Buying On eBay Marketplace
eBay can be a great place to shop if you want to save money and time. Founded by Pierre Omidiyar in 1995, it has become one of the oldest and largest e-commerce websites on the Internet. Initially, it started out as an auction site for used and second-hand products, but withtime, it has now become a full-scale ecommerce and online marketing platform for both new and used items, gaining national and international buyers and sellers.
The company does not sell products directly to buyers, neither do they stock products for sellers. So they don't have a warehouse. Instead, they generate revenue by charging retailers listing fees for them to list their products for sale directly, or through auctions. They charge users transaction fees as well.
Today, eBay's success lies in the fact that it started at a time when ecommerce was in its infancy. There was no internet or social media domination of buying and selling.
Is eBay A Safe Place To Shop?
With the rise of identity theft and internet SCAMMERS, eBay is not exempt from SCAMS and fraudulent activities. There is a possibility that unscrupulous folks may filter into the marketplace and buyers can become victims, just like in every other marketplace. But despite these challenges, eBay is still a safe place to shop. Fraudulent people may have tainted the company's reputation. People, who have become victims of fraud and unscrupulous activities in the past may still be leery about buying on eBay and rightly so.
However, that is all in the past. Through trial and error, they have learned how to identify loopholes for SCAMMERS, and know how to shutdown those loopholes and make sure victims get their money back. They have put together stringent security measures that makes sellers honest and buyers comfortable. Dishonest and fraudulent sellers whose behavior stigimatized the company has become a thing of the past. eBay has made it nearly impossible for sellers to SCAM anyone. Sellers who violate their policies are kicked out and banned quickly. This forces sellers to be honest, even when writing the description of their products.
However, with all the securities put in place, the company still leaves a wiggle room for buyers and sellers to settle their scores amicably, under supervision so to speak. DO NOT TRY TO SETTLE OUTSIDE OF EBAY'S MONITORING MODEL. You will not be protected if anything goes wrong.
eBay has come a way long in dealing with fraudsters and rogues and have closed the doors they pass through. In addition, they have Credit Card protections and money-back guarantees, and if there is a disagreement about a transaction, eBay most times rule in favor of buyers. Because of this, sellers are made to conduct their business with integrity. If it is proven that the seller was dishonest, that seller can be removed, causing significant loss for their business...something most sellers dread.
So the verdict is, eBay is a safe place to shop.
Why eBay Is A Safe Place To Shop
- They work with PayPal, one of the oldest and most secure online payment processor. This ensures that your money is safe and free from thefts and frauds because PayPal is trusted by millions of people around the world.
- Cybersecurity on eBay is under strict surveillance by the company's cybersecurity team. Any sign of fraud will be dealth with promptly.
- eBay gives buyers the opportunity to check out sellers profile, feedbacks and ratings, so they can make informed decision. This feature unfortuntely, does not always favor sellers because there are vindictive buyers who intentionally leave negative feedback for honest sellers, only because they have been given the power to do so. In fairness however, if that happens, eBay will investigate and if the feedback lacks merit, may remove it. But as far as I know, vindictive buyers are usually not penalized the same way as sellers. So buyers enjoy a lot of favor from eBay.
- Most items can be returned at no extra charge within the period set up by the seller. However, it may vary from seller to seller, location, type of item, etc.
- Some sellers may offer a payment plan for very expensive items as they wish.
- Most sellers have FREE shipping on selected items, depending on location.
Protecting Yourself Against Fraud
- DON'T do business with a seller outside of eBay's protection. If anything goes wrong, eBay will not be
able to defend you. - READ the Return Policy and other pertinent information before you bid on or buy a product.
- CHECK out a seller's profile before making purchase. It's there for you to see.
- DO NOT respond to emails claiming it is from eBay when it came from an outside source.
- DO NOT deal with discrepancies or come to an agreement outside of eBay. They might not be able to
defend or protect you. - CALL Customer Service if you are in doubt or have questions about anything.
- DO NOT agree to any business transaction outside of eBay's protection.
Everything Else About eBay
An eBay store provides many benefits for retailers which includes:
- Simplified listing processes
- Detailed tracking information
- Free customer service assistance
- Free shipping for many products
- Free returns if a buyer is not satisfied. If seller is reluctant to give a refund, Bay will step in and
make sure the buyer gets his or her money back.
Shopping on eBay gives buyers more control over their spending habits and allow them to take advantage of exclusive deals and discounts right from the comfort of their home. In addition, buyers can also use services like integrated checkout systems and advanced payment methods to make their shopping experience seamless.
If you're looking for top quality products at unbeatable prices, eBay is truly one of the best place to shop. Whether you are a buyer or seller, a huge advantage is that, you are given the opportunity to go beyond your geographical and physical location to get products you need, or items you want to sell. Unless there is an embargo, you can literally purchase or sell goods from anywhere in the world through ebay very easily.
Searching through an array of different stores makes it extremely easy to find what you need, without having to click on multiple online marketplaces like Amazon, Shopify or AlieExpress. All you need to do is use the eBay Store search tool.
With the Search tool, buyers can see several of the products they are searching for at a glance. They can browse through specific sizes, colors, makes and styles, if there are variations of the product. eBay even have required "item specifics" feature that sellers are expected to include in their listings. This put the purchasing power in the hands of buyers, because they are shown accurate description of products. What is described is what they are expected to see when their product arrives. That also adds credibility and trustworthiness to the platform.
With a few simple clicks, you can find exactly what you're looking for, and get it delivered right to your door within a few days. Depending on the location that a product is shipped from, it may take a little longer.
Another reason to shop on eBay is that, retailers offer incredible selections of quality goods at competitive prices.
With thousands of sellers on the platform, there's a wide variety of categories. You can find almost any category
or niche of your interest. Popular categories may include but not limited to:
- Cellphone Accessories
- Jewelry
- Home and Kitchen Accessories
- Beauty Products
- Baby Items
- Musical Instruments and so much more.
Whether you're new to buying online or have been around for a while, there are some key information that
will aid you in making your purchasing decisions.
If you’ve ever wondered why some people love shopping on eBay, consider these advantages:
- You’ll enjoy a wide selection of products ranging from apparel to security products to even antics.
- You’ll enjoy deep discounts and exclusive deals offered by sellers. These offers can be obtained through the “Buy it Now” or through “Promoted Listings” and eBay’s in-house paid ads.
- Enjoy the ease of finding what you’re looking for with user-friendly search features, by using a filter option. Added to listings are New Arrivals, Best Sellers, Price Drops or Best Offers.
- eBay’s secure payment processing gateways, together with access to guaranteed buyer protection and warranty, gives you peace of mind that your information is private. Enjoy the benefits of multiple shipping options with the option to track your order as it moves through the carrier’s network.
- eBay has been around for a while, so you know that it is not a fly-by-night platform that is here today gone tomorrow. They’re trusted by millions of people worldwide because of its track record. They have implemented high security measures that makes it difficult for scammers.
