and displayed in the eBay site as genuine products. In order to distinguish between what is genuine and what is bogus it would be extremely difficult for a person to identify unless one has a sound knowledge of the item and one has sufficient experience at the eBay auction. Among those that are commonly faked are the ones that have demand base from ultimate consumers. The consumer bags and purses come under this category.

Bags and purses whether it is meant for gents or ladies is finding a niche spot in areas of active buying these days. With the growth of globalization and economic developments and the access of the internet to a steadily increasing number of the world populace, it is no surprise that the demand for products at eBay is at its heights. So also there is a surge of fake and fraudulent sellers of these products at eBay auction. Hence, the common buyers must beware of being foisted with a product that is almost the replica of the original. There are several branded products for bags and purses available in the market. Yet by the virtue of their being branded they do not guarantee the real make. Fraudster sellers have the ability and courage to produce the exact replica of the item brand name and all. Some look even better than the branded products. In order to avoid the pitfalls of being cheated at eBay a buyer must have the basic knowledge of the product one wishes to purchase. Not in least there are a few other salient points to be considered when a buyer opts to purchase a certain item from the internet.

A buyer must have the seller’s description of the bags and purses. It should be followed with the feedback from past buyers. These can be had from the site itself. Again, branded products have a way of branding pertaining to their style and may not be easily copied by a fake seller. The brand name should be clear in the image otherwise do not hesitate to withdraw. Photos may or may not be enough to spot the damages or that of a genuine make. If after receiving the bag or purse you see any variation in them take up the matter with the eBay help service, but do so only when there is no response from the seller.

Coins have been the medium of exchange since the days they were first manufactured by the ancient man. Later, they were used for trade and commerce and their value remained high both in physical terms as well as emotionally. Hoarding of coins began, and with it the steady process of wealth creation took place. Newer varieties of coins were added and the old ones discarded. Some began to disappear altogether, yet some were kept and looked after as a hobby, and as a priceless commodity to be sold later. This buying and selling of coins has continued to this day and has now found a justified place among the other artifacts and antiques sold in eBay.

eBay offers a wide scope for both coin lovers and traders. Some of these coins are very old, and hence “priceless”. This again, raises some serious questions regarding their authenticity of the actual coin. Since a lot of items at EBay are both good and bad, it is extremely difficult for a buyer to distinguish between the fakes and the genuine through the online auctions. The same is the case with coins too. However, there are some tips and guides to good coin buying at EBay, as well as at the guides from other coin enthusiast websites. In order to keep abreast with the latest developments, one can go to the actual eBay site and watch the bidding process on old coins and rare coins. Rare coins are those that fall under the category of very limited amounts, or special coin artifacts. The following tips can be used as a guide for new buyers wishing to purchase rare or ancient coins.

Firstly, a buyer wishing to purchase a coin must be registered with EBay. He must have knowledge of the various types of coins in the market, as well as to the coin’s history and dates. He should also have a fair idea of ordinary granite or stone sample of coins, base metal coins, gold coins, silver coins and so forth. He should also have a fair knowledge of each variety and must be ready to quote his maximum price at an eBay auction. In fact, PCGS price should not be quoted for NON- PCGS coins. While buying a coin, a buyer should see or obtain the clear picture of the coin. Even with that, there is no guarantee that the seller would not sell him a fake coin or foist a replica of the original. The buyer must try to get the correct feedback especially for rare and ancient coins. In case of disputes or having received a fake coin, the buyer can approach eBay and obtain the various methods of its services to penalize the seller. And at least make it a point to leave a negative note at the sight.

For buyers not dealing with very old and rare coins there is less likelihood of them being cheated of huge sums or money. For those who do, so the best guide is their own intuition and knowledge.

The automobile sector round the world has seen phenomenal growth for several decades. Among the different types of automobiles, cars have retained its position as a very niche area where the consumer satisfaction is the utmost. This is mainly because it is every man’s dream to have a car of his own after having constructed or purchased a home. In some countries, a car is considered a person’s second home due to the fact that the owner of the automobile is riding in it day and night, to keep up with his busy official schedule.

There are a vast range of cars to be chosen via eBay. However, it is not easy for first time buyer of an automobile to make his first purchase a success. This is because the vast varities items in eBay are enough to make a person confused and undecided. In order to make the buying a big hit, one must read a guide or two to help difficult corners and hurdles of car buying. As there is ample scope for a buyer to be duped by unscrupulous sellers a note of caution is the best thing for a consumer at eBay auctioneering. A few tips are elucidated below for those who are inexperienced in automobile buying, and these may go a long way in making a consumer aware of the actual eBay car buying techniques.

Firstly, a buyer of car must register with eBay before bidding. In order to do so he has to give his name, address and telephone number. He would also need his ID and password. A message of acceptance will be received by him. Armed with this he is now ready for bidding. The second step is to browse through the car categories or he can perform a search. Advanced search is for cars belonging to a specific category. The next step is to choose the car brand. After finding a suitable auction, the buyer should go through the seller’s feedback. If the percentage of positive results is above 90 to 95%, then one can opt for that seller. Again, it is often better to buy car brand locally than from some far off countries. This gives the oppurtunity to go and make a physical verification of the automobile one is buying. The next step is to adopt a bidding strategy like the individual bids or the proxy bids. In individual bids a person has to sit and wait thorough each and every auction. In case of proxy bids for cars, a person can entrust the maximum price he can pay for a branded car. The proxy, in this case the eBay shall bid for him till the stated price is achieved.

Lastly, a person can check up the price of branded cars from the car price guide book so as to get an idea of the price range in different cars. Care must be taken that he pays the amount of the car via Pay pal or escrow. Further information regarding eBay auctions and the feedback could be read from the guides on car specific sites.

It is a common enough knowledge that distance sometimes obscures even the most glamorous and easily identifiable objects. In eBay auctions there is often an obscurity between the product on the site and the actual physical item when it gets delivered at ones address. eBay functions solely on the interpretation of an item by the buyer, who is in need and the description of the product the seller gives. Yet, astonishingly it has emerged as the single largest market for the sale and purchase of auction items on the internet. The list is nearly infinite. But unfortunately, this has also been the area where the fraudsters dupe the public with replicas and fakes. Thus, it is sometimes extremely difficult for spotting the genuine from the huge lot of fakes.

Although the eBay site has a lot of methods of spotting and spilling the beans of the fraudulent operators, they often aren’t enough. Perhaps the authorities at eBay are also being drawn unwittingly into the network of fake sellers has become formidable enough to warrant any action being taken against them. This is in reality is being questioned, when one cares to look at the numerous complaints of fake video game consoles in the market, in addition to many other products.

As far as fake video game consoles on eBay are concerned, it is suggested that there are more fakes available online than actually manufactured by the company. This is mainly because there is a huge demand for these products than what is actually available in the online market. Still, a careful and prudent buyer could take note of some of the few points that go a long way in spotting the genuine product.

Always take a good look at the picture from all angles. This should be done immediately after the item description is read several times and understood. Care should be taken to read between the lines and also the individual words. At times, hidden meanings are given which usually conveys that the product is simply a replica. Next, carefully look at the stickers and see whether they are well placed or not. Most fakes have unsteady stickers and have poor print quality on them than the official Nintendo games. The boxes of these Nintendo games are very shiny in fakes and when one actually feels them, they are a sort of plastic texture and not that of a genuine. Even otherwise, the names are distorted and the picture is not at all clear in the replicas. If the items are mentioned as coming form Taiwan, Honk Kong or China, then the buyers ought to be very wary as there is a virtual black market for these spurious products there. Another thing to be careful is that in case of popular consoles like Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3, one should pay what the retail price of the product is and not more. A great deal of hiking on the actual prices has been noted of late in this segment. Furthermore, when a buyer wants to purchase an Xbox 360 he has to be careful and study the ad’s description of the product. In many cases it is seen that the sellers send you only the actual box and nothing else inside. Some buyers were reportedly delivered only the picture, as the words were deliberately meant to carry two or three meanings.

The world produces textiles and designer clothes on a rate that one would produce saliva from the mouth on a daily basis. Even with such huge quantity of clothing material being produced, it is still in great demand mainly due to changes in fashion designs or periodic up gradation of the material used and the choice and preference of the people changing with time. eBay has been in the forefront of marketing designer clothes, and has a wide range of good offers on designer wears. However, all offers on the eBay are not genuine and an unwary buyer may be duped of his money for fake ones. The replicas of the designer clothing brand are as numerous as one can literally dream of. Some of the designer clothing brands that are often faked are Rolex, Cartier, Chanel, Juicy Courture, Fendi and D&G brands.

Spotting designer clothing brands is extremely difficult if it is seen through images and photographs. Most clothes look similar in pictures. Yet it is somewhat easier for spotting fake ones from branded variety than unbranded cloth wear. This is because the branded designer cloth has a distinct look and style particular to the brand and they have certain specific logo and trademarks uniquely made to avoid being copied. Some of the ways for spotting the fake designer clothing brand may be done as follows.

Fakes are always cheaper and are usually made of coarse material which can be bought from the open market at highly discounted cost. Again the fakes are very uncomfortable to wear and most people have fidgety feelings. Before purchasing a branded product one should look at the labels especially on jeans trousers and jackets. If one can see through the stitching from the other side with just as much as a glance only then the item is a replica. In most of the branded originals stitching will never even be immediately visible, but also that the cotton will blend excellently with the other material used in the cloths. In case of Chanel caps, Juicy Couture suits or D&G scarves one can see the superiority of the material. Rolex, Fendi, and Cartier Designer wearsalso exude a comfort level and dignified look, unlike any of the replicas of the same brand name. The next thing to look for is the buttons. In the fake designer branded wears the buttons are always faked and look very cheap. At times one could find even wrong buttons stitched in a haphazard manner. Here, apart from buttons, the logo, the signs and the extra stitched cloth marks are made in an unprofessional way unlike those of the original ones. eBay offers a lot of methods to tackle these fake items for an inexperienced buyer, they nevertheless are not sufficient to check the replicas that flood the eBay every day. It is said that 60 to 65% of the items traded at eBay are fakes and most are difficult at spotting.

Hence, caution is what should be in every buyer’s mind when they purchase branded clothes from eBay.

All fake sellers generally are a heritage of hospitality and customer friendliness the moment one approaches them initially. Or so it seems at first sight until one goes through the whole experience and the stories that are told later reveal within them a stream full of grievances and general apathy for the rest of the selling community. What are those things that cannot be faked is the question that a large part of buyers ask themselves. In fact, if you look at the different items that are sold through the eBay almost all items have a replica of their own. Indeed, a dangerous world to live in. This is more so in electronic items where the demand is much higher than the actual supply. Such is too the case with fake phones at eBay where the actual spotting of the difference between the fake and the original is proving a difficult task.

Almost all phones have their replicas at the eBay. There are a few ways of detecting them while going over the photographs and images of these phones. Yet, the majority of the replicas are detected only after it is received physically by the seller. Although looks do deceive a person when he is buying a Sony Ericsson or iPhone, still there are few salient points he should note before making the actual purchase. Firstly, he should look at the price and the shipping cost. In all possibilities the fake ones whether it is the latest of the Sony Ericsson or the best of the iPhone would have a price that is significantly discounted. Even that is of late found to be priced almost equal to that of the original ones. Hence, the pitfalls for the gullible public is all the more. Yet it is seen that the prices of the fake ones do climb down. Another thing to watch for is the name of the location as to which it has originated. In all likelihood, made in Thailand, Malaysia or Hong Kong is a near picture book of perfection, yet a fake. It would be seen that the replicas of iPhone wouldn’t have the authentic looking Apple logo and iPhone branding. They would remain slightly hazy or unsteady. Again unlike the original iPhone they would have replaceable batteries mainly if it is coming from China.

In case of Sony Ericsson the fake ones usually come with unknown slider. Again, they have different UI, touch screens, micro SD and also GSM dual band. It would be better for the buyer to check up the IMEI number with the company. In most cases it is seen that there is variation in weight, batteries, dimension and touch LCS screen.

The T mobile sidekick I, II and now III are the latest entrants in the market. It has started on the sale of RAZR V3 brand. The replicas of the sidekick and the RAZR are not quite known yet in all possibilities they might too erode the market of the genuine brands. It would be better if the buyer goes through the feedbacks and select the phone.

Ever since the dawn of civilization Man had tried to dupe his own relations, his friends, guests, foe, business partners and even those who came to deal with him in trade and commerce. One often wonders whether it is a natural instinct or very much part of his DNA to dupe others in order to save his own skin whatever be the nature of his assignment. Since a friend here may be a foe elsewhere, or a seller in one part turn may turn out to be a buyer at another place, or an advisor and helper at one instance and the next moment an intruder and dictator, and lastly an honest man at one time and a deceitful person at some other time. It is indeed a ruthless world unless every man thinks with prudence and be wary of people and circumstances all the time. With the progress Man has made the risk of being taken for a ride still remains especially in the case of eBay auctions vide the internet. Some of the ways to avoid eBay replicas are discussed below.

For a genuine buyer the first step is to have a fair knowledge of the replicas that a seller may foist into ones hand through eBay auction. Replicas are usually made when there is a surge of demand for them or when they are not easily available. A fair idea of the product one wishes to purchase from eBay and its salient points should be very much engraved in ones memory. Again, preference should be given to products with brand names already available in the market. Never make any advance payment for products until and unless one is very sure. Most of the products are auctioned with a price tag yet later they carry shipment cost, packing cost and what not. There should be a clear cut return policy or demand one in case one doesn’t expect the product to be same quality wise as advertised by the seller. Never rely on something that comes at astonishingly cheap price or with much ado. Most imitations are better publicized and made more attractive than genuine ones. By taking adequate precautions one can easily get goods at attractive cost.

Finally, a buyer interested in eBay auction purchase has to make his bid price reasonable enough and in case there is a heavy bidding on that one product one must exit at once for the safety of his pocket. One shouldn’t be too greedy for a product especially for one which could be easily bought from the open market or fancy stores.

Contrary to popular misconception eBay buying is definitely an opportunity with a lot of advantage so long as the person is aware of the product he is about to purchase. There are enough precautions that eBay website offers to its unwary buyers and effective checks against fraudulent sellers yet it is always the motto of Buyers Beware. Lastly, eBay auction has its own sets of rules whereby a complaint form a buyer can signal the dismissal of the seller if the former gives ample proof of the fraud.