Ebay Advice

We like to consider ourselves eBay experts. We have been active sellers/buyers on eBay since 1999. Our mistakes and “L’s” are your learning lessons. All of our tips and suggestions are from actual experience and research.

  • Title – Avoid items that don’t have the name of the brand in it (Nike, Adidas, etc). Avoid all titles that have “UA” which means unauthorized. We typically recommend avoiding items where in the title is says “Read the Description” usually means something is wrong.

 

  • Description – Posts typically with a full description are better posts to trust; a full description; (Brand/Name of the item, condition, size, additional pics, and encouragement to contact the seller.)
    • RECEIPTS MEAN NOTHING ANYMORE!! There are sellers that will actually own an authentic pair for themselves, use those pics of the receipt and sell you a fake. Replica/Fake sellers actually provide fake receipts now. Don’t think just because they say “receipt included” means you’re getting an authentic pair.
    • Avoid descriptions with purchase warnings; “you get what you see”, “look at all pics closely before buying/bidding”, “I got these from a friend and I’m not sure if they’re authentic”.
    • Incorrect information in description; the post is showing pics of a Nike Jordan 1 “Bred” High, but the description is for a Nike Jordan 1 “Bred” Low. Scammers try and use this as a loop hole in order to get top dollar without actually selling the pictured item.
    • If in the description the seller puts “allow 3-5 days for processing/shipping confirmation” avoid. I’ve experienced this could mean they don’t have the item yet.
    • We also stiff arm items where the buyer is offering a “special surprise” if you buy from them. If I like the item I will cop, I don’t need your mixtape or some shirt that was shot at you from a cannon at a basketball game.

 

  • Feedback – Feedback for us works as a resume. We have no problem with buying from sellers with low feedback if it’s quality feedback. Quality feedback for us is when a seller’s feedback reflects the item they are selling. If the item you are looking at is an Adidas Yeezy Boost 350, and you look at the seller’s feedback as a buyer and a seller, their feedback should give you confidence in your purchase.
    • If all their feedback is involving buying/selling everything else except sneakers, avoid. Even if their feedback is perfect. We refuse to assume we’re getting authentic sneakers from a person who buys computer hardware and autographed pictures of porn stars.
    • Be sure to look at the sellers other items for sell. If they sell nothing but antique dinner plates and vintage bed spreads then I highly doubt they have any sneaker experience.
    • Buying from a seller with zero feedback is a decision you make with your gut. Zero feedback could mean a few things; they’re brand new to eBay, eBay has suspended their previous accounts or they just created the account because they know they’re selling something questionable and don’t want it to affect their good standing account.

 

  • Pics – Pics of the shoes is a hard one to be able to make a wise decision on taking a risk or not. When looking at the seller pics always pay attention to the background. When one pic is on a hardwood floor, the next on a table, the next on counter top and the next on the hood of a car, odds are these are pics they’ve either stolen from people social media accounts or Google images. One of the things I’ve done was actually go to Google, type in the shoe and search through the images to see if I can find the exact same pics.
    •  Another tip is to avoid items where the pics show one thing but the description says another. An example of this is when all the pics or even just one has the box in it but the description says “box not included” or “replacement box”.
    • Also if the condition of the box is straight up trashed. It’s well know in the sneaker culture fakes, replicas, unauthorized sneakers coming from overseas are going to be in a beat up box. Quality sneaker buyers/collectors really take care of their boxes. Obviously things happen but when the box looks like a piano fell on it be cautious.

 

  • Location – There is a huge overseas sneaker culture and great shops to cop from but we typically stay away from overseas sellers on eBay. It’s never a guarantee of what you’re going to get. Also shipping at times takes forever. I once purchase a pair from a seller in Russia and it took about 2 months to get. FACTS. The reason was crazy weather and they have specific areas where mail goes out to overseas destinations.
    • Always read the estimated delivery arrival date. If it says anywhere from five days to a month, we avoid.
    • We are located in Arizona, if we purchase from a seller in California, depending on the shipping I expect my package here no longer than 4 days. If the estimated delivery is longer than that be cautious.
    • Do your research! If the seller lives in Papillion, Nebraska (no disrespect) odds are the Yeezys they’re trying to sell you are not authentic. If some major cities didn’t get a release chances are high, neither did a rural unheard of city.

 

  • Pre-Orders –  Be cautious. If the pre-order isn’t conducted by a seller that is well established on eBay and feedback is legit, odds are you are buying a pre-order from an individual that is hoping to hit with a “bot” or plans on doing major leg work to secure pairs.
    • READ THE DESCRIPTION some pre-order sellers will not refund you if they can’t secure your pair. They will say your money will be held for another future pre-order of your choosing.

 

If you have any questions or tips you would like to share please hit us up on our contact page.