Purchase on Audiogon arrived not as described

+1 @riccitone. if in fact it went down the way the op states, which i've no reason to doubt, it's remarkable how cheaply some people will sell their dignity. the speakers would have to be worth at least two grand before i'd be tempted to cheat.....

When I sell speakers, turntables, amps, dacs, I always have the buyer show up in person with cash.

That is an incredible high bar, especially since many people keep original packaging, buy insurance, etc. It would result in many being unable to sell their equipment. Glad it works for this person, but he's a distant outlier to what is or can be done.

Dress the astrological chart of the days ...And your and compare ... Selling or buying...

I am half serious...😁

😊😊

i bought a heavy amplifier, my best one at low price , i wanted it strongly from across the continent , it is impossible to buy only from known sellers ...

At the end of the day we must be cautious but it is lucky day or not ...

And some purchase matter way more than others and will affect our life or not so much if we add this device or not ...

Then there is an aspect way over the mere material transaction ...

It is like the ripples of a stone in a pound affecting or not the river bank ...

Yes i know, i am not very practical here... 😊 or perhaps after  heavy thinking i am much too practical...

That is an incredible high bar, especially since many people keep original packaging, buy insurance, etc. It would result in many being unable to sell their equipment. Glad it works for this person, but he's a distant outlier to what is or can be done.

Agreed - good packing does an incredible job protecting gear. Most factory packing these days is excellent. There's no reason to shun or fear UPS / FedEx shipment of most audio components. I know there are horror stories for any carrier, but I've yet to observe a "fault" on their part, in hundreds of transactions. It always comes down to your packing quality. Things get a bit more dicey on amps & speakers over 100 lbs each - at which point you may want to go freight / pallet, or go for a local sale and either plummet the ask or wait an eternity. 

Open cell polyurethane foam is the best packing material up to a certain weight / stress limit, then you need to shift to closed cell polyethylene foam. These are the BEST general materials for shipping. Use plastic wrap to keep everything tight and protect surfaces. Peanuts and/or bubble wrap are good only for the very lightest loads. I HATE polystyrene because it fractures too easily - I use it only when I need to get rid of the stuff, and only if its fracturing won't risk anything. 

As a seller & buyer in equal measure, I feel it's 100% the seller's responsibility to guarantee a safe arrival and non-DOA.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. 
I always ask for pictures of what I’m buying before I send money. I had an awful experience with KEF and because I had pictures of the boxes still on the skid on my and pictures of the unpacking and pictures of the speakers set up,  After a FULL YEAR, I got them replaced.
 

All the best.