Selling cues safely?

[mjdoutdoors]

I have a couple of high end cues I want to sell by posting them here online (like AZ For sale items and FB). However I am nervous about not getting paid or scammed. The buyer will get the cue just like I promise, as I will not cheat anyone, but I want to make sure I get paid. How do experts here on AZ that sell cues often go about selling safely? I know PayPal can hold funds but I am not sure how that works. I bought something direct from the seller awhile back using Pay Pal and I remember I had to release the funds when I received the item. That seemed safe. Looking for advice.

Reply

 

[bbb]

consider using escrow services

 

[GoldCrown]

How high end? Have a written agreement. Wire transfer? …however let’s make sure the buyer is protected.

 

[dendweller]

I have a couple of high end cues I want to sell by posting them here online (like AZ For sale items and FB). However I am nervous about not getting paid or scammed. The buyer will get the cue just like I promise, as I will not cheat anyone, but I want to make sure I get paid. How do experts here on AZ that sell cues often go about selling safely? I know PayPal can hold funds but I am not sure how that works. I bought something direct from the seller awhile back using Pay Pal and I remember I had to release the funds when I received the item. That seemed safe. Looking for advice.

Reply

I think the concern is usually in the other direction. The norm is for the buyer to send the funds before the cue is delivered, at least, I've never had someone offer to send it and I could pay later. No one serious anyway.

 

[tonyboy59]

I think the concern is usually in the other direction. The norm is for the buyer to send the funds before the cue is delivered, at least, I've never had someone offer to send it and I could pay later. No one serious anyway.

I had a seller recently with only two transactions as a buyer. He had a cue I was interested in, but I was reluctant to send him funds so, he sent me the cue for inspection. Turned out the cue was better than I expected so I sent him what he wanted for the cue.

Was one of the best transactions I came across in a while.

 

[bbb]

I had a seller recently with only two transactions as a buyer. He had a cue I was interested in, but I was reluctant to send him funds so, he sent me the cue for inspection. Turned out the cue was better than I expected so I sent him what he wanted for the cue.

Was one of the best transactions I came across in a while.

That definitely is the exception not the norm

 

[lakeman77]

what dendweller said

 

[bbb]

I have a couple of high end cues I want to sell by posting them here online (like AZ For sale items and FB). However I am nervous about not getting paid or scammed. The buyer will get the cue just like I promise, as I will not cheat anyone, but I want to make sure I get paid. How do experts here on AZ that sell cues often go about selling safely? I know PayPal can hold funds but I am not sure how that works. I bought something direct from the seller awhile back using Pay Pal and I remember I had to release the funds when I received the item. That seemed safe. Looking for advice.

Reply

you have a zero trading record (as best as i can tell)
i would be nervous doing a deal with you (as the seller) since you have no history
on the otherhand
tonyboy 59 above has over 100 positive feedback transactions
i personally would not send a cue first to him or anyone else but his history would make me feel less nervous if i did send the cue first
for you i still favor you considering an escrow service
jmho
icbw

 

[Mr. Bass Man]

In my opinion it's always a gamble unless you are in person. I bought a cue that the seller didn't know had been refinished. Upon close inspection I could tell and it needed to be refinished as the one that had been attempted was sub par but decided to keep the cue because it was rare and played phenomenal. I didn't ask for any reimbursement of any sort because I knew it would sour the deal and because I wanted the cue either way. Cost me a pretty penny over the asking price but that happens sometimes. I don't blame the seller either because I don't think everyone is as nitpicky as I am but these things do come up. I've also had deals go sideways where the seller just blatantly lied about the condition and forced me to go through 3rd party entities to resolve the issue and that can go both ways. My best advice is be thorough in your inspection and presentation, talk to the person on the phone, and make sure that the potential buyer is aware of any imperfections prior to receiving any payment.

 

[Das Cue-Boot]

Not that bad, really, but you are going to have to pay something somewhere. One option is eBay, where they handle the money on the transaction, take a (big) cut, but protect you on the transaction. A more do it yourself version is the unfortunately maligned Paypal (and no, have no relationship with them and am not a stockholder). If you use their Friends and Family transfer where you pay them nothing, and later have a problem they will tell you that you are on your own. If you pay them the fee associated with their Goods and Services function, they will protect you to the hilt. I've had them refund and entire transaction into my account while I was still on the phone, and they forwarded the details to the FBI since they hate scammers worse than you do. Another option would be to get a Square device and sign up with Mastercharge or Visa. Or you can use a third party as an escrow.

All options will cost you money, since someone is taking on part of the risk for you. That is essentially what you are paying for if you don't want to assume the risk yourself.

 

[mikemosconi]

I feel that as a buyer I am responsible for my trust in any seller- 95% of my 60 or so online cue purchases were satisfactory for me - you can only do as much diligence as possible - I got beat recently on Facebook by a known seller - just poorly represented- but I shook it off and invested a few hundred in the cue to make it right myself - it is the way of the world now.
In the 1960s the USPS had a service called Cash on Delivery - COD - you could open up the wrapping - look at the cue - then pay the mail guy cash - Balabushka sent cues this way!

 

[KAP1976]

Have you considered selling them on consignment. If you have, I'd reach out to Kevin Stier at Integrity Cues.

 

[tonyboy59]

Not that bad, really, but you are going to have to pay something somewhere. One option is eBay, where they handle the money on the transaction, take a (big) cut, but protect you on the transaction. A more do it yourself version is the unfortunately maligned Paypal (and no, have no relationship with them and am not a stockholder). If you use their Friends and Family transfer where you pay them nothing, and later have a problem they will tell you that you are on your own. If you pay them the fee associated with their Goods and Services function, they will protect you to the hilt. I've had them refund and entire transaction into my account while I was still on the phone, and they forwarded the details to the FBI since they hate scammers worse than you do. Another option would be to get a Square device and sign up with Mastercharge or Visa. Or you can use a third party as an escrow.

All options will cost you money, since someone is taking on part of the risk for you. That is essentially what you are paying for if you don't want to assume the risk yourself.

eBay is not what it's cracked up to be in protecting the "Buyer". Several months ago, I bid/won a cue that was not as described when I received it. I said as much to the seller he didn't budge. So, I reached out to eBay under the so called "Ebay Buyer Protection" and returned the cue. I got 2/3 my money back and I appealed. Nothing came of it...total BS.

 

[classiccues]

I think the concern is usually in the other direction. The norm is for the buyer to send the funds before the cue is delivered, at least, I've never had someone offer to send it and I could pay later. No one serious anyway.

I have extremely good customers where the latter is not uncommon. But for someone I do not know, or have not done business with, that will not happen.
JV

 

[mjdoutdoors]

I had a seller recently with only two transactions as a buyer. He had a cue I was interested in, but I was reluctant to send him funds so, he sent me the cue for inspection. Turned out the cue was better than I expected so I sent him what he wanted for the cue.

Was one of the best transactions I came across in a while.

That would make me nervous. What would stop you from keeping the cue and not sending him any money?

 

[mjdoutdoors]

I am thinking of a escrow service. Seems the safest. Any recommendations for an escrow service?

 

[KAP1976]

I am thinking of a escrow service. Seems the safest. Any recommendations for an escrow service?

PM sent

 

[tonyboy59]

That would make me nervous. What would stop you from keeping the cue and not sending him any money?

Maybe because he saw my feedback as a member since 2005...maybe it was several conversations over the phone only to discover that we grow up in the same area but at different time periods or he had a good hunch about my demeanor, disposition and integrity (21+ years active Air Force).

Sometimes you just know...he offered the terms and I accepted.

 

[bbb]

Maybe because he saw my feedback as a member since 2005...maybe it was several conversations over the phone only to discover that we grow up in the same area but at different time periods or he had a good hunch about my demeanor, disposition and integrity (21+ years active Air Force).

Sometimes you just know...he offered the terms and I accepted.

thank you for your service...... (best emoji's i could find)

 

[Ken_4fun]

1. Escrow.....there are several.
2. Have them send funds and wait for money to clear before sending cue.
3. Allow them to return cue for refund within 48 hours and they pay for shipping both ways. If cue is returned in same condition, refund money.

Ken