Is it safe to buy high-value items on eBay?

These days it seems like tales of e-commerce danger are everywhere. eBay isn't the only e-shopping venue to have been mentioned alongside words like "fraud" and "scam," but it is certainly one of the most recognized, and that's the last thing you want when dollar values are measured in thousands or more.

Though many have had poor or downright criminal experiences as would-be big ticket eBayers, at least as many have scored great deals on purchases that would have been difficult to make in any other way.

So how can you determine which listings are high-end deals and which are merely traps waiting to be sprung? An anecdote and eight steps to high-value buying are a start.