ebay for pc parts

has anyone had experience buying pc parts off ebay? Im kinda hesitant to be spending a lot of money on such fragile components from a 3rd party.... Ive been wanting to upgrade my video card and was thinking of a 6800gs (im on AGP) but thought i could get a 7800gs for not much more off ebay....good idea? any input would be appreciated, thx

 

i bought a graphics card off of ebay, it was perfectly fine, ran a treat aswell, i really dont see a problem with it

 

>>has anyone had experience buying pc parts off ebay? Im kinda hesitant to be spending a lot of money on such fragile components from a 3rd party <<viper_boy403

Oh I've had very "good luck" but chance favors the prepared mind. Make sure that you do your research about the product/item that you're considering as well as the seller's feedback. Although eBay can be a bit of a crapshoot, it can also most definitely be a very low price alternative to buying a new or used product outright at a computer retail outlet; or even from buying "brand new" products online at sites such as Buy.com. Using eBay would probably be your best bet if you are looking for "inexpensive."

First and foremost, you should know exactly what you are bidding on.
Read the entire e-Bay AD very thoroughly - fine print and all - before making any bids. In fact, copy the entire auction page and look over every tidbit of the FINE PRINT before you even consider bidding. You should also know beforehand (as much as you possibly can) about the item you are looking for, including its regular retail price if you're buying something new or its true value when you buy it retail. And don't forget to consider the shipping and handling charges.

You should always ask plenty of questions (before bidding - not after)
Especially if you are at all unsure about anything. Most sellers are anxious to make a sale and will respond to your question quickly. If they do not; you get a pretty good idea that you might want to avoid bidding on their item. EBay has a great "Ask the seller a question" feature to facilitate this. Use it often.

Additionally, avoid buying items with say 15-30 minutes left in the bidding.
And make absolutely sure that you pick a "power seller" with numerous sales - and very favorable reviews in feedback. I never deal with sellers who have a less than 98 to 100% feedback rating on numerous sales. This is especially true for more expensive items like computers or laptops.

The biggest concern for anyone using eBay.com should be: scams and fraud.
There are a many professionals on eBay but a lot of sellers (the vast majority, in my opinion) are just normal everyday people looking to make a few bucks off their surplus. But the biggest negative (in my opinion) about eBay, regarding more expensive computer related items - is that there can be big problems down the line with warrantees not being honored by the product manufacturer's so called "service and support agreements," since you are usually dealing with a sale from an individual, not a company - when you buy from eBay.

Good Luck!

 

I have bought parts off Ebay. You should be careful to read the entire listing for any type of guarantee the seller makes and email your questions and or concerns before you bid. I also suggest you establish a paypal account and pay with a credit card that way you are double protected if something goes wrong with the transaction you can tell your credit card co. not to pay because you didn't get what you were told you would. I have found "most" people to be honest and truthfull about their items, I have bought alot and only had trouble with one transaction and I didn't have to pay because I turned it over to my credit card co. Good Luck.

 

I built a friends' computer with parts solely off Ebay. No problems at all. As has been stated, only buy from people with good feedback! Also, be careful because you can also end up paying more than the thing is actually worth. I don't understand why people will buy something off Ebay for more than they could have bought it in a store. They must get caught up in the bidding war. As Compuable stated, check the shipping and handling. Some people inflate the shipping and handling because they want to make more money. Once again you can end up paying more than the item is worth! That said, I find buying off Ebay can be fun. Knowing that you beat someone else out of a great deal can be quite rewarding!

 

What does AD mean?

 

i think hes talking about their policy and whatnot. ok guys, thanks for all the input.