Buying From E-Bay

The Highs and Pitfalls from Buying From E-Bay

• What about the possibility of buying counterfeits?

It is a possibility. So buyers should be careful whenever they are buying products outside of the official manufacturer and approved locations of sale that the manufacturer's websites disclose. Use caution especially if you are buying from someone locally, secondhand stores, E-bay, Craig's List, Facebook, websites of other less well-known stores and so forth.  

• Should I Still Buy From E-bay?

Counterfeit products are most likely everywhere around us, sometimes we notice, most times we probably don't. And most of us probably are not affected directly by counterfeits until we have an experience that affects us personally and brings this issue to the forefront of our minds. I just read an article about people selling through Amazon and allegedly selling counterfeit cloth diapers in this article here. I've purchased cloth diapers from both E-bay and Amazon and from a second-hand baby store before. It's baffling to think some of my Flip, Alva Baby, Kissaluv, and G-pant cloth diapers I own, could possibly be counterfeit. Take home point, you do your best to shop safely and smart. 

• E-Bay's Guarantee

The good news is E-bay has a buyer protection program and guarantee, so if it's false or misleading advertising and/or the wrong item sold, you are usually protected. To read more about how that program works, click here. 

• My E-Bay Experience 

I've been using E-bay for a few years now and so far I have not received any counterfeit items. I've scored some really great deals in the past through trial and error, such as a Fisher Price 4 in 1 Sit n Sling Tub, slightly below the retail price.

• Some Tips That May Decrease Your Risk For Counterfeits

People who make counterfeit are great at making it look identical to the real thing and it's likely they aren't going to be a lot of noticeable differences.

1. Know What Your Item is Supposed To Look Like

I had an E-bay case where I wanted to buy The Graco Pack n Play with Newborn Napper Elite in the Vance design. I went on E-bay, searched for this item specifically, browsed through all the listings for this item and choose from a seller with a good rating and selling for a reasonable price. The transaction went smoothly, and a couple of weeks later my pack n play arrived at the door. However, when I happily opened the box and put all the pieces in my pack n play together, I realized the picture on the box and the pieces to my pack n play were not the same items I thought I had purchased. I immediately went to my computer and reviewed what I had purchased. The picture was for the Elite, but the pack n play I received was  The Graco Pack n Play: Play yard Bassinet Changer with Cuddle Cove Rocker in Winslet design. I had been sent the wrong Graco pack n play. I opened a case to help me solve this matter and decided to keep it rather than going through the process of returning and having to start over with looking through listings and waiting for it to come all over again.

2. Pass On Suspicious Products

I think E-bay can be a great place to find baby products below retail price, often if you are open to buying an item gently used from a previous owner. You know the saying, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Or In this case, it would be more like one person's old baby item is another person's new baby item or something like that.  However, If it's too good to be true, it just might be. If you are buying items, let's say in the United States and you see listings for a baby carrier, called Ergo Baby that is carried in the US and is typically pricey. Then you hop on E-bay and you see this baby carrier and/or multiples of it being sold in other countries well below retail. Instead of thinking you have found a great deal, I would be cautious and pass. There is a possibility that it is a counterfeit. Be familiar with what is sold in your country and have an idea of what it usually retails for. 

3. Buy From High Rated Sellers

You want to buy from sellers who have a good reputation on E-bay. One way to tell is the seller's feedback scores and reviews. If I am looking for a seller, I definitely would look for a seller who has the 80-90% plus feedback score in the last 12 months. If you're new to E-bay and what I am saying does not make sense, there is a star rating system. The little star by a username indicates the feedback score. The bigger the number, the higher the score. A profile, which can be found by clicking on the username, will also list a person's positive feedback score in the last 12 months and allow you to read the reviews.

Each username will have a star and number.

• What If I End Up With A Counterfeit Product?

If you do end up with a counterfeit product and are made aware that it is not authentic, remember accidentally buying counterfeit is not your fault. It's whoever's knowingly creating and distributing the counterfeits that are to blame. You do your best on your end if you are a hundred percent sure its counterfeit to return the product and make it known you believe the item you received was counterfeit to the company, seller, customer service, product review, word of mouth and so forth to make it harder for the people doing it to get away with it. If this item came from E-bay, their customer service should do their best to guide you through the process of what steps to take and how to better handle this case.

• Other Ways To Get A Great Deal

If you do not want to buy from E-bay or leaving E-bay due to a poor experience or experiences, there are other places and tools to find a good deal in the United States. Of course, when you're buying from people in person from online advertising, you should always be careful.

• Personal: Family and Friends. (Read the article: Hand Me Downs Etiquette) 
• Locally: Garage Sales. Consignment Stores.
• Websites: Facebook. Baby Center.
• Online Stores: Amazon.
• Stores: TJ Maxx. Ross.
• Apps: Wiki Buy. Honey.

Last Edited: June 18, 2017