Before you sell something to someone

johnnstacy · #1 08/14/2005, 09:11 PM

Not sure if this is the place to post but I had a long upsetting experience that I thought I would share so that no one makes the same mistake.

I posted an ASM G3 skimmer some time ago in the buy/sell forum. I was selling it cheap. I think $170. Right away several people wanted it so in fairness I selected the first person who wrote. I spoke to him on the phone. He was so excited. He indicated he would send the money as soon as I could get a quote to his zip code. The following day I went to fedex with his address and not only got a quote but shipped it out as well. Fed ex isn't exactly close to my house and they guy seemed decent enough. Well, I called him that night and gave him the quote on postage and told him I sent it out. He said okay. The next day he calls and tells me that some unexpected bills came up and he wouldnt be able to buy it afterall. He said he would pay for shipping back to me. Fair enough...Stuff happens right. A few days later I get fed ex tracking numbers. Cool. A few days after that, I check the numbers and they indicate they had been issued but nothing was scanned. What? How can that be. When I call him he says he delived the two boxes to fed ex and they took them. He said he would immediately go to fed ex and see what happened. Over the course of the new 2 months he told me that he filed claims with fedex since they lost the boxes. After everything was done, fedex denied the claim with no reason given according to him.
I like to think that this was a fedex issue but I am reluctant. I have never had a package go missing with UPS or fedex. I sold through ebay for a year. Tons of stuff. Never a lost package. Damaged yes....Lost never.
My advice is this. Regardless of the impretion or "good feeling" you get about someone, get the cash in your hand first. It was my mistake and while not a fortune, it caused a lot of grief.

racer69 · #2 08/14/2005, 09:42 PM

Wow! I would never send something out before receiveing payment. I really feel for you man, people are not too trustworthy if they don't have to see you face-to-face during a transaction. LOL

chadfarmer · #3 08/14/2005, 10:00 PM

get the cash in your hand first

always the table could be turned (what goes around comes back to bite)

BeanAnimal · #4 08/14/2005, 10:11 PM

I have had plenty of stuff lost in during shipping... but

Why in the world would you EVER ship anything without a payment or even final confirmation on the sale. They guy could have not wanted it after he saw the shipping price.

The tracking numbers may have been issued for an online transaction and subsuquent pickup. It is likely that the sender never followed through and placed the packages with fedex. It also may be that the package was lost, but fedex paid the shipper the insurance.

I don't want to rub it in... but you are 100% responsible for the loss. Not so much for sending a package before being paid... but for sending a package before the final price was even determined.

Bean

dirtyreefer · #5 08/15/2005, 11:47 AM

He definitely screwed you, no questions about it.

nodbugger · #6 08/15/2005, 11:54 AM

At least you know where he lives.

areze · #7 08/15/2005, 12:11 PM

yeah; Ive had a similair experience, except I shipped it after recieving payment; and he claimed it never arrived. TWICE. its wasnt a personal transaction; had to do with a personal business. he claimed it never came twice so requested a refund. unfortunatly on the internet news spreads like wild fire, and reputation is all you have. so I had to refund this guy his money. stupid me didnt get delivery confirmation.

anyway, now I never ever ever ship without money; always get delivery confirmation; and if you do want a refund for whatever reason; you dont get it untill I recieve the product back.

IMO he probably should pay you since it was lost on his end. but then again; he never really bought it, you shipped it without confirmation.

thats really too bad, business on the net is a rough game.

PS. watch his posts for a skimmer to show up in a tank pic

rufio173 · #8 08/15/2005, 02:44 PM

I feel bad for you JohnStacy, but I kind of agree w/ beananimal on this one. I would've been a little bit uncomfortable w/ you shipping it out to me w/out my consent.

It's kind of like me going to look for a car, expressing interest, and then being made to pay for the car even before I've seen the final price or negotiated my financing charges.

Of course, this guy is probably a scumbag, but you kind of gave the skimmer to him.

Peace,
John H.

ReeferJones · #9 08/15/2005, 04:57 PM

damn, you just can't do that stuff man. painful lesson learned for you.

vonodie1 · #10 08/15/2005, 04:59 PM

While I would not ship anything without being paid for it first (sometimes we have to learn stuff the hard way).

Why didn't the buyer wannabe just refuse shipment if some unexpected bills came up and couldn't afford it? Sure the seller would have to pay for shipping twice, but at least he would have had his stuff back.

Even with good vibes from people you still have to watch your back. It is sad that he said he would pay return shipping and never really did ship it IMO.

Sorry this happened to you and am glad that you shared your experience for us to learn from.

BTW: off subject here, my husbands name is Johnny!

jman77 · #11 08/15/2005, 06:04 PM

Vonodie1 is right. He could of refused the shipment and it would of been sent back to you.

Use this as a learning experience.

jarhed · #12 08/16/2005, 11:32 AM

This sucks.

As cool as you guys all are, I just cannot trust you with my money/goods until I see your payment. Likewise, you shouldnt trust me with your stuff until you see my payment.

Really sucks that fellow RC'rs would screw each other like that. Sad. Very sad.

Hop · #13 08/16/2005, 12:02 PM

Have you conducted your own investigation with the Fed-Ex fraud division? This would let you know whether he was giving you the truth or not... about filing the claims and such.

Also Fed-ex has lost one of my shipments from an on line vendor. I did get a new one shipped from the vendor, but it's been over four months and if you run the tracking number it still says that it is in transit, but no one knows where it's going

johnnstacy · #14 08/16/2005, 08:02 PM

Yes it has been a learning experience. Fed ex would not share with me the details of their investigation. They only told me that the claim he filed was denied. I don't know. It could have been worse I suppose.
LOL. Maybe I haven't learned. Today I won an auction for a 1oz Krugerrand on ebay......