Questions about selling safely

[victorthesixth]

My apologies if this is not the right forum

I have some questions for more seasoned sellers around here. I am looking to sell some phonographs ( specifically a Victor D) and related items; however I reluctant to do so because of fraud and because I keep reading how websites such as ebay and paypal always side with the buyer no matter what evidence the producer provides.

I have also heard stories of checks even being cleared and then being undeposited ( is that a word)with the seller being out his money.
I don’t want to be so paranoid that I avoid selling at all, I just want to be safe. Furthermore I want to state emphatically I am not accusing anyone on here of being dishonest. If anything I think the exact opposite it is true.

Thanks

VIC6

[FellowCollector]

If you carefully and accurately describe what you have to sell (including faults), support the item with as many good clear pictures as possible and wait until you receive the payment and the funds are in your account before securely packing and shipping the item then, in most instances, you should be fine with the sale. Personally, I no longer offer any of my items to certain countries but that's due to having a sufficient number of dishonest buyers in those countries.

Doug

[Raphael]

I might add that international sales in general can be problematic for the occasional seller. The paperwork, size restrictions, etc., care sometimes overwhelming. The majority of my sales are to foreign buyers, and I often spend more time on the paperwork than the actual packing.

That being said, in general, after 20+ years of doing this with clocks, music boxes and phonographs I believe that more than 99% of all transactions are legitimate and go through without a hitch. There are scammers everywhere in the world, it's a part of life, but that should never stop a buyer or seller from making an effort to steer clear of them and just concentrate on the serious ones.

Checks clear overnight these days, so that's rarely an issue any more.

Raphael

[victorthesixth]

Thank you two

Raphael

Does RL Carriers charge to pick up. I know you use their services

Thanks

V6

[Jerry B.]

I am a seller at Union but I am primarily a collector that sells duplicates at shows. I am an advocate of cash at the shows. I like cash because I can turn around and spend it. Not everyone takes cash or at least enough cash. If I am offered a check and don't know the buyer I'll ask the potential buyer for references of people attending the sale. If they can't, I won't take their check.

I've occasionally sold on craigslist. Scammers generally send texts. Scammers generally offer to buy without looking or even negotiating for a lower price. They may even offer more than the asking price. Scammers are usually a distance away and will say someone else will pick up the item. I have received what appeared to be a legitimate check. It looked like a machine generated check with valid banking numbers and account number. I suspected it was a fraud and took it to my bank out of curiosity. They called to bank where the check supposedly originated. I learned that I could deposit or cash the check. When the fraud was discovered at the end of the check's journey the money would have been reversed from my account. The same would have been true even if I had cashed the check. The amount would have been reversed from my checking or savings account. So just because you have a deposit receipt or cash in hand does not end your liability.

I am also a craigslist buyer. I drive from Oregon to the Union show near Chicago and I start looking on craigslist at sites along my potential routes. I've found that sellers are cautious about long distance buyers and they should be cautious. But I've also found that if you can have a real verbal conversation you both get a sense of the character of the person you're talking to. That goes a long ways towards a good transaction. I've completed a cash transaction with a cautious seller in the parking lot of a police station in Iowa. I've even been offered the use of a spare bedroom from another seller. Many times I'll suggest a modest deposit with the balance paid in cash upon pickup. Overall I've had nothing but terrific craigslist transactions. I currently have a Victor V with 24B horn waiting for me in Denver and a 1890's Columbia bike with wood wheels and direct drive (no chain) in central California waiting to be picked up.

Jerry Blais

[victorthesixth]

Thanks everyone

[Phono-Phan]

I have heard some horror stories about selling on Ebay. I have never had a bad experience selling or buying from members on this Forum. Consider listing items in the Yankee Trader section.

[Wolfe]

Accept no checks whatsoever. We're well beyond the point where a 'buyer' can have a legtimate beef with that policy.

[Raphael]

Thank you two

Raphael

Does RL Carriers charge to pick up. I know you use their services

Thanks

V6

Their charges are dependent upon your account, if you have one, etc. I use R&L Carriers for virtually all of my domestic heavyweight shipments and find them to be quite fair and reasonable. But for the occasional shipper they might not be as cost effective as other methods.

Raphael

[Vinrage_mania]

Selling internationally should be approched carefully because Pay Pal can and DOES side with the buyer ,in my opintion on eBay the GSP (global shipping program) is the only way to go because once it the buyer can not use the scam I did not get the item . eBay will tell the buyer to pound sand, since they open the item prior to coustoms clearing they know what shape it was at the time it left them(good for the seller) so that should alway be the default on Ebay IMHO

The downside there is eBays contract shipper ....but don't get me going on that!