I've bought and sold quite a bit of gear here as well as on other audio sites and the one feature that makes buying on any of them a reasonable thing to do is the feedback systems. If a seller has excellent feedback over a number of transactions I usually feel safe to proceed. Beyond that, if you aren't sure about the gear, the seller or the terms of the sale, call or write the seller. Of course, there is always risk but that's the trade-off for a better price. Whether that risk is worth it only you can decide.
New here, bit confused about buying
My apologies if this forum is not the right place to ask. I didn't see any sort of "general" forum as is common in many online forum communities.
So, I am interested in an item currently for sale but the Audiogon information on buying seems rather loose. It also presents an array of options. In this case, the seller appears to be an individual but the accepted form of payment is credit card. Referencing Audiogon FAQ again it says "payment processor may be of the seller's choosing" and makes vague notions of being wary. That isn't comforting when you are talking a good deal of money. I did some searching through the forums on keywords around payment and the discussions themselves weren't too encouraging either. It all seems a little wild west and makes me ponder sucking it up and paying more money to buy new from a trusted source (dealer, etc.). It'd be a shame as the equipment in question appears to be in great shape.
I understand this site has been around a while but can't help feeling like it's a (very expensive) gamble. I wonder about the seller too, who may wonder about me as I am a very new member (registered a couple days ago). How do you all manage? Perhaps I am being overly paranoid (I've bought and sold a lot in person on craiglists since the early days and I've dealt with my share of scammers and assorted wackos, lol)?
Thanks to all who generously give their time in replying.
-Jet88
So, I am interested in an item currently for sale but the Audiogon information on buying seems rather loose. It also presents an array of options. In this case, the seller appears to be an individual but the accepted form of payment is credit card. Referencing Audiogon FAQ again it says "payment processor may be of the seller's choosing" and makes vague notions of being wary. That isn't comforting when you are talking a good deal of money. I did some searching through the forums on keywords around payment and the discussions themselves weren't too encouraging either. It all seems a little wild west and makes me ponder sucking it up and paying more money to buy new from a trusted source (dealer, etc.). It'd be a shame as the equipment in question appears to be in great shape.
I understand this site has been around a while but can't help feeling like it's a (very expensive) gamble. I wonder about the seller too, who may wonder about me as I am a very new member (registered a couple days ago). How do you all manage? Perhaps I am being overly paranoid (I've bought and sold a lot in person on craiglists since the early days and I've dealt with my share of scammers and assorted wackos, lol)?
Thanks to all who generously give their time in replying.
-Jet88
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| Post removed |
Thanks everyone for the input. I've been in touch with the seller, he doesn't know the details other than that picking a third-party CC processor is a choice for payment. He informed me he had sold things before and the processor receives the payment, takes a percentage, and then he eventually receives the payment. Audiogon was helpful in providing some feedback on the seller (he has sold things before and received very positive ratings), but clear information about payment was still not solid (suggestion to use Paypal if seller was willing). I'm communicating with the seller and making determinations through some careful questioning and arrangements. I believe he at least is legitimate / trustworthy. Still not sure I'm going to buy it yet. Working on some means to provide protection for myself in the event of an unpleasant issue. |
As others have already said, make sure you check reviews of sellers if possible :) Reviews are a bit of a double edges sword though in my opinion, since it can make it hard for new sellers to get a reputation... If many people tend to only trust people who had positive reviews already, many newcomers trying to sell will be having a hard time :) Good luck! :D |
