A seller with at least 10 positive feedback ratings gets a yellow star from eBay, which appears next to their name on the product page. This indicates that the seller is established on the platform. Stars change color as the seller gets more positive feedback ratings. A seller with at least a yellow star is on the right track and you can be confident in their service. Generally, look for sellers that have a higher number of feedback ratings. If you’re looking at a product and the seller has 300 feedback ratings and a positive feedback score of 98%, it indicates a very reputable seller. You don’t have to investigate this seller further. If, however, the seller has few or no feedback ratings, you should do more investigating before buying the item. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because a seller might just be new. But scam accounts also have few ratings, so look for more information.
Most good sellers on eBay rank above 40 in each of these categories. Someone below that could be an unreliable seller or be weak in that category. Some categories might mean less to you than others. For example, you might not mind paying a higher shipping fee but care a lot about the item being exactly as the seller described it. Consider what your values are when you assess the seller’s ranking.
For more information, read some of the reviews the seller has received. This gives you a comprehensive idea of the type of seller they are.
There are some red flags to look for in a negative review. If a buyer complains that the seller described an item as new and it arrived opened and damaged, then the seller is potentially untrustworthy. A reputable seller would accurately describe the item. Some buyers may have unreasonable criticisms, so be sure to take that into account. For example, “Didn’t ship within an hour of me buying the item” is an unreasonable criticism. If you see reviews like this, the seller is still probably reputable.
For example, you might see a seller offering a new iPhone for significantly cheaper than all the other iPhones on eBay. This is a red flag, and you should question why a seller could offer a new iPhone so far below the normal market price. It is an even bigger red flag if the account has few or no reviews. Very cheap items are not necessarily a negative thing. Someone may be moving soon and just has to get rid of items fast. But it is a reason to do more investigating.
This is especially important for used and collectible items when the condition is very important. If you can’t see the actual item for sale, there is a chance it’s damaged or not in the condition that the user is describing.
Having a lot of different items is, again, not necessarily a negative thing. People often use eBay to clean out their garages and homes, and naturally have many diverse items for sale. But this usually means they aren’t professional sellers and might be less skilled or willing to deliver the best service possible. Having one high-value item for sale and nothing else is a bigger red flag. This could be a fake seller profile that someone is using to unload damaged products.
See how fast and completely the seller answers your question. A good guideline is that reputable sellers respond within 24 hours, or 48 hours if you contacted them on a weekend or holiday. A seller with slow communication may be less reliable.
Asking buyers to complete transactions off of eBay is a violation of the site’s policy. If a seller asks you to do this, report them to eBay.
