Guide to Buying An Xbox 360 Online

There have been people who were ripped off trying to buy an xbox 360 online. I thought as an online seller myself I would create a shor guide to buying an xbox 360 online. It is a list of tips and tricks for the buyer who wants to buy online and not get ripped off. These tips while specific to the xbox 360 could be applied to many of your online purchases.

1. Understanding the capabilities of the xbox 360 as a whole will help you be a better buyer. Understand that when you buy an xbox 360 you are not just getting a video game player. You will be getting a media center, that has the capabilities to interface with your computer, television, cable and telephone lines, your mp3 player, your digital camera as well. By understanding the over all capabilities of the xbox 360 you will be in a better position to determine if you are actually getting what you paid for.

2. What are the most important features of the xbox 360 to you. The xbox 360 is an advanced device it has many capabilities. Many that have never been seen in a video game machine before. I will not outline the specifications of the game machine because you can find those here.

But I want to stress that as a buyer you will have to know which of these specs are important to you so that you can purchase the configuration of the machine that you want and that meets your needs.

3. Know what it is that you are getting. This kind of piggy backs with knowing which features are important to you, but really this is about knowing which features the machine that the seller is sending you has. And making sure that the seller knows exactly what you want.

4. Know as much as you can about the online seller. Once you know as much as you can about the xbox 360, it is time to start learning about the online seller. The reputable sellers on most on line venues have good feedback. Here is a quick list of things that you need to know about the seller;

- How long have they been selling? Are they a long time seller who has experience or are they just some fly by night person trying to make a quick buck?

- What is their return policy? This is very important, what happens if your xbox 360 is lost in the mail? What happens if it is damaged during shipment? All these things happen and are handled by good online sellers, you just need to have an answer to these questions prior to spending your money.

- Who pays to return the item.

- What guarantee is being offered.

5. Compare online sellers with brick and mortar stores in your location. I know you thought that this guide was all about buying an xbox 360 online, well it is. But there is no reason for you to risk having some of the problems that you can have when buying electronics online, if you can find just as good a deal near where you live. I make this suggestion because in a local store you are at least dealing with humans. As opposed to dealing with emails, web sites, auctions and other online and faceless pieces of software.

Again if something goes wrong it is very easy to just take it back to the local store, with online purchases you may have to ship it back to the seller.

6. Know when your item is scheduled to arrive prior to buying. This may not seem like an important consideration. But different have different schedules of delivery. Make sure you know when the buyer plans or estimates when your new xbox will get to you. There have even been some sellers who are selling items that they do not have yet. So make sure you ask when the item will arrive and if they have it in hand.

7. Consider all the places on line that you can buy an xbox 360. This is just another way of saying, "Shop around." No harm can come from looking at all of your options. You can look at Froogle, eBay, Amazon.com, Best Buy.com, Overstock.com, Buy.com, iOffer.com and many others. Just take a few minutes to compare and you may be able to find a deal.

8. What are the shipping fees and how will the xbox 360 be shipped? Again this is another area were being fore warned is a good thing. The shipping cost of a large item like the xbox 360 can be substantial, and because the item itself cost so much, some sellers will just pile on the shipping cost to make an extra buck. Make sure you understand your options when it comes to shipping. And also what protections do you have. Will the seller use Deliver Confirmation, is the shipment insured? These are just a couple of questions to consider.

9. How are you going to pay for the item? This is important because it also offers you a chance for protection. If you use a credit card you may be covered buy the buyer protection of the credit card. Also the type of payment that the seller offers tells you a lot about the seller. Be supisious of anyone requiring you to send the cash or requesting that you use some none secure method of payment. You want to be able to assure that they got paid and that you can account for it.

10. And my final tip is to make sure all the data that you enter as you make your online purchase is correct. Your address, your credit card info, your name, and any other info that is needed to get the item to you and make sure that it is paid for. You will not believe the number of transactions that are delayed or can not be completed due to the buyer entering incorrect information.

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tips, tricks, tools, buying, guide, xbox 360