How to buy private purchase?

[Xopher]

Hey guys, this is a dumb question but what is the safest way to buy a jacket from another person from long distances.

I know ebay has a way to safe guard that everybody gets paid and receives their jacket. But what if ebay isn't used?

What if two private people one from the US and the other from UK sell and ship a jacket. How do you all do it? Is it through PayPal? Do you just have to have faith that when you paypal them a ton of money that it they actually ship it?

 

[Fanch]

Always buy the seller rather than what he is selling.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hey guys, this is a dumb question but what is the safest way to buy a jacket from another person from long distances.

I know ebay has a way to safe guard that everybody gets paid and receives their jacket. But what if ebay isn't used?

What if two private people one from the US and the other from UK sell and ship a jacket. How do you all do it? Is it through PayPal? Do you just have to have faith that when you paypal them a ton of money that it they actually ship it?

PayPal offers buyers protection too. Look at PayPal and see how it works and what the limitations are. Many credit cards also offer buyer protection but I have never used it in a transaction such as you are contemplating. If you don't know the person or have some faith in them I'd say go the EBay route. The seller might need to raise the price slightly to cover the seller offers, but there are then protections for both sides.

Earlier today I sent another Fedora Lounge member $200 via PayPal. I have never met this guy and I do not know anyone who could vet him for me. In the end I took a chance. A lot had to do with him being a "Bartender" here and my experiences with Lounge members. I was comfortable with the risk, but other times I am not.

 

[GGinMP]

PayPal, but don’t use PayPal Gift (aka Friends & Family). That’s for sending people money, not for paying for an item.

 

[konadog]

if you're buying on this or another forum, look to see if the seller has any track record of prior transactions. use paypal proper (not gift). yes, i'm repeating what others have said here.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Send with tracking, signature required on delivery and insurance ... all for peace of mind for both of you.

 

[technovox]

As they say when buying vintage Rolex watches- "buy the seller, not the watch..." Try to check the postings and feedback with the potential seller, either here or elsewhere.
I've had good results with sellers (and buyers) here on FDL.
But if you're unsure, then as a buyer it's always safer to go through ebay. Assume there will be an increased charge for ebay fees and the security that it offers.

 

[AbridgedPause]

You've got to be careful with PayPal, even though they claim to offer buyer protection, their customer service has changed greatly over the last few years and they've kind of become a "no" company. No credits, no empathy, no investigation, no care. A couple of years ago I purchased a computer online and the company charged me twice for it. It took 3 weeks of arguing with PayPal to get my money back. Even so called supervisors claim they have no access to refund money. On top of that, PayPal charges you for transactions and they have some of the worst currency conversion rates around. A real ripoff. But in some situations, you're forced to use them.

What I do is try to talk on the phone with the seller, to get a human to human interaction with the other person. If you have a bad feeling with them over the phone or they sound shady, you should probably avoid dealing with them. If the person refuses to talk on the phone, that's usually a warning sign for me too. Nowadays with cellphones, Skype, FaceTime, Facebook Audio/Video, there's no reason the person wouldn't be able to give you a few minutes of his/her time, especially since you're about to give him your hard-earned money.

Also, insist on a tracking number. Almost all parcels come with one automatically now. And have that request in writing, like via email. That way if you get ripped off and ask for buyer protection and a refund, you've got another proof: that you asked for a tracking number and never got one, thus eliminating any excuse from the seller that the item may have been "lost".

 

[seres]

Good suggestions, AbridgedPause. Especially about the phone call. Every transaction in which I've phoned the seller has worked out well.

 

[breezer]

I once sent $2000 to a watch dealer in the USA via Paypal - 3 days later the UPS courier was buzzed into my building by a neighbour and he left the parcel outside my door. Needless to say I was shocked to find such a valuable package lying on the floor! But it all worked out fine....the dealer was a trusted forum member, but things could have gone south so easily......