Safe Online Shopping: Trading Merchandise

By Michele Blandino

We are all familiar with the online auction site eBay. Here, you can buy and sell virtually anything from the clothes that your children have outgrown to hard to find collectible items. And, because the site provides the opportunity for people to rate their transactions – from both the buyer’s and seller’s perspective – you are able to conduct your business with a fairly high degree of confidence.

The Other Guys

But, what about the lesser known auction sites and e-mail lists set up for the purposes of trading items; how do you know that the person you are dealing with will hold up their end of the transaction?

Unfortunately, in most cases, you don’t. Because these lists are independently run, there is no governing authority to monitor the transactions that take place. As a result, it is up to the list members to implement a self-monitoring system.

Self-Patrolled

One example can be found in a Yahoo! Groups list established for the purpose of trading rubber stamping products. Because a significant amount of trading takes place between the group’s members, the group moderators set up a database within which members can rate their trading experiences with individual members.

While this works by and large, it is not entirely foolproof. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the information that is input to the database is purely the opinion of the person inputting it. As would be expected, there are countless things that can impact the feedback given, making it difficult for the person trying to interpret it. Next, because the information is input on purely a voluntary basis, it does not capture every transaction. Finally, it is relatively easy for people to enter feedback for fictitious trades which will affect the integrity of the entire database.

How to Protect Yourself

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you get exactly what you think you are getting. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous people use vague descriptions or are purposely deceptive when describing the items they are offering. If you are not sure that the item is exactly what you want, don’t hesitate to ask for a digital photograph of the item. Be sure to ask plenty of questions before you commit.

If you decide to enter into an online trade with another person, there are a few things you can do to help increase the chances that the transaction will be successfully completed. First, be sure to get the full name, residential address (not a P.O. Box) and telephone number of the person you will be trading with. This contact information will be invaluable should you fail to receive the merchandise you have traded for.

Finally, be sure to insure your package, even if the person you are dealing with declines the offer of insurance. This will help to protect you against fraudulent claims that the item you have sent did not arrive safely.