How To Negotiate Like A Pro on Ebay

How A Buyer Can Negotiate On EBay Like A Pro


When you are buying on eBay, you must use common sense, good judgment, and caution. Although most of the sellers on eBay are honest, there are some unscrupulous sellers. You must take proper precautions and do your research before bidding on an item. There are also many scams and frauds on the internet so you want to protect yourself. The following rules will help a buyer negotiate on eBay.

1) Learn About The Seller Before Bidding.

A. Does the seller have negative feedback?

See how many negative feedbacks and total positive feedbacks the seller has. If he has less than 10 feedbacks, he may either be a newbie (new on eBay) who does not have much knowledge of eBay or he may have sold under a previous identity and recently started a new account with a different ID. This sometimes means that the seller had a lot of negative feedbacks on the old account and has opened a new account to get a fresh start. From the buyer’s perspective, this is usually not a good sign.

B. Does the seller have positive feedback?

If the seller has 100 per cent positive feedback and many transactions, that is a positive sign. However, see whether the feedbacks are for the same kind of items as the listing you want to bid on. Some sellers have accumulated positive feedbacks for relatively cheap items and then committed fraud on a very high priced necklace or plasma television. If there is negative feedback, see if it is an isolated incident or whether there are several negative feedbacks for the same kind of conduct. Some buyers bid on an item and then are surprised when the seller treats them the same way he treated the buyers who left negative feedback.

C. When was the feedback given?

Also see when the negative feedback was given. If fairly recent, that might be a red flag. If the feedback was posted last year, it is probably an isolated problem. If the seller has a website or eBay store, check that out to see what the seller’s expertise is. Also be careful if the item is too cheap. The expression, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”, applies to eBay. If you are getting a fantastic price for a Gucci bag or a Tiffany necklace, it is probably a fake.

2) Read The Whole Listing Very Carefully.
In their excitement on bidding on an item they really want, some bidders don’t read the listing carefully. It is essential to read every word so that you have not missed any pertinent information such as a handling charge or the price of shipping outside the U.S. Many buyers complain about the high cost of shipping after the transaction is over, but usually the seller has clearly stated the amount of the shipping in the listing. Whether a watch or toy is not working might be hidden in the description. You need to look for words such as "refurbished", “like new” or “slightly used”. The seller’s idea of “like new” could be a lot different from the buyer’s idea of “like new”.

The listing is, in effect, the seller’s offer to you. If the seller has divulged any problems with the item anywhere in the listing, then you cannot complain afterwards. You have to live with what was in the listing. Be particularly careful with a listing that says “as is”. This really means you have no recourse and you should only bid on this item if you only need the parts or the price is low enough to warrant bad condition.

3) Ask Your Questions Before The Auction Is Finished.

If you have any questions, ask them before you bid and before the auction is over. Don’t make any assumptions. For example, if you are planning on buying multiple items from the same seller, ask the seller whether he will combine the shipping and ask how much the shipping will be. Some sellers clearly intend that shipping be paid for each item even if all the multiple items are sent in the same package. If you have questions about the condition or the authenticity of an item, get an answer now. If the photos are blurry and you can’t see what the condition is, ask the seller if he has other photos or can take a new photo. Try to anticipate any issues before they occur. If the item is to be picked up rather than shipped, find out the requirements of the pickup. Asking these questions ahead of time will save you a lot of headaches. You don’t want to discover any problems and issues after you have already won the auction.


4) Be Careful How You Pay For The Item.

A good way to pay for an item is with a credit card or with PayPal. An item should never be paid for by cash or by instant cash wire transfer. If a credit card is used and the merchandise is not received, then you can put through a claim with your credit card company. Another good way to pay is through Paypal, a company now owned by eBay, which send funds from a verified bank account or credit card directly to the seller online. However, items sent to a non-verified address will not be protected by PayPal’s buyer protection system. Many savvy buyers will only pay for eBay items through PayPal because it is fast and if there is a problem, they can file a complaint through PayPal Protection Plan. Cash should never be sent through the mail. As well as being risky, there is no way to prove cash was sent or received. There is no protection plan available for cash. An instant cash wire transfer is also very risky. It is not recommended by eBay because such payments cannot be traced and there is no recourse if the wire transfer is not received. Be safe and pay with a credit card or with PayPal. For more information about eBay’s Standard Purchase Protection Plan, see www.eBay.com . For more information about the PayPal Protection Plan, see www.PayPal.com.


5) Do Not Give Anyone Your Account Information.

There are many scams and frauds on the internet. It is very important not to give anyone your account information for PayPal or eBay and not to respond to any email that requests such information. An email might look official and even have the eBay logo, but a scam artist is trying to get your account information and steal your identity by trying to take the funds from your PayPal account or use your eBay account to sell goods fraudulently This kind of email is called a “spoof” and the website you are lured to is a “phishing site.” If you get such an email, you need to click forward and email to spoof@eBay.com or spoof@PayPal.com . Most likely you will get a response that this was not an official eBay or PayPal communication and some advice as to how to treat such emails. Do not be tricked into giving your account information. If you make a mistake and think that you may have been spoofed by one of these scams, contact eBay or PayPal immediately so that they can close down your account before the stolen information is used. EBay has taken precautions so that all messages to eBay members are sent through their My Ebay site. The scammer’s techniques are getting more advanced and sophisticated so you need to keep current so you are not scammed by the next fraudulent scheme.

If you follow these precautions and become proactive, your eBay experience as a buyer should be a successful one.

How To Negotiate Like A Pro has a chapter on eBay.





Mary Greenwood, Mediator, Attorney and Author of
How To Negotiate LIke A Pro: 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes, Winner of six book awards
Best How To Book, DIY Festival
Runner Up, New York Book Festival, E-Book and Self-Help Category
Finalist ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards
Finalist, Best National Book Awards, Self-Help Category
Honorable Mention, London Book Festival
How To Mediate Like A Pro: 42 Rules for Mediating Disputes
Winner of five book awards
Best National Book AWard, Law Category
Best E-Book, New York Book Festival
Best How To Book, Beach Book Festival
Best E-Book, Indie Excellence Awards
Spirit AWard, South Florida Writers Association
Email: howtonegotiate@aol.com
www.marygreenwood.com