Online Buying Virgin!

job seeker

Hi all,

I want buy something off Ebay, do you need Paypal or is it optional? What benefits does it give you as opposed to not using it. Im totally lost when it comes to things like this.

Thanks.

Ruu

Yes, you are protected if you pay with Paypal if you don't receive the item or have a problem with the seller.

You should be able to pay with credit or debit without creating an account though.

job seeker

Ruu wrote: »

Yes, you are protected if you pay with Paypal if you don't receive the item or have a problem with the seller.

You should be able to pay with credit or debit without creating an account though.

I'm also worried about things like dodge emails from Paypal that actually are a scam. Would this be common?

Ruu

Scam emails are common but if there is something that Paypal needs you to know, you can login via the secure site instead of clicking any links in an email. More at the link.

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/security/suspicious-activity

gothic_doll

job seeker wrote: »

I'm also worried about things like dodge emails from Paypal that actually are a scam. Would this be common?

Emails for you which are genuine, always contain your full name and address/details of what you bought in them. PayPal usually only send you records of purchases. Watch out for vague language or no personal details in an email, to spot fakes.

If in any doubt, don't follow a link in an email, and instead open a new window and type the address directly in your browser to log in that way. Don't select 'remember password' when logging in unless you're at home.

EBay offer great buyer protection. In case of items not arriving, or not as described, you can contact the seller directly for a refund via eBay, (via message, or upgrade to a case) if the elapsed predicted delivery dates have passed. If the case is left unattended/not dealt with, eBay will sort the refund for you. Just don't forget about anything you ordered, as your protection/ability to get refunds diminishes after a month on eBay. PayPal is 60 days. Generally in my experience, it is incredibly rare to have a problem or delay from an eBay seller. Just make sure you read the listings carefully to make sure you know what you're getting.

It's in a sellers' best interest to be perfect on there, as bad feedback affects their ability to sell. Anything below 99% positive feedback and their listings won't show up on search, for example. (So if you have a good experience, make sure to leave positive feedback for them!)

Click the seller username in-listing and click on the number where it lists negative feedback, to see what other customers wrote, and what problems arise if you are unlucky. Also note the location on the sellers page may differ from the listing (e.g be abroad when it says UK on the product page.) This is only a problem if you need a fast dispatch.

To add protection for yourself, use a different password on Paypal as for eBay, and a third different one for your email, and avoid buying directly from a seller's website (instead of eBay itself) unless they are a long-standing, trusted brand/seller which you can verify elsewhere (e.g their eBay seller account or Amazon seller account, or do a search for their brand name+ customer reviews or feedback.)

allthedoyles

If its a once-off purchase you can pay as a a Paypal guest without been a PP registered customer .

Miaireland

You can get fake emails claiming to be from paypal. As other posters have said your full name etc should be on. If you have any doubt just gonto the site. As a rule of thumb I never click on any link in a paypal email.