| When all is said and done, eBay is a fairly safe environment to conduct person-to-person transactions. The vast majority of eBay users are honest individuals, and you'll no doubt enjoy hundreds of good transactions before you hit your first bad one. That said, here are some tips on how to better protect yourself when you're dealing on eBay: Remember that you're dealing with human beings. Be nice, be polite, and, above all, communicate! Send emails confirming receipt of payment or shipment of merchandise. Say "please" and "thank you." And don't send short, snippy emails in the heat of the moment. Be tolerant and friendly, and you'll be a better eBay citizen. Realize that, in most cases, you're dealing with individuals, not businesses. Keep that in mind if things don't go quite as smoothly as they would if you ordered from Amazon.com or L.L.Bean. Most folks don't have automated shipping systems installed in their living rooms! Know that experienced eBay users take the feedback system very seriouslyif not obsessively. Positive feedback is expected for every successful transaction, and negative feedback should be used in only the most dire of circumstances. When in doubt, just don't leave any feedback at all. If you have questions about an item for sale, or about any part of the transaction, ask! Email the seller if you're not sure about payment or shipping terms. Good communication eliminates surprises and misinterpretations; don't assume anything. When the item you purchased arrives, inspect it thoroughly and confirm that it's as described. If you feel you were misled, contact the seller immediately, explain the situation, and see what you can work out. (You'd be surprised how many sellers will go out of their way to make their customers happy.) If the merchandise doesn't arrive in a timely fashion, contact the seller immediately. If the item appears to be lost in transit, track down the letter/package via the shipping service. If the item never arrives, it's the seller's responsibility to file an insurance claim with the carrier (if the item was insured), and you should receive a refund from the seller.
The Absolute Minimum Here are the key points to remember from this chapter: Buying an item on eBay is generally about as safe as buying something from a local garage salewith the caveat of "buyer beware." To protect against unscrupulous sellers, eBay offers its Standard Purchase Protection Program, which includes $200 worth of insurance per transaction for aggrieved buyers. If you pay via PayPal, you may be eligible for up to $1,000 in protection from the PayPal Buyer Protection plan. You're better protected if you pay by credit card or use an escrow service. If you do get ripped off, contact eBay, your local authorities, and the FTC.
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