Buyer Education

Trading Safely

1) Visit eBay's Security Centre

2) Get To Know Your Trading Partner

A member's feedback rating is their reputation on eBay. Each time you buy and sell successfully your trading partner will leave you a feedback rating with a comment on how you conducted yourself during the transaction.

Whether you're placing a bid or you've successfully sold an item, reviewing your trading partner's feedback about previous conduct on eBay can give you a good idea of what to expect in the transaction.

If the seller has an About Me page or an eBay Store, you have even more ways to learn about your seller before you buy.

Simply click on the or icon in the Seller information box.

3) Ask Questions

One of the most important aspects of purchasing an item on eBay is being sure about the item you want. Knowing the condition of a used item, the authenticity of a collectable or an item's model number are important factors that can have a huge impact on price. You can always check a Completed Items search to review other similar items that have been sold and at what price.

If you're unsure about the item you are about to bid on or buy, ask the seller a question. A good seller will always welcome enquiries. You can also email previous buyers about their experience with that seller.

To ask a question simply click on the 'Ask seller a question' link in the seller information box on all item pages. The seller will then be sent an email with your question and will respond directly.

4) Pay Safely

Sellers on eBay.com.au are required to offer PayPal as a payment method in their listings. You can pay via PayPal by using your existing PayPal account balance (if any), or a credit/debit card or bank account. Your PayPal account balance is the default source for payments. We recommend that sellers send the item to you once they have received payment, so ensure that you pay promptly. Some items may also be available for you to pay on pick up (i.e paid for when picking up the item) but this can only be offered in conjunction with PayPal.

PayPal offers anyone with an email address a secure way to pay. When you use PayPal your financial details are never shared with anyone else. PayPal is free for buyers and economical for sellers.

Learn more about paying safely

5) Buyer Protection Policies

In the unlikely event that a transaction does not proceed as planned, buyer protection policies are designed to protect buyers.

With the exception of a few categories, most items paid for by PayPal on eBay.com.au could be eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection if you do not receive the item you paid for or it is significantly not as described by the seller. Eligible items may be protected for up to AUD $20,000. Conditions apply. Learn more about PayPal's Buyer Protection Policy.

If you are buying a car on eBay Motors you may be covered by the Vehicle Purchase Protection program. The program offers buyers up to $20,000 coverage on eligible cars purchased by Auction or Buy It Now on eBay Motors. Learn more about Vehicle Purchase Protection.

Although rare, if misuse is suspected, eBay members are encouraged to report it to our dedicated Trust and Safety Team.