Sellers Beware!!!


Folks, 

I am wondering if anyone else here noticing the latest trend on Audiogon. I have been approached by buyers in Vietnam to buy my listings. I have gotten at least dozen offers in last month or so, they are pretending to be US based buyers, with US address and do not disclose their actual location until you have accepted the offer.  I have already declined two confirmed offers as soon as I figured out their true identity. The US address being provided on Audiogon is either a local business shop run by Vietnamese native or a 'friend' address. I googled the address and called the local address listed on Audiogon. It turns out to be small business shop and the owner had no idea about the sale or the product he is about to receive in next 2-3 days. 

The icing on the cake, the buyer gets bent of shape when you point out these last minute surprises and then try shift the blame on us that we are not very 'trusting'. Go figure! 

I am outlining some of the things that were common in my dealings, 

1. Broken English (sorry no offense)
2. 12-14 hour delay between communications
3. Start off with low ball offer and then agrees to pay within 10-15% off of your asking price
4. Unusual delay in receiving payments, they tend to apologize profusely and blame PayPal for delay
5. They will ask you to 'absorb' PayPal fee due higher percentage charged by PayPal on intl. transfers
6. Negative, neutral or no feedback
7. The address in their Audiogon profile will be either in west cost (CA) or east coast (NY). 

This thread is not intended to target a certain race or nationality, the sole purpose of this thread is to create awareness against the 'sneaky' buyers. I welcome all buyers, domestic or international and wish them a hassle free buying and selling experience on Audiogon. 

128x128lalitk

Showing 1 response by nguyenson123

Dear all,

Being an audiophile in Vietnam I can clarify the subject to my understanding as below:

1. Broken English (sorry no offense):
Many Vietnamese audiophile can not speak good English but they can listen to the music as well.  

2. 12-14 hour delay between communications:
This is due to time difference between US and Vietnam from 11-13 hours depend on your US time zone.

3. Start off with low ball offer and then agrees to pay within 10-15% off of your asking price:
The habit here in Vietnam is to bargain against the offered price. 10-20% counter offer is acceptable.

4. Unusual delay in receiving payments, they tend to apologize profusely and blame PayPal for delay:
Coz the shipping agent in the US need to wait for the final buyer to make deposit of the purchase item (100% of the item value + shipping fee + service fee + exchange commission) and also due to time differrence and banking day difference it would take some delay.

5. They will ask you to 'absorb' PayPal fee due higher percentage charged by PayPal on intl. transfers:
I guess the shipping agent shall try to maximize their profit this way.

6. Negative, neutral or no feedback:
Lot of Vietnamese goner would have no feedback as seller because it would be impossible to sale anything from here because of custom export regulation and very few have international CC and PP to purchase and have feedback as buyer like me.

7. The address in their Audiogon profile will be either in west cost (CA) or east coast (NY):
Would it be the address of the shipping agent mainly in CA and NY or sometime the account like me who used to live in the US and now located in Vietnam.

I hope I can make you understand with my English.

Cheers

Nguyen