Attn: Recent Members ~ Read Before You Purchase!

ridewiththewind

ridewiththewind

♥ Hippie Hustler ♥
Silver Member
Hello and Welcome to AZB's Wanted/For Sale section!!

I am posting to help YOU avoid a potentially bad transaction here. There are scammers that lurk here just waiting to part you from your hard earned money. There are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

Do not be afraid to start a thread asking about others' experiences with a particular seller/buyer. DO NOT count on the iTrader rating listed for any given individual. While it can be a great guideline for most individuals, it is not without faults and can be manipulated. If you use it combined with real and current feedback on an individual, you will get a clearer picture of who you are dealing with. The good guys will never mind someone asking about their reputation.

Learn to let it go! What I mean by that statement is....sometimes the desire for any given cue/case is so great, that it blinds the buyer from the warning signs that something may be amiss. Do not let your desire override your common sense. We all get that sneaking suspicion that something isn't quite right.....listen to it!

It is the buyer's responsibility to acquire insurance. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise!!!! The good sellers will automatically include it...sometimes within the price of the item, sometimes listed separately...but it will be there. It protects them as well as you. With that said, still make sure that you make a point to clarify that insurance is to be included on the item...for the full replacement value of said item. Only the seller can purchase it, and only the seller can file a claim...so make sure you are covered.

If you have the option, pay for and use the fastest shipping method possible!!!! The less time it spends in the hands of package handlers/sorters, the less likely that damage or loss will occur. While I realize that Overnight/Express Delivery is costly these days....are you really willing to risk your initial investment upon purchase over a few extra dollars in shipping costs? I will tell you right now, having worked in the industry, that both FedEx and UPS package handlers do not give a rat's behind about yours or anyone else's packages.....they're just moving volume. Lot's of packages get damaged as a result. With both FedEx and UPS, I feel that anything less than Overnight is folly. With USPS, I always go Express over Priority Mail, but the Priority is acceptable on lesser valued items...as long as it goes out early in the week. End of the week and it will sit in a likely non-temperature controlled warehouse for the weekend. A caveat concerning FedEx Express and Overnight Delivery. Call and make sure you are not in what is considered an 'outlying' area by FedEx. If you are, they will gladly take your payment for Overnight, but your package will be pulled off the line in Memphis and held for shipping the next day. If you do reside in an 'outlying' area with FedEx, then you can have the seller indicate 'Hold for Pick-Up' under your address lines, and the item will ship Overnight and be held at the terminal/station for you to pick up in person. Remember to include your current phone # to the seller to be included with your address. If there is an issue with your package, both FedEx and UPS will attempt to contact you. This could be something as simple as a bad address.

Make sure that you get all tracking and insurance info from the seller. If the info they send is not coming up...ask for pics of their receipts from shipping.


If it's a lot of money involved, do not shy away from using an Escrow service. The fee is usually nominal for the peace of mind it can instill. An escrow service receives the item and monies first, typically a cue. They then inspect the item for any damage or other issues that may not have been disclosed in the original ad. If all is well, they then forward the item to you, and the monies to the seller. If it is not, then the item is sent back, and your monies refunded. Marcus Solt aka FAST_N_LOOSE has an escrow service here, and there is a sticky at the top of this section for more information.

Above all else....use good common sense. Happy shopping!!

Lisa
 
Escrow is a must! Troy "koinnkid" and Ross "Rossaroni" are both great to use and they are very fast and reliable. Great post Lisa! -J.R.
 
Big J said:
Escrow is a must! Troy "koinnkid" and Ross "Rossaroni" are both great to use and they are very fast and reliable. Great post Lisa! -J.R.
Click to expand...

Thank you J.R. for adding the others who are offering escrow here. I was not aware that both were doing that as well. Nice to see that there are options for everyone.

I remember when I was new here...many moons ago now...and those first purchases can be scary. I at least thought to contact those individuals here that I knew where trusted members for a little help and info along the way. Just felt like this is info that should be shared with newer members, to help them avoid the pitfalls that have befallen others.

Lisa
 
Again....I just feel like as an established member here, it's my turn to 'give back' what I can, and help others where I have been helped. It's not quite as nice and safe as it used to be....but that comes with growth. All part of the 'Golden Rule'.



Please, if anyone else has any other tips/pointers that I may have missed and would like to pass along, please do not hesitate to do so here. It's so much easier to be able to go to one thread for information than searching out a bajillion threads to gather the same info.

Lisa
 
Good stuff. I also recommend buying small items as you build your itrader. Don't join the forum and buy a $3,000 dollar cue, Start and see who is who and test the waters. Buy a $3 dollar piece of chalk or something like that.

I say if you see members with "CLUB membership" that's a good sign to buy from them as they will have good feedbacks and are a part of the community and are on here a lot.

Feedback is a good way to research the seller. Be extra cautious especially when buying internationally and ask around for vouchers from other members with regards to international transactions.
 
Duce said:
Good stuff. I also recommend buying small items as you build your itrader. Don't join the forum and buy a $3,000 dollar cue, Start and see who is who and test the waters. Buy a $3 dollar piece of chalk or something like that.

I say if you see members with "CLUB membership" that's a good sign to buy from them as they will have good feedbacks and are a part of the community and are on here a lot.

Feedback is a good way to research the seller. Be extra cautious especially when buying internationally and ask around for vouchers from other members with regards to international transactions.
Click to expand...

Actually, Club Membership is not a guarantee. All one really needs to become a Club Member is to pay the fee.

Sadly, some of these scammers have multiple multiple accounts. So they can actually (and do) leave themselves great feedback using their other accounts. They also leave themselves good rep points. Case in point...there is one individual here that has just recently scammed a member out of a cue. he has been red rep bombed repeatedly by various different members...he turns them all back to green within a few hours because he has just that many accounts....which is a major no-no.

Lisa
 
The buyer can file insurance claim with USPS. I did and 8 weeks later have been told, get this, "the check is in the mail". However, be clear in the transaction what is covered and make sure shipping and taxes are included.
John
 
brokenarrowjbe said:
The buyer can file insurance claim with USPS. I did and 8 weeks later have been told, get this, "the check is in the mail". However, be clear in the transaction what is covered and make sure shipping and taxes are included.
John
Click to expand...

Some post offices are better than others...you got lucky, most will not deal with the buyer at all. It can be like pulling teeth when you do not have the paperwork (receipts) in hand.

Yes, always make sure that you have terms of the transaction clearly defined. Make sure it's in writing somehow...via email or PM's. Make sure that both agree and accept those terms so there are no nasty surprises down the line.

Thanks for your input.
 
ridewiththewind said:
Some post offices are better than others...you got lucky, most will not deal with the buyer at all. It can be like pulling teeth when you do not have the paperwork (receipts) in hand.

Yes, always make sure that you have terms of the transaction clearly defined. Make sure it's in writing somehow...via email or PM's. Make sure that both agree and accept those terms so there are no nasty surprises down the line.

Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...

I actually wish to add to this.

My personal preference is to wait it out and get exactly the cue I want, to my specs, directly from the maker. Honestly, when you find the right cue maker, and forge that relationship, there really is a no more satisfying feeling when it all comes together and you get your cue. Those of us who have done this often refer to it as the 'journey'.

The internet has made cue makers more accessible than they have ever been before. It used to be that most were bound by geographical location, but this is no longer the case.

Now, with that said.....again, please do your homework when it comes to custom cue makers...they are not all created equal. There are some that can be scammers, others who do shoddy work, and others that are just plain bad businessmen. If you ask, there are plenty here eager to point the way. Pricing can vary wildly, as can waiting lists and build times. As a rule, the more established and highly regarded the maker, the higher the pricing and waiting lists and build times. But generally, you do get what you pay for. There are exceptions...but this is where the homework comes in.

Again....it is absolutely imperative that you have ALL the details worked out in writing, and that you each have a copy. Makers can make mistakes too, and the good ones are generally eager to make it right on the rare occasion when it happens.

I'm gonna say this as clearly as I possibly can.........do not pay for a custom order cue in full in advance!!!!!! When you do, there is really little incentive for the maker to get to work on it, because they already have your money. Typically, a deposit of 25%-50% is what is generally requested...depending on the depth of customization of the cue. Most 'old school' type designs are usually easy for maker to sell in the event of a default. A more custom type inlay.....say hearts for instance, doesn't have that broad appeal, and may be more difficult for maker to sell in the case of a default. In this case, they may well ask for a higher deposit.

Build times. Many makers will quote build times...and that is fine, as long as they do not miss those delivery dates by more than perhaps a few months. If there is an issue, the good makers will likely contact you to let you know there is a problem, and what they are doing to fix it. There is real time and then there is cue maker time. Some woods take longer between turns, and that is certainly a consideration when ordering. But these are all the types of questions you need to ask before you order.

If you have everything clearly defined, and there will be several emails to do just that, then you should have a great experience. If you feel uncomfortable in any way.....move on, there are lots and lots of cue makers these days to choose from.
 
Let's tackle new sellers.

Biggest mistake new sellers make is they do not include pics or decent pics with their ads. We are a very visually stimulated group of people here, and decent pics will go a long way to selling a cue or case. I tend to upload my pics to a picture hosting site, such as Photobucket, as it is free, and allows you a bit more freedom with pic size and number allowed per post.

You are going to get a lot of complaints if you do not post a price within your ad. Most people do not like a guessing game and you could lose a potential sale. Do your research and price your cue accordingly. People have clue as to most cues' values.

This is important...disclose EVERYTHING! If there are dings, dents, scratches in the butt, disclose it. Any damage, disclose it. Wobbles or rolls...disclose it. Take pics of the 'issue' whenever possible. No one is going to tolerate dishonesty with regards to an item's description. No different than eBay. Trust me, it is not worth ruining one's reputation because one was not completely forthcoming.

Keep lines of communication open...remember the deal is not done until the buyer has received their item and are happy. No communication sends up all kinds of red flags.

That's it for now.
 
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