Is it strange that I’ve never shopped on ebay before? And ebay beauty shopping is even MORE foreign to me. In all honestly my assumption with ebay was that it was for used items such as purses and shoes or accessories and I’m sure some tech gadgets too. I never thought about shopping for my beauty items too.
To get to know a little more about ebay beauty shopping and to quell my fears, I interviewed ebay expert Megan Vickell and got some great shopping tips from her.
eBay is known for great deals on fashion and accessories such as jewellery and purses but how popular is beauty shopping on eBay?
eBay is a global marketplace, and there are currently over 3 million health and beauty items listed on eBay.ca! The same great deals that you can find for fashion and accessories are also available for beauty products like makeup, skin care and hair accessories – just search for the beauty product you’re looking for and you can even filter for new, Buy It Now! items. eBay Canada is also a great place to find your favourite beauty items like lipstick or perfume that may not be available in store anymore.
Do you have some shopping tips for a consumer to make sure that a beauty product isn’t used/repackaged and is also real?
Before you make a purchase, I always encourage buyers on eBay.ca to review the listings carefully and communicate with the seller via the ‘contact the seller’ option on the listing. Ask for more information about the product, more photos or any other questions you may have to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want and pay for! And, if you purchase items on eBay.ca using PayPal you’ll also be covered under its Buyers Protection program where your money is protected if an item shows up not as it was described or if it doesn’t show up at all.
Are there any rules to protect buyers in terms of hygiene?
To ensure that the product you’re purchasing has not been used, choose the ‘New’ filter on the left side of your search page. Again, it’s always a great idea to contact the seller and ask about the condition of the product before you buy it. For more buying tips, click here. Sellers are also encouraged to be honest and transparent in their listing descriptions to increase traffic on their listings and earn positive review scores. To run a great business, sellers work hard to ensure smooth and professional transactions with their buyers. This includes setting buyer expectations and meeting those expectations.
What are the most popular beauty products purchased on eBay?
Makeup and skin care are two popular beauty categories on eBay as each has almost half a million items listed within it. No matter what you’re looking for, there is something for everyone. Whether you’re shopping on a budget, or are looking to splurge – the most expensive compact purchased on eBay last year was a Tom Ford finishing power for almost $120.
What is the advantage to shopping on eBay vs traditional retail or other online retailers?
eBay is a global marketplace, which means the site offers great new finds for just about every shopper. One of the biggest advantages of shopping on eBay.ca is that you’re able to do it from your own home or while you’re on the go via the eBay mobile app, allowing you to shop whenever inspiration strikes. eBay is also a partner for retailers, offering a global online platform for a number of brands through Brand Vault, a shopping destination designed to help buyers find brands selling directly on eBay including Wilson’s Leather and Diesel.
After my interview with Megan I took a look at the ebay beauty shopping section and was pleasantly surprised! I love the curated sections which makes it easy to shop some of the latest trends and collections. I honestly did not realize how many beauty products in new condition were available. This definitely makes me feel better about shopping beauty products from ebay. And you can literally search for all kinds of beauty products including organic or natural lines all in one spot!
Because I’m not big on the whole “auction” thing when it comes to shopping I’ll probably only stick to the “buy it now” option. Huge thanks to Megan Vickell and ebay.ca for opening my eyes to a new way of beauty shopping!
Have you shopped ebay for beauty products before?
I purchased some items I couldn’t get locally. Nail treatments, foundation, konjac sponges to name a few. There are many fakes from Hong Kong. I try to get everything from North America. I think you can report it and get a refund if you find out you’ve gotten a dupe.
Oh well that’s good to know! I think I would be so devastated if I received “fake” stuff 🙁 By the way, I’m testing out Konjac sponges right now that are available in Canada! 🙂
Ohh really? Where can they be purchased?
Available here: http://www.naturalkonjacsponge.com and at Pelle Beauty: http://www.pellebeauty.com/collections/konjac-sponge-company
I have purchased nail polish from ebay before with no disappointments! I know that’s where my sister goes to find rare and/or discontinued Essie polishes and she has always been happy!
oooh good to know – thanks Joanna! That’s a great point – trying to find discontinued items or limited edition items too!
i usually skip makeup on there for many brands because there are too many fakes and too many bad experiences for me. but i can find lots of other goodies on there 🙂
That’s EXACTLY what I was worried about! What were your bad experiences? I’m curious! You can email me if you prefer 😉 It does sound like after speaking with Megan though that hopefully there aren’t as many issues anymore?