Can someone educate me in the wonderful world of Ebay

[mosschops30]

Have never used it but have been lurking over a few items that are reasonably priced. I dont know where to start though so I need some e-baying tips and also:

how do I know I will receive it?

how do I know what is written is true e.g. 'brand new'?

what if something arrives and is a wreck and not like the picture at all?

TIA

\link{http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/QUINNY-ZAPP-BRIGHT-ORANGE-FUNKY-3-WHEELER_W0QQitemZ7763228954QQcategoryZ66700QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\this}

\link{http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7763508234&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1\and this}

both have a couple of negative comments, so is that a definate no-no. Just wondered if they have a lot of good ones, do you ignore the odd bad one?

Sorry tamum, but I dont want to be making a huge mistake

and i still dont know how to find what other bids for the same item have ended at?

I haven't checked your links, but if the seller has plenty of feedback and only one or two negs, that would be fine. Look at the overall percentage - for instance I would avoid anyone with a couple of negatives / neutrals and say only 100 positives. But if they had 1000 feedback in total, everyone is going to make a mistake / run into a nutter at some point.

The total feedback should be pretty close to 100% positive, though. A seller who is getting less than that on a regular basis is being a bit shoddy - not many people leave less than positive feedback anyway, as they are scared of receiving it in return, so feedback profiles are usually skewed towards the positive anyway.

Do your usual search for the item, then look at the tick boxes down the left hand side of the results page. There's a tick box saying "completed items". Check this and then click search again. You'll see all the items that have sold recently, with their final prices.

so is 94.1% a def no-no? maybe thats why they are selling it so ridiculously cheap

thanks will try and search now

The 94.1% one I wouldn't risk myself. Only one negative, but the comment would put me off. I wouldn't be bothered if it was a really cheap item but not for something like this. The 98.6% one I would trust- one neg, and she's clearly had problems making contact.

(FandZ, I explained all that about finished items!)

Sorry, should have said- the 98.4 seller does have another neg, but it's from a "no longer a registered user" and looks like it can be discounted.

thanks I have searched now and all of them seem to go for about £100, I would probably pay up to £70 for the ones I am looking at

thanks for all your help tamum

First one looked an Good seller, the second one Baby Value didn't look as consistant with negitive and neutral feedback, with feedback mutally removed.

BTW I use library photos but I am lovely and genuine, the ones I use from the suppliers are much better and professional looking than ones I take.

Would you use library photos for used items though Skribble? I would be wary of that, I must admit.

No i use my own pictures for used stuff, apart from a jacket I used a googled picture along with my own as it showed the colour better. The flash kept making it look far too light. I made it clear in the description what was what.

That's fine then- I just meant that I would be wary of shop-soiled stuff, or used things, that just had images lifted from the web. It is also a known trick of the Western Union brigade, but they are usually very easy to spot in any case!

Mosschops - I had a thread called "How can I win on ebay?" a couple of days ago - really good advice from MN including about auction sniper

I won my first auction thanks to mn

Tamum - what is the "western union brigade" - I feel I need to be enlightened!

:) I mean all the conmen who use eBay as a big scam- they typically have photos of highly expensive things like laptops nicked off the web, very low feedback, and want paying by Western Union. I think it's banned now, but it was a good way of getting the money untraceably and then never sending the goods (because they never existed). Mainly overseas-based, too. There you go, educated :)

i can always give you a demo busy...but it would mean cups of tea and biscuits..lol