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EBAY
If you haven't decided what camera you want, visit one of the links at right, and read camera reviews. Steve's Digicams is a good place to start.
Before you decide to get into buying by online auction, go to:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/reports/int-auction.htm
This is the Federal Trade Commission site, offering information & tips for online traders
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic17.html
Has contact information & a lot more
http://www.drexelantiques.com/ebayhelp.html
Has a tutorial on using eBay, links and information
At times new equipment can be found on eBay that's worth considering. However, sometimes these items are no bargain, so know the going price before searching.
Usually new products are sold by dealers on eBay, not individuals. Most are not established traditional businesses and it's not easy to find out much about them. There is a link to comments by customers for each vendor but it's difficult to know how genuine these are. It' seems easy for anyone to add a glowing, or poor report.
I tried to buy a camera recently from two vendors, on the understanding the item was in stock ready to ship. One emailed me hours after I paid, informing me the item would ship in three weeks. Turned out he didn't have this item and had sold non existing cameras to several people, who contacted me for my experience.
Another did not return my emails when I asked him if he had the item in stock. Then there was one advertising an $1800 camera for $8.99!!!
A vendor selling refurbished inkjet printers had removed the $75 ink package from the factory carton. The fact this model did not come with ink was hidden in small print, among technical information. If I added the ink cost to the price they were charging, and another $35, I could get a brand new model elsewhere.
In these cases the vendors had glowing ratings.
Conflicts
Each vendor has to provide an email address and before you bid or buy it's a good idea you outline what you expect for the money. The response is your protection should there be an argument later.
If problems arise, your first move is to contact the vendor. Don't wait too long for a response, if you suspect something's not right it's best to act quickly. You should contact your credit card company as soon as possible and contest the charge. If matters are sorted out later, it's easy to call back and remove the contest order.
Keep all records.
The Square Trade option
eBay offers a "Square Trade" feature where conflicts can be posted. It's a good idea to outline any problem you're having with a vendor here. But remember, your best protection is to alert your credit card company quickly. A vendor must respond to a contested charge before he can be paid. Square Trade doesn't offer you this protection.
There are plenty of traps in the online auction world, be sure to check the links above, these sites offer a lot more information than it does here.
The Links...
See the links bar at right for good sites that provide information on digital equipment. For detailed reviews of most current models StevesDigicams will provide more information than you will ever get from a manufacturer..
There are others providing tips and information on using these cameras, some with tutorials on the basics of photograph. This information will also be helpful in buying decisions.
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