Is Ebay reliable to buy stuff off?

[jamesbobson]

I was looking at this Garu doll (from Pucca) and the price is only £0.01. Is this a scam? I've never bought off Ebay before but I don't understand why some one would bother to list something for 1p? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Garu-Pucca...item3f0c34d337

Thanks in advance

[Furore]

Simple, that's starting bid. If unpopular, you'd basically just pay shipping, if popular you might end up paying a fair bit (and sometimes most bidders wait til the auction is about to end to snipe the item cheap).

My experiences with eBay have been largely positive, but you do have to look for counterfeit goods (99% of the stuff from Hong Kong, a large percentage of GBA and NDS games etc). If you pay via PayPal and the seller tries to con you, they'll chase them up and either force the seller to refund you or do it out of their own pocket. I've only had that happen once and it was resolved very quickly (and I've bought hundreds of items).

[The Butcher]

If I were looking for a reliable place to buy stuff,I would buy stuff on Amazon.

Ebay isn't that trust worthy anyway.

[aether]

I've always had problems with ebay not a single piece of good has come from them

[-akichan-]

Just don't buy any products that come from China or Hong Kong. China and Hong Kong are pretty much taking over 80% of Ebay. People I know and myself have fallen for fake stuff too many times. People in that forum have also reported for getting counterfeit electronic products such as cell phones. Clothing especially those with brands are 100% counterfeit. Just look at their reputations carefully. The cute and fashionable clothing are counterfeit as well. They like to put up pictures of Japanese and Korean models wearing something very cute looking so you would buy them, but the materials used on the clothing are EXTREMELY fragile and cheap, and they can be ripped apart very very easily. Read the forum and search by "products from China" or "Hong Kong". Just don't buy anything from them.

Their products may be very cheap, that's because they sell counterfeit products. I am serious, EVERYTHING they sell don't worth a trust. And when they promise to exchange the product for you, they would just stick that fallen piece back to the product pretending it is brand new.

[DOOM!]

The new generation of scammers in my city ultra-screwed eBay so much in the 2000's, they got us all banned. Here's what you need to know:

[Ranshiin]

[COLOR=white]Just don't buy any products that come from China or Hong Kong. China and Hong Kong are pretty much taking over 80% of Ebay.[COLOR]

Funny, I bought some anime stuff that was shipped from Hong Kong and what I got is legit and exactly what they advertised. >.>

You also said that 80% of the stuff on eBay is from China, and that 100% of Chinese-exported goods are fake. So, take a look at all your electronics - all your official, legitimate goods that you purchased from your phone store, or your game store, or wherever, and I can guarantee that most of it will be 'Made in China'. Whilst I don't doubt that a lot of stuff from China is counterfeit, it's simply the fact that most companies use cheap labour in China to build their things, and eBay simply ships direct from the factories rather than shipping and selling them through third party companies. That's why most stuff does tend to be cheaper on eBay, if it is genuine.


I'm not griping at you, just pointing something out. That's all. (and truthfully, yes, I would recommend using Amazon if what you want is on there.)

[blueangel06661]

I bought a poster and two custom made costumes from E-bay and I got them.. However when I bought a wig.. That I did not receive.. But we got a refund.

[-akichan-]

I had too many experience buying stuff from China, and I already have to make direct phone calls asking for refund. Of course, the sellers are mostly the third party companies and they get the products from the factories in China, but there is no doubt that most of their stuff are copies. I have friends who sell stuff on ebay and they are what we'd call the third party seller, and they receive the products directly from China in boxes, and they told me that they sell those products without checking them as long as there are buyers, but sometimes they do refunds and stuff. However, we still can't say that most of their stuff are original. I have friends and relative in mainland China who work in those kinds of factories where they copy what the model in the picture is wearing and then they make their own version out of the materials they have, then they sell those products to third party sellers.

I know it is unfair to post this link: http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Int...ing/5200011089

This is just one of the threads I've found about buying from China. Well I am Chinese myself, so what I can tell you is that not all of the stuff there are useless, because almost everything we use are Made in China. However, products that are made in China we buy in the US are strictly tested before putting into the stores. But the stuff we buy directly from China don't. I've been watching news on the TV (Chinese cable) warning buyers to be aware of the methods they use to sell products over the internet.

It's not like all Chinese sellers are liars, some are honest and some aren't. But there is no doubt that there are always risks in purchasing counterfeit or cheaply made products. But you're right, Ranshiin, I suggest Amazon over Ebay. However, I wouldn't even want to purchase stuff online, because I refuse to take risks =(

[Skilero]

Use common sense when buying on ebay like you would in real life.

Would you visit a stand in the middle of the road in a third world country offering The Dark Knight Blu Rays at five dollars each without even seeing a disc before buying one?