Are Products Bought from eBay Covered By a Warranty?

Online shopping is a huge part of the way society now works; tech and department stores are now being referred to as “Amazon Showrooms” and billions of dollars are exchanged daily through the internet. Unfortunately, sometimes when you purchase an item online it may not come with a warranty – even if it would normally come with one if purchased in a store. One of the most common places for this to occur is on the ever-popular eBay, the online auction house.
 

Who Provides Warranties For eBay Purchases?

Sometimes the seller will offer a certain warranty for specific items of higher value, this is always shown within the ad towards the bottom of the page near the shipping information. Make sure you take a look at the seller’s eBay rating – just because they offer the warranty doesn’t mean they will always stick to it. If the seller isn’t brand new and has a decent track record, you should be able to expect an honest warranty.
Alternatively, eBay itself will offer a warranty on certain types of items, but you’ll need to purchase what is essentially a protection plan. The cost of the warranty will depend on the item, and there are only certain items or categories of items that are covered by eBay. This warranty will be offered either on the item’s advertisement page or during the payment process.

Full Warranties, Partial Warranties, No Warranties

Just because you’re offered a warranty, it doesn’t mean that it is going to cover your purchase completely. Often times the warranty provider will offer you a “Partial Warranty” that only covers mechanical flaws or manufacturer issues – no accidental damage. This is fine if you’re only worried about damage to your item that you couldn’t prevent, but a lot of people prefer Full Warranty and end up with a Partial Warranty because they didn’t read the warranty thoroughly.
On the other hand, you may not be able to get any type of warranty on your purchase, which can be a bit risky if you receive an item that is damaged on arrival. In this situation, you are encouraged to contact the seller first and if they are not willing to issue a refund you can start a PayPal dispute if you used that method of payment. You should get in contact with eBay or possibly seek legal help depending on the importance of the issue.

Protecting Items Without a Warranty

Even if everything goes as planned and you receive your item in mint condition, it still isn’t ideal to have No Warranty to protect that item – especially if it was expensive. Insurance is the perfect solution for cases like these, an example would be gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops.
Protect Your Bubble multi gadget insurance is used by many eBay buyers across the globe and may be worth looking into.
Shopping online with services like eBay and Amazon can be very prosperous, but it is very important you take the proper precautions to avoid losing money. Warranties and insurance are the best way to go, make sure you utilize them to their fullest potential.