- Don’t assume there’s no risk. Just because you think an item looks great in a picture, don’t assume that the seller will back you up if something goes wrong simply because AS-IS selling is commonplace on eBay. There really are some junk sellers on eBay that make a living praying on peoples’ hopes of getting something for nothing by taking a risk.
- If you hate risk, don’t take it. If you’re working with limited budgets, are a picky buyer, or are simply not a risk-taker, the best advice is to steer clear of AS-IS items entirely. There are other good deals to be had on eBay; no need to endanger your piece of mind.
- Steer clear of “something for nothing” AS-IS auctions. Assume that something will only be sold at a tiny fraction of its value if the seller knows from the beginning that it’s no good. While AS-IS auctions can be great deals, they’re usually only good for saving 10-40 percent of an item’s cost if they’re on the up-and-up. A $10,000 home theater system being sold for a fixed price of $100 with free shipping is in all likelihood not merely AS-IS, but also broken and damaged. Use your common sense, and furthermore, avoid taking high-dollar value risks on AS-IS items unless they’re one-of-a-kind antiques or collectibles.
- Read the item description carefully. More often than not, this is where AS-IS buyers make their mistake. If an item is known not to work or known to be incomplete, many sellers make this clear in the item description. For an item at a good price sold AS-IS, read the description with a fine-toothed comb before you decide to bid.
- Check the seller’s feedback. The seller’s feedback profile is the first place to quickly look. Look for a high feedback score, indicating that the seller probably has extensive experience selling AS-IS items on eBay, as well as a high feedback percentage, which indicates that buyers generally feel that they’re being dealt with fairly.
- Read feedback left for the seller. Don’t just look at the numbers; click on the feedback score link and read the feedback left for this seller. Lots of “works great” and “better than expected” feedback reports tell you that this seller is actually selling good quality items on an AS-IS basis simply for legal protection and business model reasons. Lots of “didn’t work” and “I wish I hadn’t taken the risk” feedback reports tell you the opposite.
- Ask the seller to test more extensively for you. A surprising number of sellers are happy to test an item more thoroughly if they know there’s a serious buyer waiting in the wings. Consider contacting the seller about the item and asking them to perform a few simple tests or provide a closer look for you. Many will happily do so and report back honestly.
- Make an offer. In cases in which the Best Offer feature has been used, make a lower offer to the seller if you’re uncomfortable paying the listed price for an AS-IS item.
- Do ask for help if there’s a problem. Despite the words “AS-IS” in the auction, don’t hesitate to ask the seller for help if the item arrives and doesn’t work as desired for you. If you are courteous and professional and the seller believes that your request is reasonable, many will actually either split the difference, accept a return, or refund your money. Remember to leave great feedback if they do this, since they weren’t obligated to help you at all, but did anyway—the sign of an honest businessperson and of good customer service.
- DON’T begin by making trouble. Remember that whatever your grievance is, the item itself was listed as “AS-IS” when it was sold, meaning that you have no leverage other than the seller’s good will. If you contact a seller with guns blazing demanding a refund while making veiled threats, the seller is going to ignore you and you’ll be stuck with your purchase.
- DON’T contact eBay or PayPal or file a dispute. If the auction listing clearly stated that the item was sold on an AS-IS basis, you’re wasting everyone’s time by filing disputes or contacting eBay. Take your lumps and move on, knowing yourself a little better and taking care next time not to bid on AS-IS goods, since they are clearly not for you.
At the end of the day, it can be tough to know whether AS-IS buying is for you until you’ve tried it a couple of times and discovered the results. Though risk-taking of this kind isn’t for everyone and certainly isn’t for purchases critical to your well-being in one way or another, many AS-IS listings can bring happy results. I’ve bought computers, cameras, and clothing on an AS-IS basis, and have never actually received an item that wasn’t usable or functional—but I have also been careful to study my sellers’ feedback closely, communicate with them by email, ask for more detailed photos or additional tests when appropriate, and make sure I wasn’t bidding on a suspiciously inexpensive listing.
In the land of eBay, caveat emptor can become a significantly more complex phrase than it is in “real life.” Keep your wits about you and you may find that AS-IS listings aren’t such a mystery after all.
