What Websites Do You Trust the Most and Why

[GoCubsGo]

And the idiots who sell on ebay don't always have the stuff they are selling. Friday I bought a CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS house flag. Listing said he had 20 with 9 remaining when I bought. Paid via Paypal. Sunday I receive the your item shipped with tracking number email. Monday I get an email saying the transaction was cancelled because the item was out of stock. He refunded the money but Paypal put a hold on it for some reason. I like amazon.com and walmart.com much better.

 

[maryroth]

Dell computers. And for insurance books - The National Underwriter. If you belong to their online system - it is a great source of information AND as far as I know has been very safe.

 

[pcbinsurance]

RayNY:

I never said I bought my car "FROM" Ebay. I said I bought it "ON" Ebay.

 

[Newby]

If you've managed to get to 6 figures on eBay and never get scammed, you're an exception. I've been scammed (small time, <$100 bux), I've seen TONS of scams, and have had close personal friends get scammed as well. Worst one was a buddy who won an $6000 snowmobile from a seller in Canada, drove there with a trailer and my dad to pick it up, to find that the address was an abandoned farm. Turns out, guy was actually from eastern Europe somewhere, and he wasn't getting his cash back. I've had customers bring in cars flooded by hurricane Sandy that were not informed of the submarine past of their vehicles. You wouldn't believe the amount of knockoff and counterfeit good going around either.

Ebay may be a reputable company, the people who use their services are not. Same goes for Amazon, TaoBao, DHGate, Etsy, and anywhere else that facilitates sales from private entities.

You have to either know what you are doing or involve a friend who does. I have a background in buying and selling vehicles (mainly motorcycles.) I have cash purchased thousands of used motorcycles with 5-minute inspections way back before eBay was invented. And a few dozen vehicles through ebay. So my BS detector is pretty developed. And I know what to look at.

So yes, eBay is just a way to advertise stuff. It doesn't make it safer or less safe than the newspaper adds. But if you know what you are doing, it's excellent.

 

[xrac]

You have to either know what you are doing or involve a friend who does. I have a background in buying and selling vehicles (mainly motorcycles.) I have cash purchased thousands of used motorcycles with 5-minute inspections way back before eBay was invented. And a few dozen vehicles through ebay. So my BS detector is pretty developed. And I know what to look at.

So yes, eBay is just a way to advertise stuff. It doesn't make it safer or less safe than the newspaper adds. But if you know what you are doing, it's excellent.

I think Ebay makes it a little safer.

You have Ebays buyer protection. You have Paypal if you pay with it. You have your credit card if you pay Paypal by credit card. That gives me three places to seek recourse if there is a problem.

However, the key is what Newby says and that is to know what you are doing. I have bought and sold probably 50-75 cars in the last few years and I have a pretty good idea of what I am doing as well.

 

[Newby]

It's funny that used car salesmen have the reputation of being crooked liars. But much of the general public when selling their own car is much worse.

 

[xrac]

It's funny that used car salesmen have the reputation of being crooked liars. But much of the general public when selling their own car is much worse.

That is the truth. However some of it is just ignorance. Much of the driving public drives cars with problems they have ignored so long that they think it is normal.