You will remember from our last issue that we covered our 5 rules of card collecting. If you can’t remember the rules please visit http://www.FootyStars.com.au and read the article on the first page. If you’ve got a good memory, you’ll recall that Rule #3 is:

“Look everywhere until you find reliable sources or dealers with whom you are comfortable”.

I received yet another reminder last week that eBay can sometimes be a tough, unfair and unscrupulous market place for unwary buyers.

The reminder came from a customer of mine who was buying cards for her son and his little mate on eBay.

To keep a long story short, she found what she wanted with what seemed like a price that was too good to be true. Sadly, it was too good to be true.

After successfully bidding the highest price, she paid for the item by sending a Money Order (the only payment option allowed) and then waited for the cards to arrive.

She waited…

and waited…

and waited…

She emailed the seller…

and waited…

and waited some more.

After almost three weeks, and no response she completed the eBay dispute process.

Unfortunately in this case the seller is no longer registered with eBay, and the chances of getting her cards OR her money back are slim at best.

It’s sad, but it proves it can happen.

In the words of this mother:

“I was so glad to find your site. My son had been looking for months to find the cards he wanted, and after my eBay experience I was glad to deal with a legitimate business that won’t disappear overnight”.

So to put your mind at ease, and reassure you that we are here to stay for the long term… We are a registered company (IET pty ltd, ACN: 101 865 678) and we have been in existence for over 4 years. Our trading name (Footy Stars) is registered in NSW.

We have applied for and are awaiting final approval for trademark registration of our name and logo (update: this has now been registered and protected under the Trademark Act). We have invested a lot of time and money in establishing this company for the benefit of our customers and we plan on being in business for a long long time.

To further put your mind at ease we have our own comprehensive Refund Policy and Guarantee.

In short it says:

“If for any reason you are unhappy with the condition or quality of any purchased product you receive from Footy Stars or if it is faulty or does not arrive as described we will happily exchange the item or refund your money”.

We want YOU to be happy.

If you want to read the entire refund policy, click here…

Our concern for you doesn’t stop there however… the Footy Stars web site is secured with GeoTrust’s 128-bit True BusinessID SSL Certificate which utilises the highest level of security encryption possible. This keeps all your transaction info safe and secure.

We also aim to provide you with convenient payment options. Not everyone is comfortable using a credit card over the internet (as safe as it is now days), and we understand and appreciate this.

In our store you can choose to Direct Deposit funds in to our bank account (online or over the counter in a branch), you can send a Cheque or Money Order, or you can use the very popular PayPal system. We can also accept Mastercard and Visa payments. Choose whichever option suits you.

If you do buy from eBay, try to stick to well know sellers who have been selling for a long time. Review their feedback ratings and if in doubt, ask them a question before bidding.

We hope this helps to keep you safe in your search for reliable sellers and dealers.

By the way, if you ever want to get in touch with us please feel free to call us on 02 9639 1889 or 0417 228 640, or use this contact form to email us.