Why Don’t I Buy on eBay?
Do you as an eBay seller, also buy a lot of products on eBay?
I don’t! eBay is probably the last place I would look to buy a product. I an talking about new products here, not used. I think my eBay business has sold over 70,000 products in the last few years, but I realised I have only bought 2.
If I were a torrent downloader with that kind of ratio I would be banned for life!
So why is that? Why don’t I, as a consumer, think of eBay as a place to shop? Maybe eBay themselves are asking the question in Australia as they have just started (a rather confusing?) ad campaign to encourage more shoppers onto the site. They are even offering you the chance to upload your own face onto a conga line character to appear in ads.
If I think about the 2 products that I bought, it provides a little insight into why I didn’t go elsewhere.
The first item was a generic MP3 player. I only bought it because my wife wanted one, I had been watching the marketplace for a while, I knew who the big sellers were, and I had the ability to work out the best (lowest) price to pay.
So, this was a low risk purchase, and well researched. I also had my own technology to analyse past performance of listings to get the best value. And it was not a brand name product ( so it couldn’t be a ‘fake’).
The second item was clothing that an eBay seller either resold or made. It was a shirt for a baby with ‘I Love Boobies!‘ written on it. Don’t ask me why, but it was appropriate at the time!
I guess the main reasons I don’t buy on eBay are these :
- I wouldn’t like to buy a brand name product on eBay because it could be a fake (and there aren’t that many brand name products available from legitimate suppliers)
- I like to buy things by seeing and touching them
- I am a bloke, I don’t like shopping too much!
- I read in forums of the selling groups I am a member of that many larger sellers who buy a lot have had some very average experiences and let downs…
- I am an experienced seller, and I worry about buying from businesses that may not be as ethical and good as ours.
Do you buy a lot on eBay? Have you had a good experience?
Do you sell on eBay and buy a lot as well? If not, why not? I would be interested to know!
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Comments
I think that eBay is great for two classes of items
1. collectables or rare that you can’t get anywhere else
2. New or refurbished items from business sellers. These can be a great bargain.
I would never buy second hand electronic items from individual sellers as I don’t know what condition they are in.
Trevor,
I agree. eBay has always been the biggest garage sale of them all, at it’s core.
However smart you, I or others may be, I have discovered one thing about selling on eBay :
You are dealing with averages.
On average, most people DO buy second hand stuff.
On average, people DO buy from slightly dubious sellers that they probably shouldn’t.
On average, people DON’T understand enough about buyer security and fraud to determine what is best for them.
We’ve completed more than 13,000 Transactions as Buyers @ eBay — no problem! Well, a couple of minor glitches; but overall, we’ve come out far to the good to an extent that far exceeded our expectations.
If you’re not sure how to enjoy your eBay Buying experience(s), ask an eBay Education Specialist (there’s an on-site directory that you can search by location) for some tips~{{;>}~!!!