Suggestions for good buying, selling, and trading

DoctorIt

I'm working on trying to update the Flea Market Guidelines, and I wanted to include some good suggestions on buying, selling, and trading online. I want new people to not feel threatened about buying, not be shy about posting something for sale... etc, know what I mean?

Rather than me do it all myself, why don't we have a thread to discuss it?

I'll start.

Selling on Dgrin...
When I post a FS thread, I make sure the title lists the correct product name. For lenses, this can be a nuisance, but make the effort to get all the suffixes and initials correct, it makes you look good.

I like to start off with a quick sentence about why I'm selling, then get into the condition of the lens. This makes me look, hopefully, credible and friendly.

After that, I always list the price and shipping on a line of their own, so they stand out. Sometimes, reading is hard. Finally, a photo of the product, even if it is ubiquitous is a help. If you don't have the photo immediately, but need to get that FS listing off your to-do list, you can always add a photo later.

Links are helpful, to a new version, to reviews, I've done all in the past.

How bout an example?
I try to "lead" by example, so what I hope is a clean but effective FS listing:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=43774

:thumb

DoctorIt

Credibility
More than once, I've gotten PM's from folks asking how to determine if a buyer/seller is credible. Well, for starters, we've got our positive feedback thread, go check it out (click here), I have full instructions (with graphics) on how to search our forum right in there.

But what if the party is new to Dgrin?

It's helpful to provide links to feedback on other forums, ebay, etc. Sometimes this isn't an option either. In that case, I always suggest trying to get a good conversation going - multiple emails, phone calls. My thinking is that if someone is going to take the time, over a couple days to send photos, and answer emails, your risk goes down.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed (btw, Dgrin can never provide any type of "protection", just ftr), but there are steps you can take to make it better.

I always try to use Paypal. Sure there are fees, but one at least one occasion, a dispute got me my money back within 1 week.

DoctorIt

OK, now its your turn

Andy

SELLERS and BUYERS:

List your creds! Make it easy for folks to trust you. Offer your phone # if they want to talk, and give it by PM. Offer a money back guarantee.

List all charges in the advert. Shipping, fees, everything. Be detailed and explicit as to what IS included. If something is NOT included, be UP FRONT about it and say "no manual, sorry" or "bummer, I lost the hood on Mt. Hood..."

gus

If someone is new & has been on another forum for a while...ask if they will reply to a PM in that other forum to verify they are who they say.

F45

Just a suggestion!

DoctorIt wrote:

OK, now its your turn

I have a suggestion for new buyers/sellers that has worked quite well for me on 3 or 4 occasions here and on FM.
To offer someone trust and honesty when I first joined, I scanned my driver's license and emailed it to the 2nd party (blacked out the last half of the actual #) proving to them that I was the person at the address that they would be sending money or equipment. Since I didn't have any feedback anywhere, I felt that this would be a least a gesture of good will.
Some of you may disagree but since the whole concept of the forums and Ebay etc. is trust and community shared through blind faith we will probably never have an absolute guarantee.
My second or third transaction involved me sending $4500.00 (cash) overnight to a forum member because I needed to have the lens he was selling in my hands within 36 hours so I could take it with me on an out-of-state photo shoot. We exchanged licenses, had plenty of communication, he received his cash and I received my lens...plus a pretty good testimonial in the positive feedback forum! Again, not everyone will agree with my methods but I take my integrity very seriously and sometimes that requires a little risk to prove to people.
Just my opinion.

TeamSpeed

Suggested Selling Template? These sometimes work, and if posted as a sticky, folks can point new members to the template.

Title: FA/FS/FT/WTB/WTT: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Item/Product ID: xxxxxxxxx
Asking Price & Currency: $xxxxx.xx

Age of Item/# Uses (Date Code, Purchase Date, # Actuations, etc)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Item Description: (like new, chips, scuffs, warranty repaired, refurb, non-smoking?, etc)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

MSRP Prices & Locations:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fees/Shipping Disclosure (PP, S&H, Type of Shipping):

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shipping Locations (CONUS, CAN, UK, etc): xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Why Selling:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

References (ebay ID, other Forums/IDs):

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Contact Directions (PM, Email, etc):

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Images and/or Image Links

TeamSpeed

I just redid my Sigma sale using this template, see whatcha think!

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=55327

pat.kane

I like the idea of the template. I wonder if the forum allows for a form submission for the first post. That would also facilitate one of Andy's points in another thread, which was an easy way to research pricing.

I'd prefer to see the asking price closer to the top though.

I'd also like to see whether the item is coming from a smoking or non-smoking home.

TeamSpeed

Changed above per request...

DoctorIt

TeamSpeed wrote:

These sometimes work, and if posted as a sticky, folks can point new members to the template.

This thread is already linked as a "pet project" from the guidelines sticky.

Before you get carried away, the intent of this thread is to give advice on good trading practices. It should be generic, a resource that people could learn from for buying items anywhere on the web.

Please put forum suggestions in here, since that is what it's become:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=55196

thanks

DoctorIt

Here's a good suggestion: make sure you have emails turned on (it's a setting under your "profile settings")! We will never spam you, that's a promise, so you're just making it for potential buyers, maybe shy ones who don't post, to contact you.

hb1111

how does dgrin confirm sellers?
i was wondering if you guys have a way of confirming a seller?like confirm them to a credit card or something in case someone was to get ripped off...Fred miranda started charging 25.00..to speed up the site and confirm a sellers identity.....this big money items and to just get ripped off is not a joke?thanks......

wxwax

DoctorIt wrote:

its up to you to keep yourself safe.

That's the beginning and the end of it.

The ultimate responsiblity lies with the buyer, not the forum.

two slow

wxwax wrote:

That's the beginning and the end of it.

The ultimate responsiblity lies with the buyer, not the forum.

And the way it should be.

Andy

I recall my first online forum purchase, many moons ago. It was a 70-200L IS, a substantial sum. The seller had no feedback, or website. He was just a guy. I got his phone number, we talked. I asked him where he worked, he told me the USPS in a town in NJ. I rang up the postmaster, and verified that the seller was who he was, he had a long history of being a "good guy" and was highly regarded by his boss. It took about 5 minutes to do this.

You can verify anyone if you try - and a sneaky seller will show you signs (not willing to give up references, address info, phone numbers, employer, etc.

Scott_Quier

Andy wrote:

I recall my first online forum purchase, many moons ago. It was a 70-200L IS, a substantial sum. The seller had no feedback, or website. He was just a guy. I got his phone number, we talked. I asked him where he worked, he told me the USPS in a town in NJ. I rang up the postmaster, and verified that the seller was who he was, he had a long history of being a "good guy" and was highly regarded by his boss. It took about 5 minutes to do this.

You can verify anyone if you try - and a sneaky seller will show you signs (not willing to give up references, address info, phone numbers, employer, etc.

This is absolute excellent advise. In this day of computers etc, one (I) tend to depend on feedback lists and that sort of thing. The telephone is a wonderful thing!

mr peas

Andy wrote:

I recall my first online forum purchase, many moons ago. It was a 70-200L IS, a substantial sum. The seller had no feedback, or website. He was just a guy. I got his phone number, we talked. I asked him where he worked, he told me the USPS in a town in NJ. I rang up the postmaster, and verified that the seller was who he was, he had a long history of being a "good guy" and was highly regarded by his boss. It took about 5 minutes to do this.

You can verify anyone if you try - and a sneaky seller will show you signs (not willing to give up references, address info, phone numbers, employer, etc.

I've never asked for real life (work place etc.) references before. Thats a really good idea.

wxwax

mr peas wrote:

I've never asked for real life (work place etc.) references before. Thats a really good idea.

It might be.

But I'd refuse to sell to anyone who called my workplace to verify my bona fides.

That's an unwarranted intrusion of my personal life into my professional life.

Nikolai

Sid,

wxwax wrote:

It might be.

But I'd refuse to sell to anyone who called my workplace to verify my bona fides.

That's an unwarranted intrusion of my personal life into my professional life.

Do you mean you actually still have a day job? With your 13K+ posts?

wxwax

Nikolai wrote:

Do you mean you actually still have a day job? With your 13K+ posts?

For right now. :uhoh