[lynn P.]

Usually I never buy things online or on infomercials but did buy a couple IPod cases for my daughter and they were so much cheaper/good quality. My youngest has a Pandora bracelet and the charms start at $40 and higher in the stores. They have charms on Ebay and the pic shows the Pandora stamp and they're so much less expensive. I'm wondering has anyone bought jewelery or Pandora charms? Also wondering if jewelery is the real thing....how do they get it so cheap, since stores make a deal with Pandora to have them in their stores?

Two major things to watch about EBay. Do not order things from overseas, particularly from Hong Kong or China. Even if they are reputable, it's very hard to send things back and more than once I've had problems. Another, look at a person's feedback. If it is high with very few strikes against them that is a good sign that what they are selling is probably gunuine and that they are reputable. With Pandora charms, I don't know if there's a counterfeiting market or not, but if a dealer is in the U.S. and has a good reputations it's probably okay. Why are they so much less expensive? Could be a lot of reasons. A merchant could be overstocked with them and is just trying to sell them at cost, or it can be a private seller who no longer wants his bracelet and charms or needs the money. No telling, but if their reputation/feedback is good, they are probably the real thing. Good luck.

Although I understand what you said, Maranara, I don't agree with all of it, because almost everything I purchase is through online sellers, such as those on eBay. Just a few days ago I received a flash from a Chinese seller, the same make and model of the one at Henry's store, and for half the price! I've never had an issue with the Chinese sellers I have dealt with. In fact, I have found them to be incredibly polite, courteous, and helpful. The only issue I have ever had ordering online was from a seller in Greece. It's important to be cautious but a little reading around on eBay should alleviate such concerns. I wouldn't exclude overseas sellers completely.

I have bought my mother jewellery from Chinese sellers. Obviously they were fake, and I knew that from the start, but they looked real enough for my mother to like them. Chinese sellers will most likely sell fakes but if you're searching for a low-budget alternative I find them to be good enough for that.

As for the price, Lynn, it could be any number of factors, but I think a major difference between in store prices and online is the cost of selling the item. An eBay seller could be a major company or a single-man operation in a basement. Stores have to pay employees, rents, taxes, a number of extra costs that online sellers don't. Amazon.ca is a major online store for books, and their prices are almost always cheaper than in a bookstore, for this reason I believe. Also, bookstores that operate both brick-and-mortar stores and online have wildly different prices between them. Chapters' books are much cheaper on their website than if you walked into a store and bought the same book.

PM me whenever Lynn! I am an expert Internet shopper and almost never shop in store .

And here's a tip for shopping on eBay: some sellers there are large enough to have online stores outside of eBay. I ordered a DSLR camera kit from Cameta Camera, and they have an independent website, an eBay account, and a brick-and-mortar store. It makes it easier to learn more about the seller and contact them if there is an issue. I've saved thousands of dollars on camera equipment on eBay

[lynn P.]

Thanks Maranara and Mr. Venomous for all the advice. Buying IPod cases was my 1st experience with anything online and it took 10 days - looking back it was funny because I thought I wasn't going to get them and this reinforced my belief its risky shopping online lol. Was happy when I got them because they would be at least $20 in the store.

My daughter has the real Pandora bracelet with the charms and we also have fake charms but don't mix them with the real ones. Unfortunately the real Pandora charms are way overpriced because its an exclusive item. The actual weight in silver or gold doesn't match the asking price. If I can get genuine Pandora charms for less money, that would be great. The real Pandora charms will have Pandora on the bead charms and a stamp on non glass charms. I'll check out the Cameta Camera because my oldest is into photograpy. Since I'm new at this, I'll stick with sellers who have a good rating.

[seeker1950]

Lynn, I've ordered "oodles" of the Pandora look-alike beads from China sellers on Ebay. I use them in my jewelry creations. The ones I ordered come in little bags of 5 alike. Some of them are quite beautiful, and so cheap! They are shipped in a timely fashion, considering how far they have to travel to get here. I think you might want to order a few just to see. This past week at school, a friend came into my room and saw them and was amazed that I let her pick out a few for herself.

[KUREHA]

Yeah always just check first.

I agree about the chinese sellers, they usually have games cheaper as well, which is cool for me.

[Yoda]

I buy lots of things on ebay. I always check feedback and sometimes I send the seller a question about the item to see how well they communicate with buyers.

I have bought jewelry on ebay. None of it was fine jewelry but it was not advertised as such. I don't think I paid over $25 for any jewelry item.

I have had good experiences with sellers in China. Several years ago I bought a wallet from an ebay seller in China. My sister's dog chewed it up recently so I ordered two recently (one as gift for son).

If you use Paypal you are protected as long as you file a complaint within 45 days from purchase. As a seller I did get scammed once when a girl worked at a prison as a counselor and she was buying lots of things from ebay and paying with prison funds. She got caught eventually and Paypal took the money back from my account and refunded the prison so I was without the ~$115 and she would not return the item to me. Ebay closed her account but that didn't help me.

[Maven]

I just bought what I thought were Betsey Johnson earrings at a very cheap price (under $5), but I jumped on what I thought was a bargain, and they're fake. I should have known, but I have only recently started buying stuff on eBay (and still, rarely). I contacted the seller, and he wants me to change my feedback (which you can't; you can only post an update) before refunding my money. I'm contacting eBay about it.

I have to be honest: It really bothers me that you all think it's ok to buy fake merchandise, just because it looks the same. I'm not arguing that some companies charge too much for their products (and some don't, but that doesn't mean you should buy a cheap copy), but it's illegal to copy other people's stuff like that and sell it. Would you want your jewelry designs (or whatever you create) stolen and sold by others, with you getting no cut of the money? Just because some of these companies make a lot of money, that's not an excuse. Betsey Johnson, I found out yesterday, has filed for bankruptcy. Some companies cannot continue when their merchandise is widely copied and sold. China is probably the worst. They even copy Disney World parks and major companies like that.

[lynn P.]

Maven - I agree fake merchandise is a problem for those who make the real thing. For example its very hard to tell if designer purses are real or fake and I also think this lowers the demand if everyone has one. I wasn't advocating or looking for fake Pandora - just wanted some info if there are real ones on Ebay. I know some get duplicate charms as gifts, so possibly someone might sell for that reason. I'm looking for the real Pandora for a little less money. I wish the Pandora website would have specials or sales so people might not stray. The only sale they have once in a while is - spends $100 and get a free leather bracelet.

Originally Posted by Mr. Venomous

Although I understand what you said, Maranara, I don't agree with all of it, because almost everything I purchase is through online sellers, such as those on eBay. Just a few days ago I received a flash from a Chinese seller, the same make and model of the one at Henry's store, and for half the price! I've never had an issue with the Chinese sellers I have dealt with. In fact, I have found them to be incredibly polite, courteous, and helpful. The only issue I have ever had ordering online was from a seller in Greece. It's important to be cautious but a little reading around on eBay should alleviate such concerns. I wouldn't exclude overseas sellers completely.

I have bought my mother jewellery from Chinese sellers. Obviously they were fake, and I knew that from the start, but they looked real enough for my mother to like them. Chinese sellers will most likely sell fakes but if you're searching for a low-budget alternative I find them to be good enough for that.

As for the price, Lynn, it could be any number of factors, but I think a major difference between in store prices and online is the cost of selling the item. An eBay seller could be a major company or a single-man operation in a basement. Stores have to pay employees, rents, taxes, a number of extra costs that online sellers don't. Amazon.ca is a major online store for books, and their prices are almost always cheaper than in a bookstore, for this reason I believe. Also, bookstores that operate both brick-and-mortar stores and online have wildly different prices between them. Chapters' books are much cheaper on their website than if you walked into a store and bought the same book.

PM me whenever Lynn! I am an expert Internet shopper and almost never shop in store .

And here's a tip for shopping on eBay: some sellers there are large enough to have online stores outside of eBay. I ordered a DSLR camera kit from Cameta Camera, and they have an independent website, an eBay account, and a brick-and-mortar store. It makes it easier to learn more about the seller and contact them if there is an issue. I've saved thousands of dollars on camera equipment on eBay

I buy from EBay regularly and have been selling for about a year. I have NEVER bought something from China that didn't need to be returned and I bought a piece of electronic equipment that said it was made for the states but it wasn't. I guess our experiences differ a lot. 'Tis life. I'm glad you've had a lot of luck Mr. V!

[lynn P.]

Maranara - since you're also a seller.....I wanted to ask this question. How does the seller afford to pay the shipping when the item might be low to begin with? I noticed the shipping is inexpensive..... was wondering how they package and send it with cost?

Both USPS and UPS give discounts to EBay sellers, with the more they sell the better the discount is. People who sell mass quanities of stuff are actually able to qualify for free shipping on certain items and pass that on to their customers as an extra incentive to buy. You'll notice the ones who have thousands of feedbacks are the ones who usually offer the free shipping.

[Harley47]

Always always ALWAYS check the country of origin and the feedback. Italy I know has a nice market for counterfeit watches...I don't know to what extent other items are. China and Hong Kong I would avoid.

I know a guy who bought, knowingly, a fake watch in Italy (fake...Rolex, maybe? Some nice brand) for something like 20 Euros for a gift for his stepdad. It was risky...lol getting caught with one of those things is a 5000 Euro fine. But his stepdad thought it was cool, and he liked the story.

[shezbut]

I've been a buyer on eBay for a couple of years and just started selling last month. Personally, I think that eBay has a lot more advantages to the buyer than to the seller ~ unless the seller is a store and has high turnover rate.

I'd advise you to read the description of items very closely, and look at all pictures that the seller provides. Ask Q's if the seller seems vague in their description. Another tip: stick with sellers that have a very high rate of customer satisfaction! I won't buy from a seller under 98%, and strongly prefer those around 100%. For me, that makes the experience worth every penny.

I have bought a couple of items from China before, mostly because the objects weren't available from sellers in other countries. Not that I dislike China ~ just trying to support U.S. economy (or whatever country you're in). That's important to me. Hope that helps you lynn P.!