Member - Al & Mrs Al (Vic) replied:

Hi Tim...

we got a compressor and a boat winch...and heaps of smaller stuff...not a problem...

LynLaugh alot..life's too short not to....

Member - Jack replied:

HI Tim:

I have used ebay to buy a number of tiems, incl a GPS unit, bullbar, GPS data cable and some other stuff. I used PayPal and it was a breeze. I guess it is as safe as it can be made, and I would have no hesitation in using it again.
Good luck
JackAustralia - If you don't love it, leave!!!

Member - Wherethehellawi replied:

like all auctions

CAVEAT EMPTORWow! am I cute
If yer ain't fishing, Yer ain't livin
Richard

diamond (bendigo) replied:

gday tim.we use ebay heaps and never had a problem YET.
a couple of things to look for when bidding.
1 make sure you know the normal price of what your buying i have seen some people pay more than you would pay in any shop..
2 when your looking at an item theres a spot called sellers feedback.thats where buyers leave a message like good/bad rip off ect.have a look they might have all bad so dont deal with them.
3 be carefull its very addictive just ask my wife.
we usually direct deposit or cod.
happy bidding
—~‘¬‘¥•s’B

Truckster (Vic) replied:

Ive seen people get caught up and pay 2ice retail for things specially hand held UHF's

Feedback is about the best you can go on, Dont buy from people who dont have feedback.

Ive bought 100's of things over years off there and the old sold.com.au and had 1 problem, a CD which was fubar when I got it, $10, so not the end of the earth.

But it is a buyer beware thing. Ive heard of heaps of scams lately camera gear is a biggy. Things like if they say they are in Australia, ask where they are and if you can pick up in person (even if they are interstate, shows if they are genuine).. If they say no, then it could be a scam.

Luke replied:

Ebay can be a great place, but some people get stung as well by dodgy people out there.

Some guidelines:

1: Know your prices before you bid - not everything is cheap on Ebay
2: Decide on how much you are willing to pay for an item and don't go over that amount - it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of an auction
3: Check the seller's feedback. If someone has negative feedback find out why. Only purchase stuff from people who have plenty of positive feedback (this means people have been happy with their products and service before)
4: If you have ANY doubt about a seller's integrity either don't bid, use COD so you can inspect the goods when they arrive, or use an Escrow service (more on Escrow at the Ebay site)
5: When you complete a transaction be sure to take the time to leave feedback. This is a very important step, as it is the primary way people can decide if a person is trustworthy.

I've bought and sold a fair bit of gear on Ebay, and I've always been satisfied with the results. The trick is to just use commeon sense, and be careful.

Cheers, and good luck!

Luke.