Any guidelines on eBay purchases?

[SteveC]

I tend to build a discount factor into bids for less than
well photographed items on ebay. Same for sellers with
less than the magic number of positive feedbacks. I have
Also bought cars on ebay with some due diligence so
maybe I trust the platform somewhat and am willing to
play some games to make it work right.

My eBay rules tend to duplicate what has been said already:
--powered on and clean gets near full bid.
--poor pictures can mask flaws knowingly.
Look at sellers other items and feedback carefully.
If they rarely deal in tech toys then their untested may be just that.
--NIB (New In Box) should be met with skepticism.
More skepticism the older the market was.
--I have found the market premium inconsistent for:
Complete Sets, Original Packaging, and Documentation.
All can add value, but may not today.
Standing on their own will have a wide bid ask spread.
--eBay can be a great venue for some particularly valuable items.
--Lots of positive feedback is usually a good sign, but not absolute.
--eBay has become more and more focused on their gigantic sellers.
--I put a slight premium on US sellers for fewer points of failure.
But I buy parts from all over so that is not absolute.
--I have been known to pay a Buy It Now premium to just be done.

At least one reputable eBay seller has a presence here and sells
good stuff.

-steve