I followed the link in tvad's post. The seller says this "Certified bank check only. Pick up cash only and save shipping costs from Lambertville, MI. Will also meet up to 50 miles for a safe transfer." (I don't see anything about Escrow.com but perhaps tvad saw more than I do.) When you agreed to the sale I think you agreed to the terms. If you are uncomfortable with the terms now the first thing you should do is ask Audiogon: What will Audiogon do if you back out? What will Audiogon do if the item never appears or doesn't work properly?
I would _never_ buy an item online with a cashier's check. The service PayPal provides is not just transferring money; it is providing some insurance to the buyer: if the item never arrives the buyer can file a claim with PayPal. The seller may think PalPal is a nuisance - because it is a nuisance for the buyer - but it is not a nuisance for the seller.
BTW: A cashier' check and a certified check are not quite the same thing. For a cashier's check you give the bank the money and they write a check from _their_ account. Fora certified check, you write a check on your account and the bank sequesters the amount from your account but doesn't take it out until the check is cashed.
I would _never_ buy an item online with a cashier's check. The service PayPal provides is not just transferring money; it is providing some insurance to the buyer: if the item never arrives the buyer can file a claim with PayPal. The seller may think PalPal is a nuisance - because it is a nuisance for the buyer - but it is not a nuisance for the seller.
BTW: A cashier' check and a certified check are not quite the same thing. For a cashier's check you give the bank the money and they write a check from _their_ account. Fora certified check, you write a check on your account and the bank sequesters the amount from your account but doesn't take it out until the check is cashed.