Ebay dilemma

[Happytohack]

Think I am becoming paranoid

but there is a saddle on ebay that I really want to bid on but the seller has no feedback whatsoever, even though they have been registered for a while. What happens if it isn't a genuine sale? I know you are supposed to be able to get your money back through paypal, but the one time I bought something, paid for it and never got it, I never got a thing back through PayPal. Wasn't a lot of money last time, so chalked it up to experience, but can't afford to lose the sort of money this saddle will cost.

 

[AmyMay]

Personally I wouldn't bid on it. I waited until I had racked up a nice amount of positive feedback before I started to sell the more expensive things - which included two saddles.

 

[dun_in]

Be very careful unless you can pick the item up on a cash on collection basis locally. Go to the Paypal site and look up buyer protection. Under the Help section question "How can I offer Paypal Buyer Protection to my buyers" it says that you (i.e as a vendor) need at least 50 ebay feedback points, with at least 98% positive. So I don't think you'd be covered as a buyer here.

I know ebay changed some of their paypal rules recently, but as your past experience shows you certainly cannot guarantee being refunded.

I have used e-bay for years and found it very useful but you do need to be pretty cautious, and I would step back from buying a saddle unseen from somebody with zero feedback. They may be genuine but then again....

Also beginners tend to mess up the packaging so it could easily get damaged in transit.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Tbh I would still bid, maybe they just haven't ever sold anything before, so haven't got the chance to get any positive feedback, if you really want it, give them the benifit of the doubt.

 

[Blizzard]

I would steer clear unless you can pay cash on collection.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

That's interesting, thanks guys, was thinking about selling my saddle on ebay and would have the same problems as I have never used it before !! Damn, now I need to find other things to sell first !!

 

[flyingfeet]

You can buy - use PayPal with a Credit Card

You go to your credit card company who take the money back from PayPal that then get the money back from the seller

You are 100% covered with a credit card - but not a debit card or bank funded transfer or existing funds

 

[happihorse]

I would bit for it if you can either collect for cash or pay using paypal and a credit card - you might get it at an even better price if everyone is thinking that the buyer my be unreliable!

 

[dwi]

I woud go for it because as other people have said you are safe if you pay with a credit card and they might be fine. I've just listed my first ever item today. I'd been putting it off for ages because I was worried that no-one would bid because I don't have any seller feedback, only as a buyer, but everyone has to start somewhere. That said I started with a fieldsafe headcollar because I thought people might be more willing to take the risk on something so cheap.

 

[Happy Bird]

I have just sold a saddle on ebay but then again I have about 147 positive feedback (100%). The lady was quite reluctant at first to pay me and insisted on collection despite being a couple of hours away. However after speaking to her on the phone, I must have reassured her and she sent money via paypal and I posted the saddle same day. I think you are right to be cautious about someone with so little feedback unless you can collect it and pay cash on delivery.