Pulling the trigger on pricey equipment

I wired $30k to a guy in Singapore for a high end turntable. He had very good feedback; much more than 30 but still a lot of money to wire to a guy I didn't know and overseas to boot. 4 days later the turntable arrived via DHL as promised. Best part is the shipping was included. Go with your gut after a long conversation, or fly out and watch them be loaded on the truck! Might be cheaper than the escrow service and more fun!

I have never had a problem on Audiogon. Everyone has been courteous and efficient and no deal has gone sour. I really do believe if you are polite and do what you say, when you say, you are more likely to be treated in the same way.

What you have to watch out for, is an A/C being taken over by a fraudster. That happened to me on E-bay about 10 years ago, my password was changed to shut me out and about $1000,000 of kit, including BMW's, Audi's, high end speakers, put on sale with a 3 day auction. Luckily I jumped up and down and waved my arms and eventually E-bay stopped the transactions.

Yes PayPal is your best option ..anything else would be complete folly. Just make sure you send money to a recognized PayPal name and address.

THis is a very interesting and valuable topic!

One takes a huge risk buying expensive used stuff that has to be shipped, whether here or anywhere. I shy away from larger or more expensive items that have to be shipped in general and look more for sellers within driving distance that are open to meet face to face as needed.

I am soaking it in and trying to learn.

What protection exactly does Paypal provide in a case like this?

Using escrow sounds like a smart option, but I have never done this. IS there a specific company /service that is recommended?

You should also check into what type of insurance can be obtained on the shipment.

If you are nervous, you could also have the buyer take photos of the equipment with a current newspaper (to show that they actually have the equipment). ETC.