Do your research

Buying online is easy and saves you time, but you should never cut corners on your product research before you decide to buy a paintball gun or a paintball gun accessory. You hear so many unhappy stories of people who bought a paintball gun or accessory in haste which did not actually meet their needs, or was not compatible with their other paintball gear. You need to know about a products features and reputation, whether the manufacturer is still in business and can service your paintball gun, and it all comes down to thorough research. There is no substitute for proper research and it should not be rushed. You will regret it if you do.

Finding an online paintball gun auction

A quick search in Google should give you a list of paintball gun auction sites. A good place to start is eBay. You will need to register with the paintball gun auction site before you can take part in auctions. Make sure you read the auction site's rules and be aware of any fees or commissions for which you will be charged.

The photograph

Buyers should check that the paintball gun in the photograph is the paintball gun that the seller says it is. If the seller has not posted a photograph, then ask to see a photograph of the actual paintball gun or paintball gun accessory being sold. Do not be satisfied with a picture of the product taken from the manufacturer's website.

Sellers should take a photograph of the paintball gun or accessory since a photograph will give you a much better chance of making a sale. You want the buyer to see a good photo showing all the paintball gun's features, including upgrades, so take a number of photos, experiment with background and lighting and see which looks best online.

You are entering a binding agreement

An agreement to buy or sell a paintball gun or paintball gun accessories through an online auction amounts to a binding contract, but this will not stop some people refusing to go through with the deal after the agreement has been made.

The auction site will have rules governing transactions and failure to complete on an agreed deal, and you need to be aware of these and have recourse to them if something goes wrong. Sites vary in the degree to which they become involved when a party fails to complete, but you should always report those that flout the rules to the auction site. In most cases people who break the rules are prohibited from taking part in further auctions.

In practice, there is usually not much more you can do if a party agrees to buy or sell a paintball gun or accessory but does not complete on the deal.

Check out the buyer or seller's online reputation

However, before you start bidding for a paintball gun, check out the other party's online reputation at the auction site to find out what other people say about them. On eBay, buyers and sellers are rated and you can even contact people who have previously done business with the buyer or seller. If you see some negative comments, then seek further clarification from the comment maker as to what the problem was with the buyer or seller. Then form your own opinion as to whether you can trust the buyer or seller.

Keep a record of all communications

If you send e-mails to the other party then keep a record of these. Likewise, if you speak to them on the phone, make a note right away of what was said and date the note. Such e-mails and notes are evidence of what was agreed between the parties and these will be useful if you have to refer the matter to the auction site if the other party does not complete the deal.

I have found that you can tell a fair amount about a paintball gun seller from how they respond to questions, and how quickly they respond. Send off an e-mail with a few product and payment questions and then see how the seller responds. If the response is evasive or misleading or rude, then trust your gut instinct and do not contract with the seller.

Price, payment and delivery

As a seller, many auction sites will allow you to put a reserve price on your paintball gun or paintball gun accessory so that it cannot be sold for a lower price.

Common forms of payment are credit cards or PayPal, but each seller will have their own requirements, of which a buyer should be aware. It is always a good idea to e-mail to confirm how payment is to be made.

If you are selling, make sure you get payment confirmed before you despatch the goods.

Buyers should be aware that con artists sometimes pose as sellers in order to get buyers to send money transfers, for example 'wiring' money through Western Union, so be very suspicious of anyone who insists on payment in this manner.

Shipping costs will in most cases be additional to the price, and they should be quoted separately. If none are quoted, then ask. Also ask when you can expect to receive the paintball gun.