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eBay has truly changed the internet marketplace. It is the one destination where you can go to buy or sell anything. If you browse for electronics, you’ll likely find some products that appear to be good deals. But is buying electronics on eBay going to save you money? In a word – no.

eBay is a seller’s market. Almost everything about the way that eBay is designed gives an advantage to the seller. Obviously, the auction-style selling is the biggest part of this. The auction tends to feed our human need for competition. Instead of carefully thinking over the purchase (and if it’s a good deal), our minds get clouded by the want to win the auction. This is never a good thing. Believe me, I’ve fallen for it. Fortunately, so have the buyers of many of the items I’ve sold on eBay. I can’t believe how much some people pay for items on eBay. It shows the ignorance of most people when it comes to buying electronics. More than once, I’ve sold used electronics on eBay at a higher price than you could buy it new online. My brother recently sold a USB cable for his digital camera for $26 plus shipping on eBay. Instead, the buyer could have bought a compact flash reader for $10-15 online or at the local electronics store.

The seller is also at an advantage because of anonymity. Sure, you have the seller rating and comments from past buyers, but what if the seller is relatively new? If you do have a problem with the product you receive, you have little recourse, especially if you use PayPal. Getting a refund from a lot of online stores can be a real pain, just think how much of a pain it will be getting a refund from some guy that sells electronics equipment out of his parents’ basement. You also have to remember that many manufacturers do not honor warranties on products that are not sold through authorized retailers. Very few electronics sellers on eBay are authorized retailers.

Finally, the seller is at an advantage when it comes to shipping costs. They are allowed to charge whatever they want, so before you bid on anything, make sure you check the shipping costs. A lot of sellers make a lot of money on their shipping charges. What seems like a good deal can quickly become nothing special when you tack on the shipping costs. Then you’re overpaying for a product that you are trusting is correctly described from a seller that you know nothing about.

So, am I saying to never buy electronics on eBay? Almost. eBay is great for finding hard to find items and accessories such as cables. But, the winning bids on most items almost never make for a good deal when you take into account the shipping charges, the risk of buying from an unknown seller, and the lack of customer service if you have a problem with the purchase. Take it from me, you can find a better deal from trusted online retailers.

Do yourself a favor and satisfy your craving for competition elsewhere, maybe try ping-pong. You’ll save yourself some money and improve your hand-eye coordination!