Afraid to start selling

[dutch-vintage]

I have some vintage games and figures I like to sell but I am terrified with all the stories about eBay protecting buyers no matter what. I feel like the first thing I will sell will be a bad experience. 

Question for the community, is it that bad or is it incidental? And how can I set up store policies and communication so I can keep the problems to a minimum? Do I have to write them myself or can I pick and chose settings?

In short, I fear to even start selling, should I just list something and see how it goes?

Thanks!

[jacbarcollectibles]

Most sellers never have a problem with a buyer but it does happen.  New sellers will be the target of scammers until they build up seller feedback.  It all depends on what you are listing as scammers do not just scam everything.  Some items are more likely targets.

Unfortunately no matter what you place on your listing eBay will protect buyers for 30 days from receipt of the item.  There is really no such thing as No Returns on eBay during this time.

You just need to be careful to keep the purchase on eBay and only accept payment through the eBay system.  Never give personal information out to a buyer as they do not need this information to pay for the item.

[travelandtreasure]

One thing you can do early on to prevent returns, which are more prevalent with new sellers and more preventable than scams, is to make sure you photograph your product well - include as many clear and well-lit photos as possible so the seller see what they'll be receiving - and detail the product including any flaws. This will give assurance to your buyer. You can look at other similar items that sold recently and see what their listings look like to get a good idea of successful listings.

[dutch-vintage]

Thanks for the answers. I think I will try to list one item I can afford to lose and see how it goes. I am used to other online marketplaces where deals are way more personal and where there is time and room to discuss. It feels like ebay is expecting a lot more up front and is more geared towards standards and not custom and vintage items which do not have product specifications.

Good descriptions, photo's and keep it on ebay, will do.