Foreign sellers also make offers on German auction platforms, which many buyers overlook. It should give pause for thought when the place and the country given do not match. If it emerges only after the purchase that the seller is not based in Munich but overseas, then, besides the higher risk in handling the transaction, high shipping and customs costs are to be expected: in 2004 the customs costs alone came to around 30 per cent of the value of the goods, which means that a supposed bargain usually no longer pays off.
A further warning sign is a free webmail address, since the identity of the person registering is not verified in every country when such a service is signed up for. The seller thereby remains practically anonymous and is hardly to be traced in the event of a dispute.