Anything and everything your heart could possibly desire can be found for sale online and often on online auction sites like eBay, OnlineAuction.com, and others. Most of the sellers on these sites are individuals who may not be abreast of best practices and since the auctions are not face-to-face transactions there is even greater possibility for scamming the customer.
Protecting yourself starts with policy. Get familiar with the policies and procedures of the auction site you’re looking to participate on. It’s not unusual for many online auctioneer websites to let anyone list anything without verification. The sites make money off of the fees and commissions they charge the sellers; they don’t seem to care as much about what is sold. Often the inventory is not verified, there may not be any guarantee that the seller make due on your winning bid, and don’t be stuck paying hiding fees that you were unaware of during the auction!
Once you’ve got the policies figured out on the auction site of your choice, watch out for scam artists! Scam artists are out there patrolling the auctions looking for buyers and sellers to take advantage of and get something for nothing, cash or goods.
Buyer Beware!
Condition of Goods
Read the listing carefully for realistic descriptions of the condition of items. View as many pictures as you can of the item from different angles. Often you can contact the seller directly to request additional pictures or ask specific questions on what see if the pictures available in the listing. You can’t look over these items in person so be cautious.
Hidden fees
Pay close attention to fees like shipping and handling. One easy tactic to draw in bidders is to price the item unusually low and then hit them with exorbitant shipping and handling fees. Read the ad carefully and ask questions of the seller if you have them. If the fees were clearly stated in the ad, then you may not have any recourse.
Research the Seller
Most online auction websites have a section for feedback so buyers can report on their buying experience with a seller. It is important to read through the feedback when researching a seller. You can find a lot of insightful information here including whether the buyer ships promptly, if the items are received as described, if the item packaged well enough to survive shipping.
Be Cautious of Foreign Sellers
Be careful when dealing with sellers from foreign countries. There is often no recourse for something going awry when dealing with someone from a foreign country. Do your research!
Shill Bidding
Another tactic to be aware of is shill bidding, when the seller or someone close to the seller purposefully bids the item up to drive up the price. Many online auction websites try to police this, but they can still get you!
Forgeries
If you’re looking for a brand name item such as clothing or media, be careful to avoid forgeries. There are many replicas of items made by top designers out there as well as items that have been acquired illegally and it’s not unusual for a seller to try and pass the replicas off as the real deal. So if it looks to good to be true…
Give Yourself Room to Dispute Charges
The best method of payment when dealing online is credit card or some other method that allows you to dispute charges if you find you have been deceived. If the seller does not accept such a method, then find another way to verify they’re legit. For example, BKassets will provide you with a copy of the court order and even a certified copy of the court order stamped by the court if necessary.
Escrow
When dealing with large sums of money, you may want to inquire of the seller if escrow is available. That way the money does not get transferred to the seller until you receive your product. Again, if the seller does not offer such a service, find another way to verify they’re legit like in our case, obtaining a copy of the court order.
Protect yourself by knowing the rules, doing your due diligence, and watching out for the scams!