Hey all, I decided to post this because some people have had difficulties or complaints about sellers when purchasing equipment. I'm horribly sick with the flu, so ignore the typos if ya can, and take this as the guide it is intended to be.
How to determine if a potential seller is quality (or even genuine)
1 Ask around, see who else has bought from them, look at testimonials pages, ask on forums, etc.
2 Email them. See how long it takes to get a non-automated response. Many people use auto responders, and this can confirm that your email was received by their host, so don't let that shy you away. You should have a response, from a real person in one or two business days depending on the size of the company.
3 Ask about the item you are interested in, ask for specs if the specs are unclear, a good retailer will be willing to get all the information they can for you.
4 check the return policy. Make sure it is clear and concise. If you are confused, ask for more details.
5 buy a test item. buy the cheapest thing on the website. see if it is packaged well. A good retailer will package your inexpensive item with the same care as an expensive one, after all, you are a possible return customer, right?
6 ask for a phone number if it is not on the website. you want to be able to call someone if need be.
7 Look for a seller who accepts paypal. I can't stress this one enough. Paypal has great buyer protection policies, and I highly recommend its use. Most reputable sellers use it as an option these days, and any use strictly paypal. Accounts are easy to set up, and if you have a debit or credit card, you don't even need to set up an account. Pay securely and go.
Buying from ebay-
1 FEEDBACK FEEDBACK FEEDBACK That rating should be 98.5% or better! For example user fau_tps (Yeah thats me) has 100% feedback, and user crummyseller1 has a 78% feedback, buy from the user people like!
Look at the feedback scores as well, you can tell sometimes if they are just polite positives, or if a seller has gone out of their way. People leave details. Look at the negatives too. see if the negative is retaliatory or unfounded. Sometimes spiteful people leave negatives for no reason.
2 WATCH THAT SHIPPING!!! 1 dollar computers? freaking awesome!! 1300 dollar shipping????? Freaking con.
And if you don't pay attention and enter that binding contract, you are responsible to pay. And if you don't? Then the negative is on you, and the seller can take actions against you.
3 Look at the description. Look to see if item is new or refurbished. Bear in mind that refurbised items not refurbished by the manufacturer, is the same as saying 'used'. Many people call an item refurbished, when all they do is clean it up and make sure it works. Manufacurer refurbished items will carry a manufacturer warranty as well. Sometimes only a set time, sometimes the same as new. If it's not stated, ask!
4 Make sure insurance is offered. Don't let a 500 dollar camera ride the bumpy UPS express without it.
5 Again, if unsure, ask questions. Email the seller, if they don't respond, Don't bid. You don't need the item badly enough to take the risk.
Hope this helps you out with choosing a seller,
Rob
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Science attempts to discover truth, while religion attempts to create truth.
Tech Manager River Cities Paranormal Society
Http://www.myspace.com/sosincomputers
www.sosincomputers.com
rob@sosincomputers.com
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