Ebay Buying Etiquette

Well, this is my first published article so I feel it only appropriate that it be on one of my favorite topics--Ebay. I am Platinum Powerseller and certainly have a lot of opinions from a seller's perspective. However, I am also an avid buyer and will be wearing my "buyer hat" for this posting.

To put things in perspective, much of what I sell on Ebay are things I have bought on Ebay with the intent of reselling. So, my buying habits are well above average. In fact, my credit card company's fraud detection department often calls me to check out the dozens and dozens of Pay Pal transactions they process every month. But, I digress.

As a buyer, I have never been the victim of retaliatory feedback. In the thousands of purchases I have made, I have never left a negative or neutral feedback for a seller. I have been involved in just one fraudulent transaction by a seller who was suspended, investigated by the FBI and ultimately incarcerated. Even in this transaction, I received a full refund with no effort on my part.

I don't want to seem negative in any way, but a buyer needs to use a little common sense and read the entire listing. An experienced seller often has paragraphs of information in the listing, but it is all information that the seller has learned over the years and found important to explain in detail. Each and every item in the listing is there for a reason! From product description to photographs to shipping charges to other policies, it all spells out expectations and guidelines to govern the transaction. If a buyer overlooks something and bids anyway, they need to admit the shortcoming is on their part, not the seller. It is unreasonable for me, as a buyer, to expect the seller to alter some policy that I failed to overlook, or leave negative feedback because I don't agree with it. Remember, a bid is a binding commitment to honor the transaction, and any terms set forth by the seller.

The second thing that I understand as a buyer is that sellers aren't perfect. Most sellers are selling as a hobby or income supplement and have demanding lives outside of Ebay. As a result, mistakes will be made. Simple the commission of a mistake shouldn't be the basis for leaving feedback. It should be on how the seller handles it. If the seller is professional, courteous, and fixes the problem in a timely manner, there is no need for anything but positive feedback.

Probably the most important thing I need to do as a buyer, and the single thing that will resolve almost all situations and prevent most problems is communicate. This is critical! If there is something unclear about the listing, I should ask instead of making assumptions. If shipping is $5, I should confirm whether the item can be combined with others for a shipping discount. If I am not happy with the item I receive, I should contact the seller and give him/her a chance to resolve the problem. Very few people would lease a car without reading the terms and conditions of the contract. I would hope that most people would give the wait staff the opportunity to fix a botched-dinner order before ranting and raving in the parking lot. Why should things be any different in an online community?

Ebay is just that--a community. Buyers and seller getting together to interact regarding something in common--that gizmo or widget or antique thingamabob. I couldn't imagine treating someone in my community with any lesser degree of courtesy.

Thanks for reading. If you liked it, please tell everyone you know! If you didn't like it, please tell everyone you know anyway!