Sellig mobile phones on Ebay? What are the pitfalls?

xxdeebeexx

Is it safe to sell mobile phones on Ebay. Are there any pitfalls that I should be aware of? Is there anywhere else where you can get cash for mobiles??
TIA
D

Felix_the_Foccer

I've sold a fair number (20+) mobile phones on ebay ..

Personally I've never had a problem but I guess as some can be higher value etc, that there's a slight chance you might come acrosss some sort of scam merchant wanting to buy it off you.

Depending on how experienced you are you should be able to spot these and sift these out etc .. (ie, new users, low low feedback, bidded on £10000000 worth of items in their first week of membership etc).

Or, hopefully, you may have no problems at all .. :j

I always try and take some nice pictures of 'em, (or pinch them from the phone makers site if they're new) and do a nice description etc..

Other places to sell 'em ...? https://www.loot.com https://www.gumtree.com ?

Good luck :beer:

Dazza.mk_2

Pitfalls, typically people trying to get you to send to Nigeria!

Depending on the value of your phone:

List UK only & block all bidders from countries you don't post to.

You will of course you couls potentially get a few UK accounts who win and then you get a message to the effect that there son/mother/aunt/daughter/dog has just accepted a place at the University of Lagos in Nigeria and could you please send this phone to them.

You can possibly reduce this slightly more by adding Paypal Immediate Payment only:- but then you move on to the additional problems of being covered for Paypal Seller Protection.

funkyfunkymonkey

I've just sold a phone on Ebay, in very large letters at the top of the listing I stated that I would only post to the 'confirmed' address on the Paypal account. It was on BIN with immediate Paypal payment.

I still had a numpty buy it and ask me (in rather broken English and only 2 feedback - too old to see items) to send it asap to his unconfirmed address - a flat in London. Although it could have been legit, I sent an immediate refund and relisted.

2nd time around it has been bought by someone with 30+ feedback (100% - no ebooks) and with a confirmed address.

I will be sending via a tracked service.

Still keeping all limbs crossed though - did not find selling a phone an 'enjoyable' experience - perhaps I worry too much.

FFM

jennab18

ive sold a couple of phones on ebay and now is the process of selling another one.But i had a problem because someone brought it and then asked me if i could send to nigera which is a type of fraud where they get all your details so i reported them to ebay and they got struck of and i got my ebay fees back.But theres a lady who i know sent a £650 camera there and they took over a grand out of her bank. So i always make sure i put on the listing that i dont ship to nigera

Simon_B_2

I was scammed last year for a phone, sent it to an unconfirmed address and they used a stolen credit card so i had to stump up the £200 when the card bounced as the onus is on the buyer and thanks to paypal who started charging bonkers interest to me and where no help! very unhappy!

Managed to get the phone barred though and got contacted by some very experienced sellers, who sent the same buyer an ipod and a lcd television, so didn't seem so foolish, be careful!

Funnily enough just bought one off of ebay for £60 the guys got over a 100 positive seller feedback and everything seems legit but I'm still a little nervous about it.

mah_jong

I have sold phones too, though I tend not to bother starting at a low price.

I start at the very minimun I want to sell at. I dont get a bidding frenzy but I have always sold successfully. No scammers etc )yet(:eek:

soolin

My experience is the same as mah-jong. I've sold quite a few, upto about the £180 mark and have not had any problems at all.

I do state in my listings in bold that I am aware of the 419 scam so will not ship overseas even to a pastor or best friend etc. Also, as phones are not covered for loss when sent overseas by Royal mail I also limit my sales to UK bidders only.

Lastly I start at the price I'm happy to accept, I don't go for 99p starts, just in case.