What do you look for in a seller?

Discussion in Online Shopping started by addicted_buyer • May 29, 2012.

  1. addicted_buyer

    addicted_buyerExpert

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    When buying an item on eBay or some other site that has different sellers (NOT a store), what does the seller need to have for you to trust him/him? Do you look for the number of transactions? Check overall reputation? Go over the feedback he's received? Or do you not care about that and just buy the item if you like it?
     
  2. Mrs. Pirz

    Mrs. PirzExpert

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    I look at EVERYTHING - how long they've been selling, their customer's feed back, customer reviews on the item the shipping and the packaging, any remarks on their account negative or positive, their over all rating as a seller and sometimes even how much inventory they have of other items. All this usually gives me a solid idea of how they do their business and if they are trustworthy enough to purchase from
     
  3. writer811

    writer811Active Member

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    I look at the number of transactions versus the number of positive and negative reviews a seller has (I almost never buy from new sellers). And even then, I read the negative reviews to see if there's a legitimate reason for concern or if the buyer is just being grouchy. My rule is I like to have at least five positive reviews for every negative one before I'll make a monetary commitment.
     
  4. missnc35

    missnc35Member

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    When I shop on eBay, generally I look at the reviews of the seller. When I read the reviews, I try to find someone that bought the same item as me. I also check how long ago the purchase was made and the review was written. I also look to see if the seller has a wide selection of items in their store. Additionally, I check if they are a top-rated seller.
     
  5. Waynefire

    WaynefireActive Member

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    I look at everything, but I still make the choice depending on how bad I need the product. Then I am able to know for certain to get the product. However, I also know about the assurance that is present with PayPal when I make a buy,
     
  6. Adeal4u

    Adeal4uActive Member

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    I rely on the feedback and the reviews. Before I buy something on eBay I make sure to do a lot of research on the seller before I bid. Most people just click on the item they want to buy without finding out a little bit about the seller. The researching may seem like it doesn't matter, but it really does. View the last 10 transactions to get a feel of if the seller is honest or if they're a scammer.
     
  7. KNH

    KNHActive Member

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    I look at feedback and reviews but also always look at how many transactions they have done. To me, a 100% rating for 5 transactions means nothing. It depends what I am purchasing, but usually I buy from older sellers if they have the same thing for the same price.
     
  8. NopGuy

    NopGuyActive Member

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    I look at a seller's rating, feedback, and the ratio of positive to negative comments/reviews on them. I'll also check to see what their shipping prices are in case I can just purchase from another seller at a lower price.
     
  9. BarelyHangingOn

    BarelyHangingOnActive Member

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    I set the feedback results for 200 per page so I can scan through them fast and look at the negatives and neutrals fast. I also look at how much they have sold and what their percentage is. I never really look at how long they have been selling unless they have a really low count.
     
  10. dissn_it

    dissn_itActive Member

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    I look at the ratings for any neutral or negatives and why they were rated that way. I also take into consideration the number of sales they have. I also try to compare the same item with at least three sellers. Usually the lowest price that includes the shipping cost is the one I will go with.
     
  11. tetutato

    tetutatoActive Member

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    Feedbacks and his/her english skills in her description :p
     
  12. Natalie89

    Natalie89Member

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    I look at the feedback and I won't buy anything that has a stock description or a stock photograph. I'm overly suspicious like that, but figure if you want to sell something you should make the effort to list things effectively.
     
  13. Miaka_M

    Miaka_MActive Member

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    I definitely care about the ebayer that I am purchasing the item from, so this is out of the question. The first thing I look for is the percentage rating, it has to be at least a 97%. I then read the good reviews and check the amount of reviews. If there are maybe 10 reviews, I can't trust that, I need a regular seller. I also read the negative reviews to see what the issues were. Things such as "it was late" doesn't really bother me.
     
  14. kristin

    kristinNew Member

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    I pretty much just buy items from whoever. The only time I really care is if I think there is a chance that I will need to return it. At these times, I not only look at their rating but I also want to see how many people have rated them. It does not do much good if they have a five star rating and only one person has reviewed the seller. Having one reviewer makes me think their mom or best friend entered it. :D I also pay attention to how their rules are written. If they sound like they have a chip on their shoulder, it is a real turn off.
     
  15. Brian Starr

    Brian StarrNew Member

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    I look at the description of the item on sale first and then go for the feedback. I never rely completely on any feedback because the experiences may vary from person to person.
     
  16. Yosh

    YoshActive Member

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    Yeah, feedback is a must. In terms of eBay, I only trust sellers with a very high feedback, as close to 100% if possible. Unique and non generic comments are also a must. Comments and feedback can always be faked, which is why I look for signs of obvious falseness.
    I don't mind generic photos because often if its a large shop, they just reuse images for the same item.
     
  17. CrowdedHighways

    CrowdedHighwaysNew Member

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    I look at the customer reviews, of course. However, there are several other things I take in consideration, such as the number of pictures of the product. I always reverse search the picture to see if they have taken it from some other website, and I almost never trust a product with just one picture.
     
  18. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I just look at the feedback of the seller. Some negative feedback are actually not against the practices of the seller, but regarding a certain item on their store that sucks and has low quality, so the customers weren't satisfied with that item. So I avoid buying that item too. I don't really get worried when I purchase an item from Ebay despite the negative feedback, because if something went wrong then I can always file for a dispute if the seller won't cooperate.
     
  19. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I look at all the information I am able to see. How long the person has been selling, what their feedback is, if they have feedback from multiple different customers, detailed descriptions of the product, and the pictures. If it looks like it took the person 5 seconds to post the item for sale then I am probably not going to buy it.
     
  20. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I've been burned a few times before and I don't want to lose money that way again so I try and be as diligent as I can whenever I pay someone overseas now. What I do is I look for feedback and I try and discern how genuine those comments are. I look at how old the account is too and I look into which payment methods I could use to take advantage of ebay's buyer protection program, as well as finding out what I should be doing in case the transaction goes bad. If I'm spending a lot more than average, I might even venture out to see if there are any comments about the seller outside of ebay but often the site provides enough to make me feel secure.