How to Identify Good Sellers and Authentic Items on eBay

Last Updated: February 23, 2021

The Internet brings us great convenience. You are able to find millions of products on eBay or other places. On the other hand, finding reliable sellers and premium products can be tricky. In many instances, you may be nervous to buy expensive or brand items, and when faced with too many choices, the process can be overwhelming. That being said, identifying good sellers and authentic items on eBay is possible.

Steps

1
Check the item title. It is advised not to buy an item that has a title with exaggerated symbols (using a lot of @ $ % &) or letters (such as all capital letters). This misuse of title characters is often associated with poor product quality; if it's a brand item, It must be a fake for sure!
- Review the seller's store closely, if so. Some sellers indicate they are US seller on the listing title, but they may be deceptive. Their items may not be good quality or may be fake, but just pretend to be a US seller since they are living in US or they are using oversea warehouse to deliver their items to US buyers. Most real US sellers don't list item titles int his way.
2
Review pictures closely. Don't buy something with poor pictures. Can you imagine selling premium items but using poor pictures to show how fabulous your items are? Most good sellers take the time to present good images of their products.
- In addition, you shouldn't don't trust sellers who make up pictures excessively or add too many ornaments in pictures. Sellers who list simple and clear pictures that show the qualities of their items are best.
Advertisement
3
Read the descriptions. It may be the most important part to decide to buy an item or not. Many sellers neglect aesthetics of the font and item page - they produce listings that are cluttered and messy, with ugly fonts. How can you persuade someone or prove you are selling high grade or authentic items?
- Every trusted seller has a fabulous and great pages on eBay or their own sites. As a buyer, you should trust those whose online stores seem to be professional. When shopping at some small stores on eBay or other sites (many small and not famous but quality sellers), choose wisely, and only choose those with a neat page, appropriate font size and clear, and concise but clear descriptions.
4
Check reviews. eBay provides seller reviews for a reason - reading over the reviews that previous buyers have left for a seller is a good way to get an indication of which businesses you want to purchase from. Beware of false reviews, but examine both the star ratings and what previous buyers have to say, and look for any outliers that indicate either a wonderful or terrible buying experience.^{[1]
X
Research source}
5
Ignore the stereotypes. Some buyers are inclined to avoid overseas sellers; however, they can often provide items for cheaper than local sellers, and they can still be reliable. For example, not all sellers from China only sell poor, cheap and fake products. With some hunting, you can buy good quality, creative and originally designed products from them.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Community Q&A

Question

How do I know if eBay shoes are used?

Community Answer

Look for identifiable marks such as scuffs, scratches, etc. Ask the seller to send additional pictures and analyze them carefully.
Question

Is it safe to buy a display for my phone from eBay?

Community Answer

Yes. Just be sure the seller has a good rating from multiple sources.
Question

When purchasing a car, does eBay require buyers to provide insurance for the car during the inspection period?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

No. eBay has no obligations here. eBay is not part in the transaction, it is just a facilitator for the purchase. Whoever owns the car must insure it. If you go over to the seller and take a test drive with the car, then it should be insured by the seller until you become the owner (unless you're driving on private roads).