I just want to say....I've done lots of transactions through many different forums, deals ranging from a couple bucks to a grand.....and I have
never seen such a paranoid group as I've seen since I joined this site LOL
If someone's uncomfortable using an escrow service they
must be scamming or lying about the condition....and we should publicly call them out and ruin their rep for future sales? C'mon, really?
I laugh when I see people here say they expect someone to send them the item first before payment is sent. Not a chance in hell, thanks.
Wanna ask to use an escrow service? Sure, no problem.....but if you're requesting it, you're covering 100% of the additional fees, or no deal. Not because I'm being dishonest, but because I refuse to be out of pocket for your paranoia and distrust.
If we can't come to an agreement on the terms of a sale, no problem. Smile, shake hands and walk away (so to speak). I'd have no hard feelings and I certainly wouldn't expect to be called out later as an untrustworthy seller just because we have different preferences for how to do business.
Even without an escrow service, there are 10x more safety nets in place for buyers than there are for sellers. Pay through paypal, funded by a credit card and your credit card company will back you up, paypal will side with the buyer almost to an unfair degree. Only send paypal as a payment for an item, NEVER AS A GIFT, and only send to a verified address. If they've confirmed their identity and shipment is made through the US postal service, if you really get screwed it's mail fraud, a federal offense and you have their verified name and address.
The fact is, you're more likely to get shafted in a deal where you're the seller than when you're the buyer....if you take the time to learn how to properly fight a dispute