eBay as a Source for Wholesale Jewelry

Online auction sites such as eBay have become the ideal place to find any possible item under the sun. Jewelry is no exception, and even wholesale jewelry can be found in auctions or eBay stores. The savvy bidder can find deals on eBay that cannot be matched anywhere else, online or in the real world. The downside to this is that there are also a huge number of scammers and con-men operating on eBay, despite the company's best efforts to stamp them out, so extra caution has to be used when bidding on an auction that looks too good to be true.

The first step in any auction is to carefully read all the minute details of the wholesale jewelry lots you are interested in. If you are still unsure about the product details, shipping details or payment details then use eBay's internal messaging service to forward all your queries to the seller. It is important to contact the seller only through the eBay site so there is a record of all communication. This record often proves to be invaluable in settling disputes between buyer and seller.

Only buy from sellers who have been around long enough to garner positive feedback from past buyers and a high rating. Any negative feedback should make you reconsider dealing with the seller and seek other auctions. This quick vetting process early on will save you a lot of trouble later on.

Sellers rarely pay shipping costs. Such costs are almost always the responsibility of the buyer. The shipping costs are typically added to the cost of the product and the buyer pays for the whole thing before the seller ships out the item. High ticket items might require extra shipping insurance. Confirm the time frame for shipping and the shipping company used. These will help you track your item in case there is any delay during shipping.

Buyers of very expensive items are strongly encouraged to use the escrow service offered by eBay. Be wary of sellers who insist you an escrow service different from the one recommended by eBay, such behavior is very suspicious and the seller is likely trying to scam you. Escrow is a good idea when buying expensive jewelry wholesale in lots or certain rare pieces like antique jewelry.

Watch out for automated snipers. While automated bidding is not eBay specifically forbidden by the rules, sniping is. Sniping can be defined as automatic bidding by third party websites or software that places the highest bid in the closing minutes of an auction preventing anyone else from bidding and giving the sniper an unfair advantage. Sniping has ruined many auctions on eBay and is something to be mindful for when you place a bid on a coveted item.

A better and legal alternative to sniping is to place a maximum amount you are willing spend on an item as your first bid. Every time the overall bid is raised, your bid will be gradually incremented to remain the top bid until your maximum amount is reached. This sort of automated bidding system is a great way of bidding on an item you like and remain hands off until the auction ends.

Here are some web-pages about buying jewelry on eBay:
http://search.reviews.ebay.com/ws/UCSearch?satitle=jewelry&ucc=g&usop=1001&fts=2&ugat=2&ufm=1
http://uniquewholesalejewelry.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/jewelry-buying-tips-seven-steps-to-safely-buying-fine-jewelry-on-ebay/
http://jewelry.shop.ebay.com/items/Wholesale-Lots__W0QQ_catrefZ1QQ_sacatZ40131