Is it a good idea to buy used computer parts off of eBay or is it common to get bad/harmful parts?

I have had good luck so far. Square trade partners are reliable. Ebay has buyer protection you can look into. Contact the seller about returns if the info is not with the product.

I am using a Dell optiplex I bought on ebay. My os and word etc all came from ebay and my memory. I exchanged the memory for the right stuff no problem. The feedback rating will tell you how they are doing. I had only one problem and notified ebay before dispute resolution and threatened the on line BBB with him and he got moving. I am over 60 buys.

Hey hows it going? Well I have been=an eBay member for a while Now and I am willing to share some of that with you. getting any computer stuff is a risk unless it has a money back guarantee free of DOA is what they do or they say sold as is and has not been tested ..stay away from the not tested ones with no guarantee. Also look and see if it is new,used and refurbished some times they will give a 3 day money back or a 7 day. So any way it can be safe and then it can not .. oh yeah good idea check out the rating in feedback section...

Yes to both questions. Buying used parts from eBay means that it's more likely you are dealing with a scammer or an incompetent than from a regular brick-and-mortar store. But it also means that you might get an unusually good deal. Most of the sellers are honest, so if you decide to pursue an eBay purchase, here are some things to keep in mind:

* Before doing anything, decide what you want and check out how much you should pay. Find a couple of places that sell the graphics card you want and how much they would charge if you just went and bought one.

* Before placing a bid, check out the seller's reputation. Don't do business with anyone without a decent rating.

* Wait for one auction to complete before bidding in a second one. You don't want to get stuck with more parts than you want.

* Make sure that you read the description carefully. You want something that is guaranteed to work, not "as is".

* Factor in the shipping costs. Some sellers make up for their low prices by charging inflated shipping costs.

* Consider using an escrow account for expensive components. It costs more, but it guarantees you against ripoffs.

Graphics cards I would suggest most over almost any other type of hard ware. But still I have had over 30 Graphics cards in my life and at least 8 have caused problems brand new from the box in store. So if you have a problem returning sucks on line.

I never buy things on line.

Don't buy computer parts from ebay. In the long run, you can save yourself more money purchasing from a trusted online or store retailer than you would if you purchased from ebay.

Newegg.com is great. For me personally, I purchased parts from ZipZoomFly.com. They sometimes have deals for most of their parts and also free shipping on select items.

I wouldn't trust it from ebay. Buy it from newegg.com

Its pot luck really. Check the sellers history carefully.

cant trust ebay all the times guess its mateer of luck u can get new or old :)

Yuo can try your luck online but I don't think it's a great idea.

check the return policy they have if sound good buy it, and check their feedback if is more than 98 is good