[MissBaby]

ebay has gotten really bad at stopping the obvious scam companies even when people repeatedly complain. Really bad when ebay with the power to stop a bunch of people from getting ripped off does not take action.

Worse is their claims that they provide insurance against fraud. The don't unless you want to wade through a very, very cumbersome process. That process usually ends in a denial of the claim and you have to be really persistant.

[MissBaby]

Oops. I forgot to note the article is an an except. The rest of article Here Sorry.

[Maedhros]

ping

[babylonian]

I am a full time ebay seller, and I can tell you this: Ebayers want their merchandise as fast as they want their burgers and fries. Right now! Like you're supposed to drop everything you're doing and RUSH to ship their stuff!
Nobody's patient anymore.

[Jason Kauppinen]

"Vigilante: One who takes or advocates the taking of law enforcement into one's own hands

A new trend has emerged in online auctions: vigilantism. People are banding together to report auction fraud and are coordinating their efforts in contacting law enforcement officials."

So clearly the trend does not fit the definition of "vigilante". They're only coordinating their efforts to contact the police.

Maybe this author thinks that Neighbourhood Watch programs are vigilante as well....

[Reaganwuzthebest]

So far I've had no problems purchasing mostly cds and videos on ebay, I stick to buying only from those who have a solid track record, even though that's still no guarantee. But if there's even a few negative feedback replies, I don't bother with them.

[martin_fierro]

I haven't experiences blatant fraud on Ebay (yet).

But I have to wonder how much "shill bidding" goes on to drive up bid prices. If Ebay is unwilling to prosecute even obvious fraud, I doubt it seriously monitors such bidding.

[Jhoffa_]

The last guy who tried to rip me off (over a computer BTW) was foolish enough to give me his address and directions to his house (because I was going to pick it up initally) before changing his mind and deciding to cheat me.

Some people are just too stupid to be crooks.

[Skwidd]

I buy and sell on Ebay all the time. It's a great way to get stuff on the cheap. Still, you shouldn't buy or sell expensive items (or whatever you consider 'expensive')--the odds of getting ripped off seem to grow with the cost of the item, and Ebay will not help you regardless of how many complaints the other person has against them.

Paypal isn't much better. Bank transfers are free, and I never let them hold more than $50 of my money at any time. They have an annoying habit of freezing people's accounts without any explanation or method of recourse.

With over 200 transactions, I've only had problems with one pirate software scammer. $20 down the drain. But it's like the saying goes--you pays your money, you takes your chances.

[yarddog]

I have never sold on Ebay and have just over a hundred purchases.

I have never had anyone fail to deliver and only a couple of slow ones. The worst problem is about half the items I have purchased have undisclosed damage. Maybe 10% so bad as to be worthless.

The only times I have returned items I have gotten a refund but as I usually buy items costing less than $50, the cost of shipping makes returns not very attractive.

[Paul C. Jesup]

If you don't take the to review a seller's feedback page then you deserve to be ripped off.

I have been buying items on ebay for almost three years (using money orders to pay for the items) and I have not had one problem yet because I ALWAYS check the seller's feedback page for the number of each negitive, neutral and positive feedbacks that seller has.