Shopping on ebay - any advice

I searched the forum and couldn't find any thread on this topic.
I have heard that there are risks to purchasing perfumes on ebay. I was wondering if any one here has any pointers for how to sus' out the quality/reputation of the sellers, or what questions to ask before buying.

Also if bottles are undated, how can a seller or buyer tell if a perfume is the vintage formulation rather than current formulation?

And also, care to share any stories of positive or negative experiences buying perfume through ebay?

Thanks!

To be honest, my advice is: avoid ebay!

I think of it in this way: if I were a shyster attempting to fob off bad perfume, dilute decants and fakes, where would I ply my trade?

The answer, of course: EBAY!

I wish you luck, first of all, because eBay can be treacherous. You're probably safest if you bid on things that are obscure, because the popular fragrances are the ones that are usually faked. You should probably avoid Chanel and Dior entirely as those houses are most frequently copied.

Also Creed, which may be the most frequently faked and fobbed of them all!

Yes, there are a lot of fakes, dishonest sellers etc on ebay but there are also a lot of good, honest sellers there too. I think the key is to do a bit of detective work on any seller that you are considering buying from. For instance, are you a member of MUA? A lot of members on that board will inquire of other's experiences with a certain seller before bidding on his/her items. Also, if you ask, they will tell you the names of sellers that they trust and have had great experiences with. I am sure that other boards do this as well, but since I only frequent that board (and this one) I know of no others. But they key is to ask around about a seller before bidding and check out his/her feedback. There are a lot of good deals to be had and a lot of good sellers willing to make those deals with you. I sell on ebay quite often and I never, ever try to get over on my customers.

I have never gotten a fake from eBay because I shop in the used fragrance section. Obviously no ones going to be selling used fakes. You can find barely used (at rock bottom prices) and vintage frags in the used section as well!
If you must have a new frag, try to find the seller with the highest rating and read what they did wrong. If someone complained of getting a fake or not receiving their order then move on.Also. look for sellers that don't specialize in selling frags; they generally don't sell fakes. Check and see where the person lives. Most fakes come from New York or New Jersey, but can come from Miami and if they just list United States as place where they live, then walk away.

There are so many checks and balances to be done while shopping on eBay. I hope to learn the tools of the trade but it seems awfully time consuming. I'm sure this thread will help many members avoid eBay conflict.

I have successfully purchased fragrance on ebay for years, but I always do a little research before pulling the trigger on any item.

mrscentman on ebay is really Henry Ong from basenotes. He is the absolute BEST when it comes to purchasing and integrity.

I buy from eBay often and have had hardly any negative experiences. My collection would be half what it is if not for eBay. Like others, I mostly buy used bottles. I look at the seller's other listings, too. If I see that they happen to be selling a dozen different bottles of the same Chanel, or something equally popular, I steer away. Yep, the less common ones are more safe. Also, I've never heard of anyone bothering to counterfeit minis. I am also more trusting of people who say something personal, like, "I bought this at Dillard's and my husband doesn't like it." (Naturally, those people also won't be selling multiple bottles of the same thing.)

Where would the serious collector be without ebay? I buy used fragrances and vintages all the time on ebay. I've picked up some wonderful stuff for very little money and so far have never had a problem. It is however wise to know what you're purchasing, so always do your homework first as others have suggested.

Don't swallow the line that all ebay perfume sellers and their wares are dodgy. That's just hysteria talking. But do stay away from very popular, highly sought after or high-end perfumes going for a song - especially Chanel. As everyone here will tell you, you can bet your life that a very cheap 100ml bottle of Chanel is a fake Chanel.

"Are you talking to me?"



(that's a quote from Taxi Driver, btw... )

She may have heard me ranting and shouting from the roof tops, when I received a fake Chanel. Bit once but never again, I stay away from bay.

I think that it may all come down to one's faith in humanity.

And one's propensity for skepticism.

I happen to have little of the former and a lot of the latter...

I am so skeptical in fact that I don't even believe in "vintage hunting":

salondeparfum-sherapop.blogspot.com/2012/02/qu estion-of-vintage.html

Used niche scent was fine (based on 1 experience so far) but vintages turned out a major fail for me - they had gone bad

As for new mainstream perfumes I would rather buy those elsewhere.

My recommendation : try to find your samples / bottles here at Parfumo. It´s worth perousing the souk.

Actually I was thinking of some of the hysterical posts I've read on Fragrantica! I'm all for the balanced view

Unlike the States in Australia you can't buy vintage perfume in thrift or charity stores. I've hardly ever seen it in antique shops and never at auction (though I expect it does come up at house/garage sales, just never the ones I attend)

So by default ebay becomes a major hunting ground in these parts.

I'm not saying it's risk free but I am saying that for me ebay is a great place to shop.

Snagging vintage juice on ebay isn't too dangerous a proposition as long as you know the exact version, bottle differences, etc....

I've scored numerous bottles this way. They have all been legit. What I do avoid are splash bottles since they can turn quickly and also be filled with something else.

Also, if the seller has a history of moving HTF fragrances, chances are you will be purchasing the real deal.

Don't.