Safe Buying Tips
Look at your seller's feedback
Feedback is a member's reputation on StampWants. Each comment and rating is an opportunity to understand the history and experience of a seller, a chance to form your own opinions and a visual cue to make smart buying decisions.
Read Item Description
A thorough item description helps you make informed decisions and best ensures that you are not surprised. It is always a good idea to look at the details important to a specific item, as well as the shipping cost information, payment methods accepted and whether the seller offers a return policy.
Have Questions?
Use the Ask Seller a Question link. All listings on StampWants include this link in the Seller Information box. This is an easy way to make sure that your questions are answered before you bid on an item.
Protecting yourself from Fraud
Because StampWants does not handle any of the auction transactions or payments, we cannot protect buyers' purchases, or be responsible for the cost of procurement of substitute goods or any losses resulting form any goods purchased or obtained. However, if you pay with PayPal, you are covered by PayPal's Buyer Complaint Process (PayPal's Buyer Complaint Policy is similar to PayPal's Buyer Protection in that it enables buyers to file Disputes for Items Not Received (INR), or for items that are Significantly Not as Described (SNAD). However, recovery of any amounts is not guaranteed and is limited to the amounts that PayPal can recover from the seller’s Account, even if PayPal makes a final decision in your favor. You must file a Dispute with PayPal within 45 days of payment). Google Checkout and MoneyBookers also offer similar or better protection. You will need to consult their respective websites for more information. Also, if you pay with a Credit Card you can usually stop any charges if you need to. If an auction you have won is:
- from a new seller
- from a seller with a low amount feedback
- from a seller who is not ID Verified
- for an amount of money you would consider to be substantial
- the offer seems "too good to be true"
- and/or you are uneasy about the auction for any other reasons
you probably will want to pay with PayPal, Google Checkout, MoneyBookers or a credit card as you may be protected from financial loss. Even if the seller does not offer one of these payment methods, you may want to ask the seller to, or perhaps look into an escrow service to protect yourself.
