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Sellers Beware!!!

Folks, 

I am wondering if anyone else here noticing the latest trend on Audiogon. I have been approached by buyers in Vietnam to buy my listings. I have gotten at least dozen offers in last month or so, they are pretending to be US based buyers, with US address and do not disclose their actual location until you have accepted the offer.  I have already declined two confirmed offers as soon as I figured out their true identity. The US address being provided on Audiogon is either a local business shop run by Vietnamese native or a 'friend' address. I googled the address and called the local address listed on Audiogon. It turns out to be small business shop and the owner had no idea about the sale or the product he is about to receive in next 2-3 days. 

The icing on the cake, the buyer gets bent of shape when you point out these last minute surprises and then try shift the blame on us that we are not very 'trusting'. Go figure! 

I am outlining some of the things that were common in my dealings, 

1. Broken English (sorry no offense)
2. 12-14 hour delay between communications
3. Start off with low ball offer and then agrees to pay within 10-15% off of your asking price
4. Unusual delay in receiving payments, they tend to apologize profusely and blame PayPal for delay
5. They will ask you to 'absorb' PayPal fee due higher percentage charged by PayPal on intl. transfers
6. Negative, neutral or no feedback
7. The address in their Audiogon profile will be either in west cost (CA) or east coast (NY). 

This thread is not intended to target a certain race or nationality, the sole purpose of this thread is to create awareness against the 'sneaky' buyers. I welcome all buyers, domestic or international and wish them a hassle free buying and selling experience on Audiogon. 

128x128lalitk
knghifi
1,668 posts
 
lalitk OP115 posts02-12-2016 5:08pmknghifi..... where is the problem? 

The problem lies with people being not upfront and honest. How would you treat a 'business deal' where buyer is coming across as 'sneaky'.  This gentlemen i dealt with had different email addresses, negative feedback, 3rd party paypal account, the shipping addresse had no knowledge of the shipment. Not to mention the additional loss of 1% in PayPal international fees.
With internet, there are no borders or clue who is behind the screen and on the keyboard.   It's the new world so deal with it or stay off.  I think it's great with a larger pool of potential buyers and sellers but have to more careful.

 I'm not advocating dealing with everybody including scrumbags.    If you asked the right questions,  suspicious of his representation and red flags, why did you deal with him??      Ultimately you made the business transaction so deal with it and learn from it.   You can't blame global warming.   Unfortunately sometimes we all have to learn from our mistakes.

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coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
693 posts
 
"as long as payment clears paypal, and I ship to US address, I am not concerned where the actual owner to be  lives.."

This! What Vietnamese doesn't have a US contact, or family member. Have that member pay for the item, you ship to them. They choose to ship to Vietnam, or anywhere in the world, it's their business, not yours. You're not responsible for an item shipped elsewhere after it's been received in the CONUS.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
If you use caution it can be all right. I sold a tonearm to a man in Austrilia who was listed as a facualty member on a univ and was as I could tell by our discourse. Went fine. Sold a cartridge to someone in France, took a couple of weeks for the post office to get it there but they did in time. But have avoided some ones in Hong Kong. And one in Russia. 
inna
7,228 posts
 
I will only consider selling to those who participate in discussions here and who don't say too much nonsense, from my point of view. But no Asia, Central and South America, Africa or Oceania, except New Zealand of course. Greenland may be okay, I might also make an exception for Japanese. Middle East on case by case basis but no tube electronics, period.
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