eBay Buying Guide for Hard-To-Find Polish

I’m an admitted eBay addict. Between eBay and my other online shopping habits I have quite a collection of packages that come to my house. In fact my honey calls me “LB” because of all the little boxes that he picks up on our front porch.

I love shopping on eBay almost as much as I love nail polish. I search for deals on just about everything I use, from razor blades to shampoo. The problem with eBay is shady sellers. Even the ones with good feedback can be deceptive because a lot of buyers don’t know enough about what they’re bidding on. I’m sure everyone has heard of someone buying an “authentic” item only to find out later that it’s a replica. It’s no different with polish.

There are many of us that hunt down discontinued, hard-to-find but much loved colors and eBay is a great source for that. Even though there are some very lucky ladies that find treasures when they’re out “dusty hunting” at little nail shops, it’s still quite an effort. Thanks to eBay, I’ve been able to track down some amazing polishes for myself and friends but lately there has been buzz about unscrupulous sellers. I felt it was only right to warn you all, my dear friends, before you get taken. I’ve heard too many stories of people receiving watered down polishes, polishes missing labels or with handwritten labels, etc.

Here are my tips for polish buying on eBay:

• Check the feedback on the seller. Sellers that regularly list polish and have 98% or higher feedback rating are more likely to have authentic items but that’s not always the case.
• Ask questions before buying. Find out how old the polish is. Where it came from. If thinner has been added. If it still mixes in spite of it’s age. Don’t feel bad about asking questions. You have a right to know as much as possible about what you’re buying. Especially with the prices some sellers demand.
• Look at the pictures and see if the color is what you’re expecting. If a picture of the label isn’t given, ask for one. Compare it pictures on the Community Nail Polish Gallery.
• If in doubt, join Makeup Alley and ask the nail board. Though if it’s is truly hard to find, you may not want to publicize the auction.
• Feel free to email me if you’re still unsure. I promise not to snipe your auction.

Does anyone have other useful tips, sellers to recommend, horror stories to share? We’d love to hear them.