Putting aside the time it takes for items from sellers based in China to get delivered, most of my eBay transactions have been problem-free. That said, one problematic purchase is already one too many. Hence, there are a couple of things I’m routinely mindful of whenever I buy something off eBay:
The Positive Feedback rating for business sellers is a first indication. More importantly also are the written comments made by the business’ customers and whether their feedback is responded to/acted on. It’s bad enough if there’s sufficient negative feedback to warrant concern. Much worse if the seller does not seem to care enough to reply to that feedback.
The expected delivery time. I’ve noticed that some sellers, especially those based in China, state very long delivery periods to this part of the world, despite that we’re all in Asia. For instance, a typical delivery period quoted is 20-35 days. Now, even if you’re not in a hurry for the item and can accept the length of this window, there’s a bigger problem: that buyers typically also have a limited window to raise a purchase dispute. I’ve had two occasions over the years where the delivery window was as long as the above, and when the item failed to arrive timely, the seller begged for an extension before I raise a dispute. I gave the benefit of doubt on both occasions – and when the items still had not arrive, the deadline to raise a dispute similarly sailed right past too.
Now, sellers do not like disputes being raised, even if they are resolved amicably – as I believe it affects their overall seller reputation. Still – because of those two experiences, I’ve learned not to hesitate to initiate a purchase dispute the instant the item does not get delivered within the promised period. Raising one such at least gives us as buyers more time to see if the item finally does arrive and to cancel the dispute then.
To raise a dispute, you’d need to have first paid using a payment system that supports such though. Last I checked, Paypal disputes have to be opened within 45 days after payment – something to keep in mind! The vast majority of business sellers support Paypal, while a few private sellers – e.g. those who are shipping from Singapore – want direct bank transfers. Be warned though: going with the latter means you have zero protection in case items do not arrive. You could try Cash on Delivery in such cases, but only hand over the cash after you’ve inspected the device and are fully satisfied with it. Don’t expect refunds of any kind if you handed over cash and find later that you’ve bought a lemon.
Most items listed on sale at eBay Singapore have delivery charges to our island clearly stated – e.g. either as a separate charge, or already included in the item price. If you venture outside our country market to access an even larger of items, do especially check for delivery costs.
Similarly, don’t feel compelled to immediately leave (positive) feedback as soon as the item has arrived. Give it a couple of days to make sure that the item is indeed working properly. Case in point: a PS4 Remote Controller I bought worked for all of 1 day – after which no amount of cajoling could revive it. Thankfully it was a pretty low price item! While it seems possible to still open a dispute after you’ve submitted feedback, I’ve always reckoned that it’s better to contact the seller directly to resolve any problems ahead of feedback submission.
And finally, in reference to lenses and camera bodies; do check to see if the supplied warranties are from manufacturer or from the seller itself. The latter for grey market equipment is common, and in my opinion, not worth much if the seller is out of the country. And it’s because the cost of packing fragile equipment and delivery charges can add quite a bit to the overall cost of repair. That said, I’ve never actually had grey market camera equipment – whether from eBay or Amazon – fail on me before within warranty periods. Still – I reckon most buyers will want a grey market item to be significantly cheaper than recommended local retail prices before giving it serious consideration.
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