The art of the bid

[mandy]

Every day, millions of people participate in the virtual open-air market of online auctions, buying and selling everything from electronics to family heirlooms to pink lawn flamingos.

For those who've been hesitant to join the fray because they're wary of dealing with faceless merchants or getting ripped off, we asked for advice from two experts...

full article: http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr...FlZUVFeXk3

[maryrussel]

Get the name, street address (not P.O. box) and/or telephone number of the seller. This can be helpful in checking somebody out or following up if you experience a problem. If a seller refuses to provide that information, walk away.

This information can also be very helpful if you want to stalk someone. Since I personally know of 2 eBay sellers who have been stalked using this infomation, I am very reluctant to give it out. Of course, if they ask eBay for it they can get it anyway without my permission. But if they use it to stalk me eBay will not do a thing to help me with any information on the stalker.

[bargainbloodhound]

Get the name, street address (not P.O. box) and/or telephone number of the seller. This can be helpful in checking somebody out or following up if you experience a problem. If a seller refuses to provide that information, walk away.

I think one of the reasons so many people avoid auction sites is because they're leery about buying from a complete unknown.  I would much rather make an online purchase from a web store which is using its real business name and provides contact info than I would from someone on an auction site with a made up user ID and no contact info.

When I'm buying from unknown small web sites I usually check for contact info on the site and also check the domain's whois records.  If an ecommerce site is using anonymous whois info  (I have a big problem with businesses hiding their whois info  )and doesn't list either an address or phone number I'm unlikely to buy from it (if the only contact info is an email address at a free email service like yahoo or hotmail I am likely to run)...and there are a ton of online shoppers just like me 

[Angel]

Sorry BBH have to disagree with you on this.  There are way to many crazies out there on the web for me to have that info made public.  I pay to have that info be anonymous the same way I pay for my phone number to be unlisted.  Maybe i'm just paranoid but with a husband that works late and 2 kids to worry about, I would rather be safe then sorry and if that costs me a few sales then so be it.  My family is way more important.


Angel