Are you a frequent shopper of Ebay or Amazon? Online auctions have been the trend nowadays because of its convenience. But some people also take advantage of it and use it as a tool to find their scam victims. I myself have been using online auctions before when I had my buy and sell business of mobile phones.

If you’re not ready to give up online auctions but you don’t want to be a scam victim either, I do suggest to take these safety tips to protect yourself and leave scammers wallowing in bitter disappointment.

Inspect the site. Before you use any online auction site, find out what the site’s rule are. They may be similar to other sites you’ve tried or completely different. Read up on the how-to’s before you bid.

Also, check the whether the site offers any protection for buyers. I frequently see the padlock emblem at the lower right corner of the bottom of the page. Be sure you can see this in the page where you will enter your credit card number. Additionally, you can also look at their Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ to find answers on questions such as: What happens if you have a dispute with the seller? Does the site offer free insurance or guarantees for items that are undelivered or different from what the seller claimed? The more protective the site is, the safer it is for their customers.

Investigate the seller. A lot of online auction sites include seller feedback ratings so you can find out how satisfied most folks are with the merchandise from that particular individual. Always get the seller’s contact details such as an email address or better yet a phone number to call and confirm that it’s correct. This may also be a good chance to ask questions about the product before you bid.

If you’re dealing with a company, try to search for user reviews in the internet by googling it. I’m sure an unsatisfied user will definitely make a complaint or a comment about how bad is his or her experience with that particular company to warn other customers.

Focus on the details. Be sure you know exactly what you’re bidding on. Read the description carefully. If you have additional questions, don’t be shy and ask the seller about it. If possible, ask for photographs of the item and examine it closely.

Avoid overpaying. Before you bid, find out the market value of what you’re trying to buy. Check the price of the item against other online auction sites and compare them.

Set your ceiling. Set a top bid limit and stick to it. Just like real world auctions, you can also get carried away and bid more than an item is worth in online auctions. Before you start bidding, decide how much you’re willing to pay and don’t go higher.

Protect yourself. Check also if the online auction site offers and escrow service. If it is, you’re fairly protected. An escrow service works like a virtual middleman between the buyer and the seller. It works like this: When the seller receives payment from the buyer, it notifies the seller to ship the item. When the buyer receives the item, the escrow service then gives the money to the seller. This provides safety for both parties.

Capture the moment. Save and print all information related to the transaction so that if there’s any dispute that happened, it’s easier to prove it since you have evidence.

Here in the Philippines, I’ve listed down some of the famous online auctions.

Around the world, Ebay and Amazon are two of the most successful online auction sites.

Good luck and happy bidding! But most of all stay safe with these safety tips for online auctions.

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