WEDNESDAY'S WITCH: WHEN GOODS GO BAD
You bid on an antique handmade German violin and got a factory-fresh one made in Taiwan. You thought you were buying a hard-to-find Disney classic on VHS but got a home-burned DVD with the title scrawled in marker. You got a great deal on a portable DVD player for £100, only to find out that all you've purchased is a URL where can get a £200 discount on one. (Don't laugh -- this actually happened.)
CAN THIS NIGHTMARE BE BANISHED? Yes!
Though the line between a royal deal and a rip-off can be fuzzy, you can usually avoid unpleasant surprises. Here's how.
1. Read the description carefully.
If information is missing, ask the seller questions about it. No photos? Ask the seller to e-mail you some. If the item is a camcorder, a laptop, or a video console -- some of the items most prone to fraud -- check with the manufacturer to find out if the seller is an authorised reseller of such goods.
2. Do a price check.
Use a site like our Compare Prices section to find out what these things cost in the real world. If a product typically retails for £1000 and the seller is accepting winning bids of £100, there may be something amiss.
3. Check the returns policy.
If the seller doesn't have a return/refund policy or it says something like "all sales are final," check the Seller Information for a PayPal Buyer Protection icon (a tiny blue-and-white shield with a tick on it). If there's a dispute, PayPal will intercede and refund up to £250, if necessary.
When buying a high-ticket item on eBay, look for the PayPal Buyer Protection icon
Your purchase may be insured for up to £250
4. Don't get fleeced with a fake.
If the 'Gucci' shoes you think you bought are really labelled 'Gootchie', you know you got a knockoff. It's illegal to sell stolen or counterfeit goods on eBay, so be sure to report it to eBay (using its contact form) and the Internet Fraud Complaint Centre. You could also demand a refund from the seller, but don't expect much of a response.
