computers on ebay

There are many factors to consider when purchasing new and or used equipment from auction sites, and one is the standing of the organization or group selling the items. You want to review some of the following:
1. Check the rating that other buyershave given for that particular seller. Any complaints about the seller would send a red flag, especially if there are many.
2. If the seller is new and does not have much selling history I would shoot them an email with many questions about thier policies and in particular about the equipment. If the seller responds to your questions in a timely manner this is a good sign, it shows they are willing to assist you in purchasing the product. Make sure they have answered any and all your questions.
3. Wholesalers obtain over production items and bulk purchases that manufacturers must release quickly to move out inventory for the next models in line for marketing placement. Timing is everything, and when the latest and greatest products come to market there is only so much room for them to store all this inventory, so the older stuff is sold at reduced rates in bulk. When I say old stuff, I mean only 3 to 6 months for some models. So by the time you see some of these new items for sale at reduced prices they have actually been on the market for 3 to 9 months and may still be available from the manufacturers sales departments.

I have purchased many used PC's and hardware from ebay and other auciton sites without any horror stories. However, due diligence on your part will prevent you from having any bad expereinces as well. Do your research and make sure the purchase is from a proven seller.

I hope this brief overview helps!
ET

When I have taken a close look at these deals that sound too good to be true, I usually find 1 or all of the following:

Cheap cases and undersized power supplies

No operating system (or at least no CD and license for what is installed)

Substandard parts:
Cheap CD drives,
No name hard drives,
On-board video,

No support beyond dead in the box

All-in-one motherboards with NO upgrade options,

A friend of mine bought a similar 'deal' at a computer show. It took him 6 months to get a PC that actually would boot up.

Caveat Emptor.

Chas