Sometimes when I talk to people about buying on eBay, they tell me horror stories of people being ripped off. I think these stories are sometimes just urban legends, but other times these stories can be their own real life experiences. Now, I have had over 3500 transactions on eBay and shop on eBay with little to no fear of being ripped off. These are the techniques I use to shop on eBay safely.

1. Check the seller's feedback. If you look next the seller's user ID you will see a number and colored star in parenthesis. The number is their feedback number. Whenever a transaction is completed on eBay, both parties are allowed to leave comments for each other about the transaction. If you click on the feedback number of the seller, you can read all of these comments. When I am consider buying something, I look at how many transactions the seller has had and if they have any negative comments. If there are negative comments I read them carefully and asses if I want to deal with the seller. Sometimes it is obvious that the seller is not someone I want to deal with and sometimes it is obvious that that the negative comment is a fluke. Either way, by looking at the seller's feedback, I can usually tell very quickly how safe I feel dealing with them.

2. See if the seller has an "about me" page. This isn't nearly as important is checking the feedback, but it can give you some insight as to the person behind the auction. If you see a little icon next to the seller's eBay username that says, "me", then this seller has an "about me" page. Click on the "me" icon and you may be able to read a little bit about the seller.

3. Pay with Paypal. Paypal has a significant buyer protection policy that covers eBay auctions. If your item is purchased with paypal and you do not receive it or it is received, but was grossly misrepresented in the auction listing, you have 45 days to file a claim with Paypal.

4. Shop knowing that if a seller has too many complaints against him/her and eBay determines that the complaints are legitimate, the seller will be kicked off eBay. Just knowing this makes me feel better. A seller won't be around for long if they are scamming buyers. They can always try to sign up as someone else with a different eBay ID, but if you pick a seller with a higher feedback number, you can feel pretty comfortable that the seller is not a scammer.

5. Read the entire listing carefully. I personally hate doing this, but if you don't, you may miss something important about the transaction. For instance, some sellers don't accept Paypal. I personally don't want to buy from someone that doesn't accept Paypal. Also, sometimes the tone of the auction will turn me against buying from a particular seller. Especially if they sound really bitter or mean when listing their terms. If something does go wrong with the transaction, I hope to deal with a reasonable person, not someone who is already defensive about selling on eBay.

6. Check for measurements on clothing items. Especially if you are purchasing used clothing. This insures that the item hasn't been shrunk over time. If the seller doesn't have the measurements listed, email them using the "ask the seller" link and ask them for the measurements that you are interested in. A good seller will answer your questions in a timely manner.

7. Buy brands that you are familiar with. Different brands of clothing are sized completely differently. A 2X in one brand might not even be close to a 2X in a different brand. Unless you are very comfortable with the measurements given in the auction, stick to brand names that you are familiar with and that you already know how they fit your body.

8. Limit the amount of your purchase. If for some reason you do end up getting scammed, you don't want it to be for $3500. I have never had a problem and I feel perfectly comfortable spending a couple hundred dollars with a single seller in a single purchase, but I would be uncomfortable spending several thousand with any one seller in a single purchase, but that is just me.

I hope these tips help you feel comfortable buying plus size clothing on eBay. It's a great place to shop and once you feel comfortable with the security of your purchases you can open yourself up to some great deals and finds.