Social contacts were kept to a minimum for a long time. And even without a lockdown, many avoid contact with strangers. On Ebay classifieds but it is actually not without. TECHBOOK reveals what you need to consider when trading on Ebay classifieds in Corona times.
Even if the corona pandemic has now been well contained, according to science and politics it is not over yet. With a view to the coming winter, social distancing and lockdown measures can once again limit contact with others. The pandemic situation is a challenge for trading on eBay classifieds. If you are not allowed to visit your own parents or grandparents, then neither are the owners of the iPhone that you want to buy. TECHBOOK reveals how you can still use eBay classifieds for buying and selling during Corona.
What are the risks of corona infection from trading on Ebay classifieds?
In principle, two scenarios are conceivable in which you could become infected with the new corona virus through contacts via Ebay classifieds:
- Viruses attached to the package, the goods or money
- When picked up personally by droplet infection
The former is very unlikely. Because, as virologist Christian Drosten from the Charité in Berlin explains in his podcast, corona viruses are “very sensitive” to drying out. In plain language, this means that they die off very quickly on objects, in contrast to skin. So if you buy something on Ebay classifieds, regardless of whether you pick it up or have it sent to you, you don’t take a great risk of becoming infected with Corona through the goods.
The main risk of infection with Corona is therefore when you personally pick up the goods from eBay classifieds. However, this type of goods transfer is often used on classified ad portals. This is either because you want to look at the goods first or don’t quite trust the shipping, or simply because the things you bought are too bulky. A 55-inch television cannot be stamped with 1.40 euros and sent to the post office. Special caution is therefore required here. Ebay classifieds itself therefore gives its users recommendations for handing over or taking over sold products.
Also interesting: With these tips you can create the perfect ad on eBay classifieds
Correct behavior in Corona times
the Federal Center for Health Education is a first point of contact for many when it comes to behavior and how to deal with the pandemic. But Ebay classifieds also gives tips. On a specially created help page, the company provides information on how Ebay classifieds users should best behave when (selling) buying and picking up in order to protect themselves from Corona. Accordingly, buyers and sellers should, if possible, agree on digital payment and shipping of the goods. Sure, there are additional shipping costs, but we think these should be accepted. If collection is absolutely necessary, users should absolutely keep the necessary safety distance of 1.5 meters from each other. Successful deals should also never be sealed with a handshake. In addition, payment should still be made electronically.
Also interesting: What you are not allowed to sell on eBay classifieds
Find “neighborhood help” on eBay classifieds
Elderly people and people with previous illnesses can no longer cope with their everyday life without help, especially at the peak of the infection process. But people are helpful. Neighbors do the shopping for older residents or take the package to the post office. Ebay classifieds makes supporting vulnerable groups even easier and created a new category during Corona – the “neighborhood help”. Only ads for small free services such as shopping assistance are advertised there.
Fraudsters on Ebay classifieds don’t stop at Corona either
In fact, the Corona measures offer fraudsters on Ebay classifieds ideal conditions. Since the beginning of the pandemic, cash payment and on-site pickup should be avoided if possible. But when it comes to shipping and virtual payment, there are numerous traps that you have to watch out for.
With a few tips you can protect yourself from fraud attempts on Ebay classifieds during Corona:
- Use payment service providers with buyer protection. In any case, you will get your money back if the goods do not arrive or do not correspond to the promised condition.
- Never have the goods picked up personally after PayPal payment via “Goods and Services”. The reason: A personal pick-up of the goods is not assigned a tracking number, as is the case with shipping. The buyer can subsequently claim that he never received the goods and will be reimbursed the full purchase amount, since “Paypal Goods and Services” always comes with buyer protection.
- Never make payments abroad or send goods abroad! It doesn’t matter if it’s a pandemic or not. If you live in Great Britain, you don’t order the MacBook from Germany. There are enough national platforms with comparable offers. This is probably a scam attempt!
- Beware of fake payment confirmations! Before you send the goods, you should always check the receipt of money on your account yourself. A screenshot of a transfer can easily be faked.
- Checks, payments made through Western Union or similar payment providers are uncommon and generally should not be accepted.
- Always send the goods to the address given in the payment, for example in the reference. How to avoid becoming a victim of a triangle scam.
Appropriate: Beware of job scams on Ebay classifieds!
Conclusion – Corona-compliant trade on eBay classifieds
If you want, you can confidently continue to buy and sell classifieds on Ebay. The rules occasionally require improvisation. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from doing so, even in the current situation. Otherwise, despite all your concentration on Corona, you should still not switch off common sense. You should still be critical of offers that are too tempting.