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You've found a buyer for your cherry pitter in California, but you are in New York. How can you send him the item and make sure you get paid? Conversely, how can he be certain that he'll receive the item in good working order? A few people choose to avoid this problem by not doing business over the Internet. In reality, they lose out by staying away from a very large market for their goods.
Every day, perhaps a thousand or more successful transactions take place on the newsgroups, in addition to tens of thousands more over the World-Wide-Web and elsewhere. Most of the time, everything goes smoothly. Occasionally, however, problems arise. It is your job, whether buyer or seller, to catch any potential problems as early as possible. Thus, it is a good idea to check and double-check all aspects of a sale long before any packages are sent or before you deliver/receive the goods to/from the other party.
The Number One Problem:
Miscommunication.
Fraud is very rare over the Internet. Much, much more often, the transaction has problems because the buyer and seller didn't know exactly what was going on. Before you discuss shipping arrangements, make sure both parties know the exact description of the transaction.
If your questions meet resistance from the other party, be wary. Both parties should be as open as possible in order to complete a successful transaction. Some experienced buyers also make it a policy to call the phone number to confirm its existence for added safety, although this isn't necessary in most cases. Finally, we strongly urge you to get a current street address, even if it isn't the shipping address. In the exceedingly unlikely event that you need to file a lawsuit, this will save a lot of hassle later.
Above all, ask questions now, before the sale takes place! If you are clear on the details beforehand, and if you are sure the item will do what it is supposed to, both parties will be happier in the end. If you're not satisfied with the answers to your questions, then ask more questions, and don't be afraid to cancel the sale. If you think the person on the other end of the line may cheat you, then don't give him the opportunity.
In summary, make sure that both sides:
If you have a problem later, it will be much easier to resolve if you have this information documented. Save a hard copy of all e-mail and written correspondence.
Angel Photography
: professional photography for weddings and family.
hits since 8/06/96.