Buying Health & Beauty Items on eBay

Alright, if you’re new to the idea of buying health or beauty items on eBay, this will be a good post for you. I have been burned a few times and had to learn the hard way the in's and out's of buying on eBay - particularly in the health & beauty arena. Now I’m going to share with you so you don’t make the same mistakes!

1. Check the expiration date. Ask the seller the approximate age of the item or when they purchased/received it. If it was over 3 months ago, I’d pass on the item. This is especially important with fragrances.
2. Find out how the item is being stored. Many of the sellers with the lowest prices are able to sell their items at such a discount because they have multiples of whatever it is they’re selling. If your item (especially if it is liquid like eyeliner, lotions or creams, fragrances or mascara) is being stored in a warehouse or where the temperature is not regulated, it could affect the performance of the product. In the case of fragrances, it will often make the perfume “turn” much faster and it won’t smell like it should.
3. Size matters! Many sellers on eBay try to be slick and sell sample or trial sized versions of high end beauty items. Beware! Check at Macy’s or where ever you normally buy your items from to see if the fragrance you want is actually a 0.33 oz bottle….Chances are, you’ll be looking for a large 3.4 oz bottle and mistakenly purchase a trial size. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the listing, ask the seller! 
4. Does anyone make real $#!+ anymore? But seriously, this is a huge issue on eBay. The company has cracked down on sellers listing counterfeit items, but no one can stop it all. I have had a seller swear that the fragrance they sold me was 100% authentic, but the bottle wasn’t even the same (I had an older bottle from Macy’s to compare it to). Unfortunately, you won’t know if your item is a fake until you receive it and open it, so make absolutely sure the seller you are buying from will accept returns of an open product. Save all the packaging for when you send it back.
5. Save correspondence. If you email a seller and ask a question, save all correspondence in case something should go awry and you need to cover yourself as far as getting money back, etc. 
6. Finally, if you find a seller you like, who has products you use at good prices and is honest and fair, stick with them. eBay’s website has an option where you can sort through sellers based on location. I prefer to buy from people on the US only (support my own home’s economy…plus faster/cheaper shipping) and I tend to stick to sellers I have purchased items from before. I also like when sellers use the “Buy It Now” option so I don’t have to worry about getting outbid and whatnot. However, you can sometimes save a few bucks going the auction route. Just don’t get sucked into the mindset of “It’s just one more dollar….” It adds up. Fast.

It’s really not super scary to buy (or sell!) on eBay and you can get some great deals. But you do need to keep your wits about you and know which questions to ask! Happy bidding!