In this day and age virtually everyone seems to shop online; it is as common as drinking a cup of coffee it seems. Ecommerce truly has come a long way over the years, and it is only getting more secure as time goes on. However, I still hear a good deal of stories about people getting ripped off when buying electronics online, especially on eBay.
Generally it is very safe and secure to buy from the big name companies on the internet, for example: staples, amazon.com, and walmart etc. However, when you start to look for the places with the lowest prices, such as eBay and craigslist, that is when you start having to really use your head, and use caution at all times (even more so with electronics).
We will just cover eBay in this article, since craigslist does not generally offer many electric based products. The most important thing to look for by far when using eBay, is the user feedback rating of the person you are purchasing from. If they do not have a feedback of at least 100 or more, and a positive rating of at lest 98.5% or greater, then you should seriously consider moving on.
Another important thing to consider when buying on eBay, is the return policy, which is always listed in the auction details. Certain items, such as the Chinese made electric airsoft rifles, for example, have a really high defect rate, so knowing the return policy BEFORE you buy is highly recommended. Also, look for the item location in the top right of the auction screen; this will tell you where the item is being shipped from, which determines how fast you will get it.
One more thing worth mentioning, is that you really need to read the whole auction/product description when shopping on eBay (or on any similar website). This is because is it fairly common on eBay to list an item (especially electronics), but leave out important details in the title, such as flaws, missing pieces, or generally defects etc. This is why you need to thoroughly read the description; people like to try and hide things in the fine print of the details sometimes, so watch out. So basically just use common sense, and have a sharp eye, and you should be very safe buying electronics on eBay (or on the internet in generally, for that matter). - 30544
Generally it is very safe and secure to buy from the big name companies on the internet, for example: staples, amazon.com, and walmart etc. However, when you start to look for the places with the lowest prices, such as eBay and craigslist, that is when you start having to really use your head, and use caution at all times (even more so with electronics).
We will just cover eBay in this article, since craigslist does not generally offer many electric based products. The most important thing to look for by far when using eBay, is the user feedback rating of the person you are purchasing from. If they do not have a feedback of at least 100 or more, and a positive rating of at lest 98.5% or greater, then you should seriously consider moving on.
Another important thing to consider when buying on eBay, is the return policy, which is always listed in the auction details. Certain items, such as the Chinese made electric airsoft rifles, for example, have a really high defect rate, so knowing the return policy BEFORE you buy is highly recommended. Also, look for the item location in the top right of the auction screen; this will tell you where the item is being shipped from, which determines how fast you will get it.
One more thing worth mentioning, is that you really need to read the whole auction/product description when shopping on eBay (or on any similar website). This is because is it fairly common on eBay to list an item (especially electronics), but leave out important details in the title, such as flaws, missing pieces, or generally defects etc. This is why you need to thoroughly read the description; people like to try and hide things in the fine print of the details sometimes, so watch out. So basically just use common sense, and have a sharp eye, and you should be very safe buying electronics on eBay (or on the internet in generally, for that matter). - 30544
About the Author:
This article was written by internet veteran, William Elmiric, who has been safely shopping on the internet for well over 10 years now. When it comes to buying electronics from eBay, follow his advice, and you are sure to be safe 99% of the time or more. Just follow his sound advice given in the examples above and you will be safe.
