Upfront summary: Is eBay legit & worth it?
With over 10 billion in revenue in 2021, it has become renowned in the Dot-com bubble. It is a business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer sale website. To ensure that the clientele keeps increasing and the cases of scammers are minimal, eBay works with legitimate sellers.
The company is currently making two billion transactions per day. The sellers and buyers are from all over the world, and it has one of the widest varieties of products. From selling apparel to home decors and mobile phones at low prices, eBay has it all. It is a one-stop shop for all the home shoppers who avoid going to the physical markets as COVID precautionary measure.
Despite proving its legitimacy, eBay is continuously developing a scam-free platform for the business and the consumer. But the customer support isn’t remarkable. Read more to know about it.
eBay company information
| Official Website | https://www.ebay.com/ |
| Founded | September 3, 1995. |
| Owner | Pierre Omidyar |
| Location | San Jose, California |
| Customer Service Contact | Call: (866) 348-9519Live Chat 24*7Email: help@ebay.com |
| Social Media | Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn |
What is eBay?
eBay was introduced in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar. Since then, it has become a competition for many online retailers like Amazon and Etsy. With billions of transactions each day, the company is currently making policies to restrict account transactions and deliveries.
eBay is a business-to-business and business-to-consumer platform that promises safety. This multinational e-commerce business currently connects retailers with buyers who sell the finest quality products from one nation to another.
As a retailer, eBay is a must-consider option for making passive income while working remotely. As a buyer, eBay is reliable and trustworthy for online shopping. The contact is linked directly with the seller and can discuss any changes in the products easily.
Is eBay legal and safe or a scam?
With PayPal’s protection and eBay’s strict security, it is safe from a scam. It is hard to trust a platform that makes billions of transactions per day. But it can also become a little hard for the sellers. Due diligence is essential with sellers because eBay always sides with the buyer. But with reasonable explanations, the sellers can also save themselves from the scammers.
Alongside the safety against scams, the multinational company has been legal and working since 1995. To ensure safe transactions, eBay has partnered up with PayPal. The buyers have to make a transaction before the order confirmation. As soon as the buyer pays for the product and the seller confirms, the order is dispatched.
Is eBay reliable and trustworthy?
With a money-back guarantee, eBay has become one of the most reliable online retailer stores. It has over 4000 positive reviews that confirm the extended success over the years. Alongside proven legitimacy, buyers reach out to honest sellers who ensure a trustworthy relationship with the customer. The buyers can easily research the item and the seller, determine their working time, and then bid an offer.
The sellers can determine the false buyers by watching out for a few red flags. These include bidding above the offer presented by the seller, no response to buyers asking for personal information, and promising transactions other than the eBay platform.
eBay is proving to be a reliable selling platform for the sellers, and trustworthy repeat buyers keep coming to the dedicated sellers.
eBay Shipping Info
eBay has one of the most trustworthy shipping criteria. It is linked to USPS. Once the seller ships the product, the buyer can automatically view the tracking number, zip code, and shipping cost. It means the shipping cost depends on the weight of the product.
Average shipping time
eBay delivers from the USA and UK. There are nationwide and international deliveries available. Depending on the region, it can take one working day to thirty business days. As soon as the payment is made, the seller ships the order. But shipping time also depends on the carrier services, payment services, and handling time.
Cost of shipping
The shipping cost depends on the area of delivery and the weight of the product. The buyer can calculate the shipping charges via the shipping calculator available on the website.
How to track orders on eBay?
After confirmation of the order via the tracking number shared on the buyer’s mail, they can track the order. Go to My eBay on the top right corner and click on the Purchase history. Select the order you want to follow, and it will show the status beside the image. It will be ‘The item has been shipped’ or ‘Delivered on.’
To which countries does eBay ship?
eBay ships to over 210 countries worldwide. The company handles international shipping, and products are undamaged during the process.
Does eBay have exemplary customer service?
One of the most common complaints is against customer service. There are reviews where the buyers have stated no response from customer service. It is non-existent, and nobody gets back to the sellers or buyers after indulging in a complaint. To make matters worse, help is available but with no experience of solving issues.
It has also prolonged the list of complaints, and many have suggested that the circumstances worsen. eBay is a well-renowned online retail store with authentic sellers and buyers. But the non-exemplary customer support is against the buying criteria of both parties.
There is an online number available for the helpline, which calls the support directly. But the company recommends contacting the help center before calling directly. There will be a long wait time if the customer calls the helpline directly.
Although eBay is one of the fastest growing online retail businesses, customer support will get them a huge favor with positive reviews.
How to cancel an order on eBay?
As long as the customer or seller has a reason for cancellation acceptable by eBay support, the buyer can cancel the order. As a seller, in My eBay, go to ‘Sold,’ find the order that needs cancellation and provide a reason for cancellation.
As a buyer, the order can be canceled as long as the product hasn’t been shipped. In the case of shipping, the order cannot be returned. If not shipped, the buyer can provide a reason for cancellation within one hour of placing an order.
Does eBay have Promo/Discount codes?
For specific categories and brands, there are applicable coupons. The customer can have up to 80% off to ease the circumstances further, depending on the seller. Online coupons are available on various websites that offer discounts along with free shipping.
Does eBay have a return policy?
The seller sets the return policy. They can either put it to no return, no refund, or exchange in case of a change of mind. But if the seller sets the exchange of the product, there will be no refund for shipping fees. If the product doesn’t match the description and the seller has set a no refund, no return policy, the customer can contact the support directly and get a full refund.
eBay payment methods
With over two million transactions per day, eBay has one of the fastest responding customer services. Since deliveries are made worldwide, there are several payment methods by which the customer can choose to fund the seller.
The payment methods include,
- Credit card,
- Debit card,
- Apple Pay,
- Google Pay, and
- PayPal
The pros and cons of eBay
- eBay has one of the most legitimate sellers who sell the finest quality products.
- The delivery can take longer than expected.
eBay Careers
eBay offers career opportunities for those who are looking to sell their products from home. As a seller, an individual can carry out the deliveries from home. The eBay calculator evaluates all the shipping charges.
Is eBay an good company to work for?
The company has worked hard to provide the sellers and the buyers a safe platform. As soon as the transaction is made into the seller’s profile, they can immediately dispatch the order. It means the company is excellent to work with and buy from.
Is it difficult to get a job on eBay?
Anybody can start a business with eBay as long as they withstand the criteria and follow all set rules.
Best eBay alternatives
eBay is one of the fastest-growing online markets that has made billions in a year’s revenue. But still, some competitors are trying to surpass this number. Some of them include
- Amazon
- Etsy
- AliExpress
- GumTree
- Walmart
- Craiglist
Additional FAQs
Can you get scammed on eBay?
Most common scams come from buyers. But if it is from a seller, eBay always supports the buyers. The customer can always open a dispute, leading to a full refund deducted from the seller’s account. So, there is little to no chance of getting scammed on eBay.
How do you know if an eBay seller is legit?
eBay has set rules against fake sellers. If the buyer files a nonpayment fraud against the seller, eBay bans the account. Fraud sellers are immediately recognized by the support and restricted from further selling. If a customer finds an eBay seller, it is legit because it has passed an extended duration of fraudulent time and prevented activities against the policies.
Does eBay sell fake stuff?
With counterfeit products banned on eBay, there are legitimate policies set against selling fake stuff on eBay. The buyers can complain directly to the support, and the seller’s profile will get banned immediately.