Forum Buying Guide

[evo12]

Wrote this for another site. Figured it would benefit everyone.

 

Forum Buying Guide

 

by evo12

 

Online forums are a great way to obtain new and used items. Since I have gotten into this addicting hobby, I have bought, sold, and traded on various forums, both locally, nationally, and internationally. I have done over 100+ transactions on Arnies alone and more on various forums. During my time, I have experienced the full spectrum in transactions from the good, to the bad, and to the ugly. Here's a few tips to make your buying a little easier when dealing with a national board (where local meet up is not possible).

 

The first thing you want to do when you see an item that you are interested in is to read the ad and description carefully and fully. I know this sounds obvious but there are more than a handful of times that potential buyers did not read the full description, thus causing hastles. There are a couple of things you want to look for.

 

Buyer Reputation

 

There are usually areas on forums where feedback can be left. Even in the absence of such, you can get a feel of someone's general reputation by the way people respond to the on boards. Bad sellers will usually be under constant watch and scrutiny. If the transaction seems suspicious, I don't suggest you go through with it. Look up the sellers previous posts and transactions to see if it has gone through smoothly or not.

 

Item Description

 

Make sure you fully understand the condition of the item. The seller should list all problems with the item, current condition, items included, parts installed, etc. Often times sellers will take a non current picture of the item with extras included in the picture. Make sure you understand what is included and what is not. Understand the general history of the item. Unless you fully trust the seller, I do not recommend purchasing an item without a current picture.

 

Seller's Terms and Condition

The seller should list the terms and conditions. This includes what they are looking for in possible trades, shipping methods, payment options, etc.

 

On the subject of payment, Paypal is the most secure way of payment from my personal experience. It offers a medium where payment can be issued almost immediately. It also is the method of payment that gives buyers the most protection. If the seller does not ship the item or the item is not as described, Paypal will allow you to open a dispute. If the dispute is not resolved, an investigation will be opened and pending decision from Paypal, will possibly refund your money. It can also punish the seller by freezing their Paypal account and if severe enough, opening an investigation with the authorities. On the downside, paying with Paypal will almost always require you to add a 4% fee to the total cost (Paypal charges a fee to use their service). In my opinion, this 4% is worth the protection it offers you as a buyer.

 

Money order is another form of payment commonly used on forums. While it does offer protection, it is a long and tedious process getting your money returned should anything go wrong. If you choose to use a money order, make sure you either purchase a signature confirmation (seller must sign for delivery in order to receive package, also has a tracking number), delivery confirmation (tracking number that can be referenced online or through the telephone), or insurance (will have a tracking number).

 

I do not recommend payment through concealed cash or check. These offer no buyer protection and can easily be stolen or misplaced.

 

As far as trades go, I do not recommend doing them unless you fully trust the seller. This usually means sending your item first. I never under any circumstance send items first unless i'm comfortable with taking the possible loss of the item. As always, I would at the very least purchase a delivery confirmation of the item, if not insure it.

 

Whatever item you purchase, make sure the shipping method is specified and the buyer goes through with it. Always make sure the buyer sends the package out with a delivery confirmation at the least (or tracking number equivalent). Without this, you have no way of knowing if the seller sent the item out.

 

Always have good communication with the seller. Keeping in constant contact will minimize the chance of things going wrong. Inquire when the shipping date is and after that, obtain the tracking number of the item.

 

Post Transaction

 

Once the item arrives, make sure the item is in good working order and no there are no unresolved disputes. If for any reason the item wasn't as described, immediately contact the seller and seek a compromise or resolution. If everything is good then leave the appropriate feedback and make sure the other party does the same.

 

Misc.

In the event where you would like to report a seller of fraudulent activity, open a case at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (http://ic3.gov/). The IC3 is a partnership of various government funded agencies. I have in the past had to resort to opening a case with the IC3 and they did open an investigation.

 

Other than the tips above, just use general common sense. I hope this guide gives buyers a general idea of what to look for and creates a smoother transaction for everyone!

[Stealthbomber]

Gee,

Nice job reinventing the wheel there. We already have a perfectly good set of sales rules and guidelines.

 

If anybody has any suggestions how the existing rules and guidelines might be improved, feel free to contact one of the mod's and we'll certainly consider updating the current rules.