Take it or leave it
Written: Apr 23 '02 (Updated Dec 31 '02)
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Since when you sign up with eBay, you automatically can sign up with half.com, I decided to try it. It didn't impress me like it's sister site, eBay, did, but it was still a good bang for my buck and I'd use it again.
After you sign up (which is simple, just click "sign up"), you can choose to either search the site for a specific something, or browse. Their categories include books, CDs, videos, DVDs, and computer software, among a few other ones (unlike eBay, clothes, cars, accessories, shoes, home decor, etc. are not available for purchase). Also unlike eBay, you don't bid, you buy. Half.com is like a site-wide version of eBay's feature "Buy It Now".
If you're buying, you search/browse, click on an item, and you're taken to a page where the seller has briefly described the condition of the item, lists the wanted price, the shipping price, and anything else. You can either choose to go back without the item, or "add to cart". If someone else has it in their cart, you will be told so. Otherwise, you may add it to yours, and continue shopping, or checkout.
half.com requires you to sign up to use the site, which is something I'm not very fond of. I don't want my information permenantly out there for them to have. Anyway, once you checkout, you enter your information (or log in, if you're already a member) and press "complete". Viola. You're done. You should get an email saying your order has been completed, and another in a few days saying the seller has shipped.
Problems? The seller may not ship. You see, something most people don't know, is that Half.com, unlike eBay, doesn't make the seller ship just because you bought it. Sounds strange, doesn't it? Buying on half.com is more or less telling the seller, "hey, I'd like to buy it, is it still available?". The seller may have given it away, destroyed it, or decided they don't want to sell it anymore, since the item is on half.com for an indefinite amount of time. You have to give your credit card information right away, so if they don't have it anymore, and decline the sale, you have to wait for half.com to refund the money you spent already. Half.com doesn't have as clear a fraud protection policy as eBay does (or even as other sites do) and it's near impossible to contact your seller directly (in fact, I believe it is impossible). The pros, are that, like eBay, you can leave brief feedback, and you're usually getting a great deal.
If you sell, all you do is put in what you have, enter a brief description and presto. Half.com offers you suggested listing price and suggested shipping price, making it very easy on you (and hard for the buyers to claim you gouged pries). If someone buys it, you're sent an email telling you to confirm and ship your order. But, unlike eBay, you don't get the money before shipping. Which means that you must be out a certain amount of pocket money until half.com sends you a check a few weeks later (the buyer must confirm that s/he received it, which they may not do).
Drawbacks? The buyer may never ever ever confirm shipment. You might not get the price you want, and there IS competition (usually, other people have want you have listed, too, and they may have it for less and/or in better condition).
To be honest, I'd stick with eBay. Everything half.com has, eBay had. Yes, you must bid, and yes, you may lose the auction, but eBay is set up much nicer, and it's nice to be able to communicate with your seller directly. Plus, if you sell, you usually have the money IN HAND before shipment (so no more out-of-pocket expenses for you). I say take it or leave it. It's a cute service once-in-awhile, but if you're REALLY looking for bargains, try eBay.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
snowy2001
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Location: Orlando, FL
Reviews written: 38
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Living in FL, enjoys movies, music and shopping.
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