Recent Removed Auctions

Hello Gem. There would have been some issue with the items that were removed. If the seller has other items listed you could ask them yourself why they were removed. 

In general the usual rules applies. ONLY pay with Ping if going for delivery so you get Buyer Protection. Check the sellers feedback. Consider pick-up and paying cash if possible. Ask questions that only a genuine seller would know the answer to.  

It is unlikely Trade Me will tell you directly why the items were removed. So probably not really any point in asking them. 

Yes I understand, but what are those issues? I read the full description and it did not look fake or like a scam in any way. Some of these sellers had over 100 trades with very positive feedback. I try to pay with ping and I try to pickup, but not everything is conveniently in Auckland. I ask questions and get legitimate answers.

If I get scammed, suddenly it falls on me to raise it with the Tribunal...are you serious. If TradeMe will not say, then why should I trust them?

I've purchased a lot of items via Buy Now and did not have an issue, including lenses. Now I am hesitant to hit Buy Now on something costing $3.5k only to have an absolute headache to deal with. Since this has been so consistent with this particular items, what's the deal??

I hope you understand where I am coming from and I why I want to email support and not deal with this over a post. TradeMe should be aware of this trending problem.

Kia ora Gem, sorry to hear you've had this experience. The advice given here by Callum is spot on, look for listings where you can pay by Ping where eligible you'll be covered by Buyer Protection. We recommend that buyers pay by Ping for this reason. We can't discuss other members so we aren't able to share why we withdraw listings, however when we do it is for a good reason. The team works hard to keep our members safe, scammers are increasingly sophisticated so it pays to be vigilant. There is great information on our Trust and Safety blog to help you stay safe when buying online. 

Just to add Gem that currently Ping Buyer Protection only covers your first $2500. So if you are buying something for $3500 you are not fully covered. In those cases, if you have suspicions that the item or the seller might not be genuine, about all you can do is go for the pick-up option and pay cash after you have thoroughly checked the lens, or scroll away!