Non-Buying Buyers-check's in the mail? Yeah Right

Why not list in your email "agreement to purchase" some rules which you expect both of you to abide by? Payment must be recieved by xxx, or postmarked by xxx, etc.? This is basically what people do on eBay in the text of their auction. Then, if the cash doesn't arrive by that day, your ad is still valid.

feedback for incompleted transactions does not belong in the system at all. Loads it up with excess trivia & makes the whole thing useless.

A good way to do things is to ask the buyer to send you an email when the check has been placed in the mailbox. This way you can find-the-flake in a narrower time window.

Just thought I'd mention that I experienced the opposite problem - I sent an international money order to Canada from California for payment for a big$$ CD player. The seller claimed he never received it. I belive him. Somehow, the payment would seem to have gotten lost in the mail. This was around the time of the terrible tradgedy last September, so perhaps that was somehow a factor - I can't see how, but perhaps with planes rerouted etc. Generally, I agree though - buyers claiming the check is in the mail when no check is received are likely more often than not lying.