Buying a laptop on eBay?

I don't live in either the US or Europe and the local market here sucks. While there are official retailers of the big companies (Dell, HP, and even Asus), they mostly offer old models and for crap prices.

I'm trying to find a place to buy a laptop online with 3 years of international warranty, so I can use it both here and abroad where I'll be staying for a while.

It seems like prices for laptops on eBay are pretty good, even with shipping and taxes included. What I want to know is:

Are there any places that ship internationally and offer international warranties that are cheaper?
Is it safe to buy from eBay for the most part? Will getting warranty services be a problem? (I've been told by sellers that they provide receipts from "real" shops... )

Please share your experience and advice!

 

Where do you live?

 

A lot of people don't like buying expensive stuff on ebay just because of the amount of scams running around all the time.

Advice given all the time, be cautious, if it's too good to be true, it is. Make sure the buyer has good feedback (For me it's 95%+, even then I check to see if the recent ones were negative).

 

Israel.

Here are a few more words so I can post this message.

 

Gentech or excalibur pc is an option, they have an ebay store I believe. Asus laptops, which can be upgraded with a 3rd year warranty. Other option is a dell or HP business line.

 

I shopped for laptops on eBay for about three years before buying a XPS M1330 off there last summer. During that time I saw a LOT of scams. Best way to spot scams in my experience is if it's to good to be true it probably is. My advice for safe shopping on expensive items on eBay is, a) buy from a seller with at 95% positive feedback (as suggested dtwn) b) has at least few dozen sales and c) most important all check for recent positive feedback on expensive items. If you do those you should be fine. Most scams are either new accounts (zero feedback or low feedback selling cheap items to raise seller score), or hacked inactive accounts (no recent feedback). Another safety measures to take is to connect the seller and ask some question. If they're phony often times they won't reply. Also as you spend time on eBay you start to just spot things that are scams just by there listing style (usually very little information about the product and that little is usually cut and paste). Of course Paypal offers some sort of buyer protection, but I'm not sure how reliable it is. I ended up buying my laptop from a dealer who sold laptops on eBay regularly, and would say that if you find a dealer like that they're more than likely legit. Good luck on your purchase. IF you have any questions I'll be glad to try and answer them.

EDIT: One more thing. I don't know if it's available there, but in the US at least you can use Live.com Cashback program to get around 10% back last I checked.

 

The cashback program is US only, unfortunately.

I'm not that worried about scams - I can spot them well, I think. I'm used to buying relatively expensive stuff on eBay and I know when something is too good to be true.

I'm more worried about the lack of support post-purchase and about finding myself without warranty for any reason. I'm an advanced user and I rarely have problems, but no amount of expertise will help if the hardware breaks down.

Also, I'm not that sure if the prices there are competitive with other, non-eBay stores.

I'll check out those stores, thanks dtwn.

 

Asus, (HP and Dell -particularly, business models) can be bought on Ebay relatively easy and enjoy international warranties.

 

Be careful ...I lost 2400$ in past while buying a M1730. I paid via paypal but never received the laptop. I filed a dispute, I won it but the seller account doesnot have sufficient amount to pay me back. Got nothing. Not even the paypal protection money.

 

usually the people you buy these laptops off will be powersellers so if its a powerseller with 95% + positive rating you can turst them.

 

That sucks, it's different now though. Now they hold the funds for like a month or so until you give them positive feedback and the tracking number they provide has cleared. So if you don't get the item, they'll just return the funds without transferring it to his Paypal.

 

I also know some of my friends, who got trash instead of laptop. The paypal decided in seller's side and told that they only care if the item is shipped. It cares how its shipped but not what is shipped. That sucks!!!!

 

You can still dispute the charge with your credit card. In my experience, PayPal offers more protection to the buyer.

Usually, non "power sellers" give you the best deal. With individual sellers you just need to look out for obvious signs of a scam - multiple listings for high priced items, listed email address to ask questions/buy item, item location differs from the seller's account location.

Always pay with a CC or bank account, and never with your PayPal balance.

 

Its been like a year so cant do that...

 

I have bought 5 laptops on ebay (all of them in low budgets nothing big) and four were good sales one was like fraudulent (I dont know what else to call it). I got the notebook but it was defective and I am sure the seller knew, it had no warranty. I just advice you as long as you buy with someone with good feedback and international warranty you should be more than safe.

You know I was in the same situation and won paypal didn't do nothing out of it. I dont know if you tried this but I would stongly suggest to call your bank to do a charge back (I did it with my debit card) and i got my money full refund and now it was paypals problem. You should give it a try its worth it.

 

... did your credit card company cover it?

 

It doesn't clear right after the items shipped. It takes quite a while afterwards. If the buyer disputes the item, then the hold will NOT be cleared.

If the tracking number clears, and it wasn't the item you bid for, dispute right away.

 

You mean - listed email address he asks you to use instead of the eBay PM system?

 

Its been a year. Do you think I can still charge back?

 

Now this is a case which paypal cannot decide. Lets say I bought a stuff. If the seller put stones that weights actually the item weight and then ships it. Then if I get those trash then I will surely dispute. But how can paypal know who is telling the truth, the seller or the buyer??

 

Yes, they usually include a picture of the email address.

 

^
spradhan01 I don't know whats the limit, but I strongly suggest you call your bank and do a type of charge back (i think thats what they did). I don't trust paypal at all to do there job paypal is terrible and say they will go far (when I won the dispute they said there was no money so the next step was to wait 60 days apparently they were going to send him to collections also to add to there bull his account was going to be frozen and i told them straight out he can just open another account differnt info use a friends family member and they said we can still catch him i was "sigh*). I though about my bank and called them telling them about my issue my bank is BOF and they send me a form just to fill it out and faxed it in three days I got my money they forced themselves to paypal and took the money I was in total shock. I strongly recommend you to call and see what happens. If its to late I still say try calling paypal and tell them well isnt the next step to get my money by collections? Let me know spradhano01 how it goes I seriously hate scammers and i learned my lesson from the one that tried to scam me.

 

I know I can charge back. But all I am worried is I bought that laptop in Feb 27.08. So, I am confused. Can you please gather that info for me if I can still charge back?

 

Also plz tell me or pm me what documents or proof did you sent to the bank?

 

Ok dude, listen, I think you might be in for a disappointment. Most financial institutions will put a maximum of 1 year to try and chargeback the disputed transaction.

But, one thing I think you might be able to do is show them logs of ho wlong the dispute took with PayPal and the many transmissions between you, the seller and PayPal.

Then you can show that PayPal kind of stiffed you with the whole "Oh, he don't got no money dude" line.

I have a story to tell all of you about my latest purchase through eBay, but I will only do that once my package arrives and I am sure that it wasn't me being laughed at by this little idiot who sold me his expensiv elaptop for pennies.

 

Actually the seller sold the same XPS to any people..almost 10. He took 2400$ from, everyone and shipped to on one...so after he got the money, he never replied ...neither in email nor in paypal dispute.. so what cane be done??All I am hearing is paypal saying...ur case is in progress and ur money is being tried to be recovered...crap...so what do you say? Will bank allow me to charge back after 1 yr and 1 month?

 

I just noticed..ur from Arabia...so are u talking about the policies of the US banks or ur country?

 

Why didn't you at least get $2K back?

Their requirements seems straight forward:
To qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection, you must meet all of these requirements:

* Use PayPal to purchase an eligible item on eBay.

* Pay for the full amount of the item with one payment. Items purchased with multiple payments-like a deposit followed by a final payment-are not eligible.

* Send the payment to the seller through:
o The eBay "Pay Now" button, or
o The eBay invoice, or
o The "Send Money" tab on your PayPal account overview page by selecting "Pay for eBay Items" and entering your eBay User ID and the eBay item number.

* Open a Dispute within 45 days of the date you sent the payment-then follow the online dispute resolution process.

* Keep your PayPal account in good standing.

 

I'm from Miami, Florida, but I'm currently living in Saudi Arabia.
I'm talking about US policy.

 

I bought mine from excaliberpc through ebay.
I loved their fast shipping to here in middle east.

 

It wasn't always $2,000 - it depended on the sellers feedback I believe. If the seller had low/no feedback it was only $200, and not a guarantee - only what they could "recover".

@spradhan01, You have 6 months to dispute the charge with either your bank or CC, that is why PayPal limits "risk" accounts for 180 days.

 

So it means I cannot charge now with bank?
As paypal was in touch with me through out the time but I neved got anything!!!

 

I got nothing. Not even a single penny.

 

Well, I know the limit is 6 months. However, if you're able to find emails/any documents PayPal has sent you regarding the dispute case it's worth a try. Just explain the situation to your CC or bank and the fact that you weren't aware that a charge can be disputed sooner.

 

Can you contact the seller? Like by pretending to be another buyer? Sometimes if you scare the guy and tell him you will take him to court and stuff and drop words like inter-state fraud and stuff like that, it helps soften up the tensions.

 

The seller's account is already banned in ebay as he frauded 10 people like me selling same laptop to everyone. He never shipped to anyone. Although his feedback was like only 3. I thought if I pay from paypal then I would be 100% safe but..

 

What do you think are the probabilities that they will do a chargeback?

 

To tell you the truth, I don't think they would just because it's been more than twice as long as they allow you to dispute a charge. However, it seems you've already kind of gotten over the loss so it won't hurt to give it a try. You can also call PayPal and ask them what's going on. Maybe they will agree to forward any information they have on your case to your CC and explain that you did in fact dispute the charge sooner.

Best of luck.

 

Apple has international warranty achi.

They also have a store in Israel I believe too.

http://www.idigital.co.il/

Ten li ladaat im atah tzarich od ezrah

 

I will try talking with the bank. I have less hope but I will give a shot!

 

Check out my similar issue:

I NEED ADVICE: Sager NP5796 bought on eBay.​

 

But at least you got something. But for me, I got nothing but headache and loss of 2K.

 

Maybe I should sell you that laptop for another $2k so you feel better this time?

 

ebay definitely has a lot of scams, but some good deals as well

 

Yes, there are bunch of scammers on ebay but they are less than 5% of the whole thing. Do not buy a high ticket item from low feedback people, that the single important thing you need to watch out. I sold more than a thousand computers on ebay and I have 99% positive feedback. There are many sellers like me who can save you alot of money and provide better service than the main stream sellers. So just be careful about who you are dealing with.

 

Why I didnot bought from alitunay?

 

I ask that question to my self everyday. "Why wouldn't they buy from me?"

 

I want some Kebobs and Turkish Delight please (lutfen). Do you ship to Saudi Arabia?

 

I'm so sorry I didn't buy from you--

 

Ok now I know. I will buy in future.