Let's Make A Post On How To Spot A Bad Ebay Seller...

I didn't post this in the ebay section for
a few reasons. One, new members and independent
ebay'ers wouldn't necessarily ever be in that
forum. Two, this isn't really in respect to
any one particular auction. This is info anyone
might like to know when buying anything on ebay.
I won't list checking feedback! This one is obvious.

I will post some ways I investigate sellers, and
hope you will add tells and investigation
techniques you have perfected!

*Ask questions. Direct interaction through email with
the seller will tell you much that their 'canned' auction
cannot. I don't want to call them 'trick questions', but
unfortunately that is exactly what they are. You want to
not only ask honest questions you do not know the answer
to, but you should always ask one (or more) questions that
you do know the answer to. Well thought out questions
that will draw out some sort of 'tell' that you can look for.

*Do they take PayPal? If not, they still might be
honest. However, I have seen a great deal of crooked sellers
stop taking PayPal because they get their schemes skrewed up
when PayPal takes the buyer's side. PayPal makes a great deal
of promises to protect the buyer, and does so very aggressively.
This makes the PayPal option very unfavorable to the unsavory
seller. I won't deal without PayPal for the simple fact that
I get my money instantly when selling, and can pay instantly
when buying. This alone is worth it... then add to that the
fact that PayPal offers protection from scoundrels...
You get the idea.

*Look at completed listings by the seller. Chrsb made
a great find in another thread. He found a seller of "bank rolled"
and "unsearched" wheat pennies had just bought a great deal of
wheat pennies (cheap ones). Not only that, but he also just
bought a "bank rolling" setup for pennies! Pretty clear right
there if you are a perspective buyer... This guy is selling
the culls from his wheatie bag, and portraying them as something
that he just got out of the bank vault and is generously passing
on to you! This might just be a bit of a stretch, but do you
want to spend your dough to give this guy "benefit of doubt"?

I am out of time for now.
Please, post your tells and lets compile them into an informative
thread that makes us buyers even more cunning than the crooks!

Thanks!
Dave

*** Moved to Auction Site Forum by Forum Dad ***