Hey, we all like new things in pretty boxes. It’s in our DNA. So if you want to sell something and get a good price you need to save the box and save the guides. Keeping your item in good condition goes without saying but give me a break….you want good money for something you trashed and then lost of the accessories. There’s a lot of competition out there so come prepared.
OK…so you have questions. That’s great and we are here to help. But for God’s sake quit talking once you ask your question. We can’t get a word in edgewise because you are talking….explaining why you don’t know the answer to your own question. If you DID know the answer, we assume you would not have called. And our favorite conversations are when you get mad at us because that item you cherish isn’t coveted by anyone but you. We can’t make buyers want something they don’t. We are good…but there are limits.
Dear ebayseller,
how old is this item and why are you selling it
-buyer
Ughhhhh…because I don’t want it??
”Dear ebayseller,
why is the phone so cheap?
auctionbuyer
Duh……it’s an auction with a low starting price.
Now, I know that everyone out there feels pretty damn savvy about their ability to spot and avoid online scams. But since we get your desperate calls almost every day, I beg to differ. You aren’t as good as you think. So let’s get to the basics.
1) All scams have a basic sameness, an almost eerie predictability. I can usually tell you exactly what the ad for your “toy with a motor” will say. You don’t need to explain it to me (ad nauseum, I might add).
2) The seller is almost always out of the continental US…a vacay perhaps or maybe just a short stint in Iraq. Whatever has called your seller to distant lands, it will give cedibility to the fact that EBAY TRUST & SAFETY is now in possession of your coveted toy.
3) Sounds good right? Trust and Safety must be good. WRONG!!! Ebay Trust and Safety is a bunch of people who sit in a California office and give sellers grief for breaking any one of their thousands of vague and ever shifting policies. Not for one single second should you believe that those people are lovingly watching your car/truck/boat.
4) Your seller is so concerned about your happiness that they are willing to ship you the car/truck/boat and let you “try it out for two weeks” before returning it for a full refund. Are you kidding me? Have you ever checked to see what carriers charge to move a vehicle across the country? Oh, and you will need to send the funds before this takes place…by Western Union.
5) RED FLAG!! Don’t send any money by Western Union for a purchase of anything unless you just feel like making a donation to a stranger.
6) Here’s the scoop on the money situation….Ebay is a virtual garage sale for stuff. They don’t do money. Period…end of it. Paypal belongs to Ebay but they do handle money, not stuff. Paypal, whether you love it or hate it, will act as an escrow agent for your money and take it away from the seller if you can prove the transaction sucked. If your scammer says Ebay will be handling the money…RUN!
7) Here’s my best advice…..if you can’t go see it…don’t buy it. Any legit seller of a motorized item should be willing to meet you or at the very least have someone show you the actual item with proper title etc. If you think an airline ticket to see the item is too pricey, go ahead and send that $20,000 via Western Union.
8) Craig’s List and ebay are totally different entities…you know that right? So why would you believe that something advertised on Craig’s list will be purchased through ebay “for the buyers safety?” That’s like saying the shirt is at Macys but you can pay at Hollister.
9) Oh, and be ever so careful of “cut & paste” emails that really look good. If you can’t open ebay.com and find the item, it’s a scam. Try hovering over the browser address and see if it doesn’t come from some funky address.
Good luck out there….it’s a mad world! And remember that your mother always told you that if it is too good to be true, it probably is.
Buyer writes:
My package from you blew off my porch. What can you do to help me?
Well guess what! Appraisals are for insurance replacement value and are not a guarantee that someone will be crazy enough to pay you that amount. Jewelry carries a 200% mark up. That means the ring you bought for $9000 actually cost the jeweler $3000. eBay is a virtual garage sale and a bargain hunter’s paradise. Someone might “steal” your ring for $500-700 but you will be lucky to get that. Besides, by this point, you hate the ring and have discarded the man. It’s not a
“good luck charm” for any other girl.
