Advice for Buyers

[Glenn Suchan]

Regarding buying "sight-unseen": Simply put, both the seller and buyer should agree to "terms and conditions of the sale" BEFORE the sale is made.

A few points to be addressed should include:
1. How the payment transaction is to take place (before shipment or upon receipt of goods). This should include the method of payment (check, PayPal, money order, etc.);
2. The buyer's right to an inspection period (usually 72 hours from the time of receipt);
3. Buyer's conditions for refusal of goods (cosmetic and or functional issues);
4. A seller's penalty fee for refusal of goods (usually this just concerns the return freight charge);
5. Where the "title to the goods" takes place (That means where the ownership transfers: at the seller's location or the buyer's. This is important in the case of goods damaged in transit. If the title transfers at the seller's location and damage occurs in shipment, the buyer will be responsible for contacting the freight company to claim renumeration. The seller is responsible if the title to the goods transfers at the buyer's location). IMPORTANT: The transfer of title to the goods is NOT dependent on who pays the freight.

If the seller and buyer can agree on these points and get them in writing (e-mails should be acceptable) BEFORE a sale is made, it eliminates most of the issues of a bad transaction. The good thing about buying through the Forum is buyers and sellers can contact each other to negotiate these terms. That is not always the case on eBay.

I've bought and sold guitars on the Forum and elsewhere using "terms and condition of the sale" and to my knowledge, no individuals I've dealt with have been disapointed or mislead. I've felt the same about the transactions.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

[Brian LeBlanc]

Words to Live By !


GLENN - Wish you had wrote that a couple of weeks ago!

( & I got a #&@$!'n mba...)

[Ken Byng]

Glenn
Fantastic advise for anyone contemplating buying second hand.

[Brint Hannay]

Glenn, that has to be one of the most useful posts ever!

I myself have bought three steels long distance from Forumites and had entirely positive experiences, without having nailed everything down as you so excellently outlined, because the folks I bought from (if you're reading this, you know who you are!) not only were straight shooters but went the extra mile beyond good faith. But your words of wisdom are really how any sight-unseen transaction should be done.