Why trust eBay: PayPal buyer protection and eBay feedback system
PayPal is a safe, quick and secure way of paying for items on the internet, such as those won at auction on eBay. PayPal securely stores your credit or debit card details and allows you to purchase items on the internet without re-entering these details; but don’t worry- you are fully protected against unauthorised use of your PayPal account. One of the biggest attractions of using PayPal, especially for tentative eBay users, is the buyer protection it offers. If an item is not received or differs significantly from the item description, a buyer will be able to contact the seller through PayPal. If a resolution can not be reached by amicable communication, the full item price will be refunded to the buyer by PayPal.
When you win an internet auction on eBay or buy a product, make sure you pay with PayPal whenever you can! I can’t stress this enough. I have had my own regrettable experiences in my early days of online auctions and eBay; all of which could have been solved if I had used PayPal. I have used PayPal for all eBay auctions since and have rarely had any problems.
I have, unfortunately, had to raise a dispute for an item which never arrived- but PayPal swiftly refunded the full amount including delivery cost. All of the fabulous items we feature can be paid for using PayPal. If you do opt to pay for them using PayPal; you are fully covered by the PayPal buyer protection program.
Look
out for the PayPal logo on auctions-
Also beware of fake items! Although the vast majority of eBay auctions are from trustworthy sellers who hold genuine auctions for genuine items, some sellers do promote fakes. Fortunately; eBay also makes it easy for buyers to ascertain whether or not a seller is trustworthy before they part with their hard earned cash or place a bid. Whenever an item is won on eBay and received by the buyer; either via internet auction or direct purchase ('buy it now'), the buyer gives the seller feedback. Likewise, the seller is able to give the buyer feedback. This feedback system then gives sellers a rating; the higher the positive feedback the better! Also look out for eBay “Power Seller” ratings, which are received when a seller has had a lot of experience selling products- thus adding weight and meaning to their feedback score. Find a Power Seller with 98%+ positive feedback and you’re onto a winner. Make sure to read the negative feedback comments too; they may be minor points or points beyond the seller’s control which have since been sorted out. And remember- if things do wrong, pay using PayPal and you’ve got nothing to lose!
Update: In 2009 eBay
launched the
eBay
Top Rated Sellers initiative. To be eligible,
sellers must regularly receive outstanding feedback from
buyers. These are the most trustworthy sellers of the
lot! Look out for products brandishing the rosette
below:
