Selling brand new expensive smartphone on eBay - is it really risky as it looks?

erik85

Hello,

with work we have one of those benefits where we can purchase electronic devices with a strong discount; that combined with a "return your phone" scheme, I could get a brand new smartphone for a very good price, which I did.
The plan was to resell it on eBay and hopefully make some profit; I am not unfamiliar with selling affordable products on eBay, however having read about selling expensive electronic devices I am starting to realise that perhaps my plan is not so great after all!
It seems like eBay is festering with scammy buyers nowadays, with buyers receiving the package but claiming the box is empty / or item arrived broken, and then getting to keep the item and having a refund. The seller instead loses the item and the money.

Are there (m)any success stories out there, perhaps highlighting that as usual perhaps the negative stories make it to the web but all the perhaps many positive outcomes are not reported?
What is the best way of safeguarding myself, besides of course shipping with tracking? Are videos really useful if a dispute were to be raised? Any other tip from UK based seller (can read a lot online from US sellers).

Thanks!

forgotmyname

Thousands of phones sold on ebay weekly with no issues. But as with everything in life there is always a risk.

Some claim to video them packing the item but they can be edited, are you going to record live from the moment the

buyer pays to packing and taking it to the post office with no breaks or cuts? Even then its possible to edit a video to
make it appear that happened.

Follow ebays rules to the letter, if you cannot afford to lose it then choose a safer option although your likely to get
less money for it.

anotheruser

And also make sure you take details of the serial and IMEI number.
The phone can be reported as stolen and blocked if there is something wrong making it useless to the buyer... unless they know ways to unblock it (fairly unlikely).

erik85

anotheruser said:

And also make sure you take details of the serial and IMEI number.
The phone can be reported as stolen and blocked if there is something wrong making it useless to the buyer... unless they know ways to unblock it (fairly unlikely).

just to be prepared for the worst, rather than scrambling around in case the worst should happen; how would I go about blocking the phone with serial /IMEI numbers? Do I need to file a report to the police? Would the case of a naughty buyer be actually treated as stolen? I have the feeling not?

diggingdude

Scammy buyers and sellers I think. eBay is a nightmare all round these days 

ritz55

I've sold a number of expensive phones on ebay and never had an issue. I make it clear that I don't accept bids from anyone with a feddback of less than 10, UK postage only and use a good tracking provider. Normally RM SD. If the buyer looks dodge, cancel and relist the item (Did this once and buyer never left a neg) 

Olinda99

juat so you know - if anything 'goes wrong' ebay will side with the buyer and force you to refund.

you could try 'collection only' there are some risks but not as many as posting brings.

theoretica

Also check the small print of your work scheme - some are simple discounts, but some do have resale restrictions.

anotheruser

erik85 said:

anotheruser said:

And also make sure you take details of the serial and IMEI number.
The phone can be reported as stolen and blocked if there is something wrong making it useless to the buyer... unless they know ways to unblock it (fairly unlikely).

just to be prepared for the worst, rather than scrambling around in case the worst should happen; how would I go about blocking the phone with serial /IMEI numbers? Do I need to file a report to the police? Would the case of a naughty buyer be actually treated as stolen? I have the feeling not?

Report to the police.
They will give you a crime number.
Phone [phone manufacturer] and say your phone is stolen so you want to block the IEMI number AND that you have a police crime number.

Exodi

forgotmyname said:

Thousands of phones sold on ebay weekly with no issues. But as with everything in life there is always a risk.

Some claim to video them packing the item but they can be edited, are you going to record live from the moment the

buyer pays to packing and taking it to the post office with no breaks or cuts? Even then its possible to edit a video to
make it appear that happened.

Follow ebays rules to the letter, if you cannot afford to lose it then choose a safer option although your likely to get
less money for it.

Agree - realistically I think it's pointless to record anything as there will always be a counter argument.

I'd only go with a buyer with high feedback for this reason.

in_the_Cotswolds

As stated above by ritz55 send by Royal Mail Special Delivery. It is tracked all the way and fully insured. Some couriers won't take high value items.