There’s more to the process of selling on eBay than listing, packaging and shipping. There’s also safety – something every seller should be aware of when running an online store.
When people think of online marketplace scams – they automatically assume it is the seller that is doing the scamming. This is true for some cases. But did you know sellers get scammed, too?
44% of sellers see online payment fraud as a top concern – and it should be your concern, too. According to Juniper Research, online sellers are looking to lose a massive $130 billion to online payment fraud between 2018 and 2023.
So how can sellers safeguard their stores and sell with peace of mind? Here are simple, yet affective, actions you can take as a seller to make sure you are protected against fraudulent buyers.
Use trackable and valid shipping methods. Although this adds to the cost, it’s something every seller should consider. You might save money by choosing a cheaper option such as standard shipping, but in the end, it’s more worthwhile paying that little bit extra to ensure protection on your end.
Take detailed photos of your item prior to shipping to show proof of condition. Be as detailed as possible; for example, make note of any serial numbers. Ask to get a photo of the packaged product being weighed – that way, if a buyer says they received an empty box, you have proof to back it up. These are small steps that could easily be overlooked, but can provide evidence in case needed.
Use eBay’s buyer requirements to set up limits on who can buy your items. This includes blocking any buyers you’ve dealt with previously and who may be fraudulent buyers.
Avoid taking payments or completing transactions outside of eBay. eBay is there to help protect both buyers and sellers – so if a buyer asks to pay by cash or cheque via post or complete a sale out with eBay, be cautious – there is a higher risk of them being a fraudulent buyer and the possibility of being scammed.
Enhanced eBay account security is on its way
eBay continue to increase protection and not just for buyers. The e-commerce giant has just announced that updates to security are underway which will give flexibility in deciding when sellers receive pay outs from eBay as well as new authentication methods such as verification of your identity via text messages.
What sellers need to do to be prepared
Make sure your account is up to date with your correct mobile phone number. This way you are ready for when eBay roles out their new authentication method.
The only downfall to this new security feature is if you have multiple people working on one account. Only one number can be associated with an account, so it means things get a bit tricky when authentication codes are sent – putting reliance on a single person in the team. This could change in the future, for example, allowing more than one phone number to be associated with an account, and we will keep you posted!
Here are more ways you can stay one step ahead of the game as an eBay seller:
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