Buying
basics
Buying on eBay is simple whether
it's DVDs or designer clothes, whatever you're looking for, you'll find it
on eBay!
5 Steps To
Basic Buying
1:Register
In order to bid or buy you need to register on eBay. It's
easy and FREE!
Simply click on the Register link at the top of any page
and complete the registration form.
Once you've completed the form you will receive a
confirmation email from eBay to the email address you submitted during the
registration process. Simply follow the instructions to complete your
registration.
2.Find what you're
looking for
There are three
ways to find what you're looking for on eBay:
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A. |
Browse
categories: If you want to
see what eBay has to offer, Browse the categories
listed on the homepage. Click on the category you are
interested in or select the Buy button on the navigation bar
to display the full category list. |
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B. |
Search by Keyword:
If you're looking for something specific the simplest way to
find it is to Search. Type keywords into the search box that
best describe what you are looking for or advanced search link
for more options.
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C. |
Get what you want: If you know what you want,
just post a Want It Now ad and seller's will
respond with listings. Just click on the homepage link.
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3.Review The Item &
Seller |
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A. Make sure
you know what you are buying
Once you find an item that interests you, click on
it to view details. Read the item description completely, checking
for: item details (size, colour, etc), accepted payment methods,
postage costs and return policy. If you still have a question,
contact the seller directly. B. Get
to know the seller
Check the Seller's eBay reputation by clicking on
the Feedback rating (the number in brackets) beside the Seller's
User ID. Click to read what other buyers have said about the
seller's reliability, product quality and level of service.
4.Place a Bid or Buy
Instantly. |
Experience the thrill of placing the winning bid on an
auction-style item, or if you know what you want to pay and you want it
quickly look for items that offer Buy It Now.
Place A Bid: Enter the highest price you are prepared to
pay for the item and eBay's proxy bidding system will bid on your behalf,
only as much as is needed for you to stay the highest bidder.
Buy It Now: If you see Buy It Now on a listing, you can
buy the item instantly at that price stated by the seller. There's no
bidding involved!
5.Paying For Your Item And Leaving
Feedback.
After you have won or purchased the item either
contact the seller or check the seller's listing or email invoice to
find out what the preferred payment method is, and where you should send
your payment. The seller will only send the item to you once they have
received payment, so ensure that you pay quickly.
If the seller offers PayPal then simply click on the Pay
Now button and complete eBay's Checkout process. PayPal
is free to join. Your financial details are never
shared with the seller and it allows you to send payment immediately. The
faster the seller receives payment, the faster you'll receive your item!
Once the item arrives, check it thoroughly to make sure it
fits the description and has arrived in good condition. If you are pleased
with your purchase, leave the Seller Feedback and encourage them to do the
same for you.
Now you've learned the basics of buying you're ready to
start discovering the great deals available.
Shop without sharing your financial details
Sensible
Precautions for Online Shopping
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1. Learn as much as possible
about the product and seller |
Shoppers will feel more secure and
confident if they are familiar with the merchants from whom they are
buying.
The Internet offers a platform for retailers to
provide information about their companies and histories. Shoppers
are empowered to undertake research about the products and
companies. Shoppers might also learn about a retailer from their
reputation, previous purchases, referrals through friends or reviews
and comments by other shoppers found online.
Asking the seller questions is another simple way to
obtain more information on a product and get a sense of the seller’s
customer service standards. |
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2. Understand retailers’ refund
policies
Look for and ask about refund
policies. Questions to ask should focus on:
- the required timeframe in which a buyer must
contact the retailer and return the items
- whether a full refund will be offered or a
merchandise credit provided
- whether an item that has been opened or used can
be returned
For retailers without refund policies,
consumers may be able to access buyer protection programs from
either the shopping site or through the payment method they use.
This ensures that if there is a problem that the payment will be
covered or refunded as a result of the protection guarantee - for
example, many credit cards have chargeback facilities.
Online
consumers are afforded the same legal protection as offline
consumers. |
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3. Choose a secure password to
protect account information
Many people use passwords for online
stores that can be guessed, like their birthday, a family member’s
name or even their username. Instead, a password should contain a
combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers and symbols
that no one else can guess. You should also use different passwords
for different accounts. It is also helpful to periodically change
your password to help ensure that it cannot be
guessed. |
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4. Use a secure checkout and
payment process
When paying online, consumers should
take precautions when entering credit card or bank account
information at each online retailer they visit. Entering these
details on several different merchant websites increases the
likelihood of your personal information being compromised. There are
safe and easy-to use payment services, such as
<PayPal,or Stormpay which allow shoppers to
enter account information only once into a highly secure and
reputable site that protects this financial information from
improper use. Future purchases should be made from that one account
to avoid the need to enter credit card or banking information
separately into the websites of individual
retailers.
Additionally, many websites use a technology
called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt personal and financial
information sent over the Internet. A browser will display the icon
of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen to indicate
encryption. Also consumers can look for third party seals that
accredit sites with safe handling policies and procedures such as
the VeriSign or TrustE logos.
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5. If an offer sounds highly
suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is
While Internet shops frequently offer
lower prices than brick and mortar stores, shoppers should be wary
of unreasonably low prices or unusually attractive promises. With
any purchase online or offline, shoppers should read the fine print
(or, in some instances, click the links describing the purchase
agreement). If in doubt, don’t proceed with the purchase – there
will always be other options available when shopping online.
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6. Protect your
computer
Each computer connected to the
Internet must have up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spam software as
well as firewall protection. These are the first steps in a number
of protective measures that are outlined by the Australian Computer
Emergency Response Team (AusCERT) in the
Guide
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7. Read and understand safe
trading guidelines
Always follow the safe trading
guidelines provided by the site you are shopping on.
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8. If you don’t receive the item
you paid for
Retain copies of all correspondence
and communication as this may help solve disputes between buyers and
sellers. Communicate with the seller or retailer. If this fails,
contact the service or financial institution used to make the
payment to see if it can be reversed. Contact your local police
service to make a complaint if you are willing to provide a
statement. |
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9. What to do if you think fraud
has occurred
First and foremost, a buyer should
contact the retailer from which the product was purchased. If
agreement can’t be reached, the consumer should contact either the
payment method or service used to dispute charges and finally
contact the police to report the incident.
More information
about avoiding fraud online is available in the e-Commerce Safety
Guide.ebay.
Click here to download the
complete version(720kb).
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