• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Warning about buying items “listed for Sale” by Members.

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
4,636
Likes
14,918
Location
Reality
Always buyer beware. Ask to see proof they actually possess the item they advertise. Ask for more pictures of all sides. Another solid ask to protect yourself from people who are running false sales scams. Price is too low to believe. Item is in new or unused condition. No pictures or the use of stock photos and not of the actual item. The seller is a new member with a low post count. Ask where they are located. Then if still unsure, you can ask that a Moderator check to validate that they are from the general area they say they are.

Bottom line: Buyer beware. Always insist on insurance and use payment methods that afford the buyer some protection in the case no item ever arrives.
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,202
Likes
16,982
Location
Riverview FL
"Warning about buying items from ASR"

Is ASR selling things now?
 
OP
AdamG

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
4,636
Likes
14,918
Location
Reality

egellings

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
4,005
Likes
3,245
Too bad there is not some sort of a clearing house for sales of member items. The seller ships the item to clearing house and the payer sends the remittance to the same place. If the two are as advertised, they are both forwarded. There'd be a fee for the service. It would not be perfect, since a broken amplifier looks the same as it would not broken, but at least obvious scams could be thwarted, hopefully. If a scam is caught, the scammer faces legal action.
 
OP
AdamG

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
4,636
Likes
14,918
Location
Reality
Too bad there is not some sort of a clearing house for sales of member items. The seller ships the item to clearing house and the payer sends the remittance to the same place. If the two are as advertised, they are both forwarded. There'd be a fee for the service. It would not be perfect, since a broken amplifier looks the same as it would not broken, but at least obvious scams could be thwarted, hopefully. If a scam is caught, the scammer faces legal action.
Oh hell no! If we do that I quit! :eek:
 
OP
AdamG

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
4,636
Likes
14,918
Location
Reality
That would add shipping costs plus paying for the expense of someone doing due diligence. The economics will not be there I suspect to do this.
Plus it would transfer responsibility to you! Run away……fast!
 

egellings

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
4,005
Likes
3,245
It would be a service hired by the buyer, somewhat like an insurance of sorts. I do, however, agree that likely not enough people would use it to make it work. And then you'd have to trust the reviewer, too.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,523
Likes
37,056
You don't do the shipping twice. What you do is an escrow service. You pay a 3rd party escrow service, they keep the money and when the buyer signifies he has item and is satisfied the seller gets paid. I'm not suggesting ASR start providing escrow service.

I don't know currently how things stand. There were a couple of escrow services for internet purchases a decade back. Seems one was for high end audio gear mainly. I've used them I think three times. Two at request of buyers and once as a buyer on insistence of the seller. Fees suck of course, but you do get piece of mind.

EDIT to add: I used this one once, and it is still in business.
https://www.escrow.com/
 

Valhalla

Active Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
110
Likes
170
I suggest forum admins to make some changes to forum rules regarding this issue. Every sale thread should have at least one photo of the selling item with a piece of paper with username and date and something like "for audiosciencereview forum" written on it so everyone will know the seller is selling an actual item.
 
OP
AdamG

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
Moderator
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
4,636
Likes
14,918
Location
Reality
I suggest forum admins to make some changes to forum rules regarding this issue. Every sale thread should have at least one photo of the selling item with a piece of paper with username and date and something like "for audiosciencereviewarts-express.com forum" written on it so everyone will know the seller is selling an actual item.
That’s a great idea for the potential Buyer to request. It is now part of the Buyer beware thread.
 

Jim Matthews

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 25, 2021
Messages
1,051
Likes
1,286
Location
Taxachusetts
I suggest forum admins to make some changes to forum rules regarding this issue. Every sale thread should have at least one photo of the selling item with a piece of paper with username and date and something like "for audiosciencereview forum" written on it so everyone will know the seller is selling an actual item.
This is sensible.

The offending ads had been lifted from other sources and listed by a brand new member with no previous posts.

This predatory practice haunts every successful forum dedicated to stuff.
 

preload

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 19, 2020
Messages
1,554
Likes
1,701
Location
California
Don't forget sellers can get scammed too. A buyer could make a false claim and obtain a cc charge back. Forum sales are the wild wild west in my opinion. I tend to prefer audiogon and eBay, and sometimes Reverb.
 

Jim Matthews

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 25, 2021
Messages
1,051
Likes
1,286
Location
Taxachusetts
Don't forget sellers can get scammed too. A buyer could make a false claim and obtain a cc charge back.
Sellers can check a buyer's profile for duration on site, activity and any commentary on their character.

Credit card companies offer the same dispute process, regardless of platform.
 

preload

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 19, 2020
Messages
1,554
Likes
1,701
Location
California
Sellers can check a buyer's profile for duration on site, activity and any commentary on their character.

Credit card companies offer the same dispute process, regardless of platform.

All very true. The only thing would add is that on ebay and audiogon you can also check a user's buying and selling history of completed transactions. Nothing is risk free, but if you're selling a $5,000 amp, and the buyer has 10 completed transactions in that price range, it may make it less likely for there to be false claims (particularly on audiogon, where buyers get feedback too). Of course, ebay and audiogon charge a fee for this "privilege."
 
Last edited:

Taddpole

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
334
Likes
453
Too bad there is not some sort of a clearing house for sales of member items. The seller ships the item to clearing house and the payer sends the remittance to the same place. If the two are as advertised, they are both forwarded. There'd be a fee for the service. It would not be perfect, since a broken amplifier looks the same as it would not broken, but at least obvious scams could be thwarted, hopefully. If a scam is caught, the scammer faces legal action.

Oddly ebay will do this for trainers/sneakers.

Saw a news article where they are testing high cost ones.

It's a weird world.
 

Jim Matthews

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 25, 2021
Messages
1,051
Likes
1,286
Location
Taxachusetts

EdTice

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2020
Messages
353
Likes
175
You can pay for things with PayPal goods and services. It's the technique I use. It costs the seller a small fee which I offer to pay. If there's a problem, PayPal has a dispute resolution process. It's not perfect (see how many complaints are out there). But it has worked for me in the past when sellers didn't deliver.
 

gvl

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 16, 2018
Messages
3,427
Likes
3,981
Location
SoCal
You can pay for things with PayPal goods and services. It's the technique I use. It costs the seller a small fee which I offer to pay. If there's a problem, PayPal has a dispute resolution process. It's not perfect (see how many complaints are out there). But it has worked for me in the past when sellers didn't deliver.

If you're in the US it may also cost you an IRS donation in 2022 and onward as PP and Venmo will send a 1099-K for goods and services sales totaling more than $600. I just sold some gear totaling 1k so sounds like I'm getting the form. There may be a way to mark it as non-income on the tax return not sure, but otherwise make sure to keep your purchase records so you don't get taxed extra on your hobby when you sell your stuff, usually at a loss.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom