members with no feedback?

Feedback or not, NOTHING beats a phone call to sense the ''personnality'' of the buyer. If I stumble on anything looking (meaning mostly sounding) like a wheeler-dealer fast-talking mister know-it-all, that's all I need to go to the next contestant. Very subjective of course, but it has worked for me so far.

If I was buying from a seller with zero feedback, I'd ask him to ship the item to me first, then I would pay. If he would ask why, it would be very simple...

"You have zero feedback, I have over 300. I have proven my trustworthiness, you have yet to demonstrate yours." If he didn't like that, I'd just move on.

After all, we aren't dealing with a store where you always plunk your money down first, and where you have recourse. There is simply no reason that you need to send the money first in this case.

Schipo

When you joined Audiogon did you start with feedback? There is always a starting line.

Hhh
I feel more comfortable when a seller has feedback going back a couple of years. If I see one new with no feedback and asking for payment only in the form of a personal check or money order I slink away. Hey its human not to trust their are many a scam artist.

While I have spoken on the phone on some transactions, I find phone conversations a bit sketchy. 99% of my transactions (and I've had a number of them) have been without phone conversations, 1% with phone conversations. Too often, I'm afraid the folks I've spoken to I'd rather not have spoken to. (some strange folks out there!) But if you are buying from a person w/o feedback you're sort of stuck with the need to establish their credibility as a legitimate seller.