Paying a private seller for an item

[cliffords]

I may buy an item c£330 from an advert on a motorcycle forum .
Its not on e bay or any type of official selling platform so how can it work for me and the seller ?

I don't know the seller they don't know me . We agree a price and I send them my address , they provide bank details and I pay .
I wait and see ?

Is there a better system that gives any type of protection for either of us ?

Thanks

[Sporky]

Escrow?

[venster70]

PayPal Goods & Services, however there is a cost.

[Sporky]

venster70 said:

PayPal Goods & Services, however there is a cost.

And only protects the buyer. No sane seller would agree to it.

[Spare tyre]

Is it possible to collect it and pay with real money

Rules out a lot of drama

[cliffords]

Spare tyre said:

Is it possible to collect it and pay with real money

Rules out a lot of drama

Its 6 hours each way unfortunately.

[Palmela]

Presumably the seller wants to sell and you still want to buy, so why not just transfer the money to his account and then he sends it to you? Sure, there's a risk he's a scammer I suppose but the vast majority of people aren't. Are you in danger of over-complicatibg this?

[ARH]

If the seller has a bit of history on the forum then I would say he's honest. If he just joined then may be concerned.

[Chicken Chaser]

Where is the item OP and what are you buying? Maybe another PHer could carry the transaction out in person? I'm not suggesting that this bunch of rag tags are any more honest but may be able to help.

[scotlandtim]

If you're both sounding like decent people I am happy to do this kind of transaction.

Generally as a buyer I would ask him for his phone number with a wee message like - Just so I can speak to you before transferring the money.

If he's not happy to give you his mobile number then walk away. If he is, then call him up, have a 2 minute chat, and you'll soon have an idea if you're happy to take the risk and put some money in his account.

Ive done this a few times, once nearly transferred about £400 for a gearbox, then decided i wasn't happy - messaged the guy saying " just like to chat first to touch base with you" Got a weird message back saying "I can't talk due to cancer at the moment" So asked for his mobile so I could TXT him, "i can't txt either.." so i walked away!

[Doesitdrive]

Spare tyre said:

Is it possible to collect it and pay with real money

Rules out a lot of drama

This, the only safe way and the way it was done before big business told us we should all stay at home.

If you want it or need it go and get it, if it is far away tak3 the other half for a weekend away. Mine appreciates it when I do just that.

[bobtail4x4]

or find a mate/PH ,member locally,

years back I got a mate to collect bumpers for a RR from Bristol, he turned up in a rough area with 2 mates,
seller also had 3 mates,

says had I gone alone I would probably have been robbed,

I met him a month later and bought him beers,

[Somebody]

cliffords said:

Its 6 hours each way unfortunately.

Can you not both meet in the middle? I once sold a watch at motorway service station, meeting the buyer there and he made a bank transfer. I did ask for a small amount by bank transfer before meeting him, like a tenner.

[EdmondDantes]

If you want the item, ask for his bank details and transfer it if your bank does verify the recipients name.

If you pay and don’t receive anything contact your bank explain what has happened and they can raise a dispute with the other bank. Very common thing these days.

[BunkMoreland]

EdmondDantes said:

If you want the item, ask for his bank details and transfer it if your bank does verify the recipients name.

If you pay and don t receive anything contact your bank explain what has happened and they can raise a dispute with the other bank. Very common thing these days.

If that was true bank transfer scams wouldn't be a thing! A friends wife recently got scammed and transferred money to the scammers account. The bank said "sorry, nothing we can do"

Transfers are the least reversible way to do things if the other person decides not to send your purchase!

Paypal is the best. And if someone doesnt have a paypal account. Id question that

[HHZ]

I'm not sure why you'd question someone not having a PayPal account. I don't have one.
I've bought and sold quite a few bike accessories; generally I'll chat to the purchaser beforehand and decide if they look legit. So far, touch wood, I've not been bitten.
I have agreed to sell some panniers recently. Quite high value but the buyer is happy to come to collect, and treat his wife to a weekend away.

[chip*]

When I was buying my Exige, I was liaising with my seller who lived in Nigeria! Paid him fully upfront too with an agreement to pick up the car after servicing at the nearest Lotus dealer which was Edinburgh at the time.
Disclaimer: I did fly up the week before to Aberdeen to view the car, and to meet the seller (a well known member within the Scottish Exige community) who recently got transferred to Nigeria as he worked in the OaG industry!

[The Gauge]

Somebody said:

cliffords said:

Its 6 hours each way unfortunately.

Can you not both meet in the middle? I once sold a watch at motorway service station, meeting the buyer there and he made a bank transfer. I did ask for a small amount by bank transfer before meeting him, like a tenner.

He doubt the seller would make a 3hr each way journey to sell a £330 item.

[Doesitdrive]

If not prepared to do the distance then you are going to have to find some trust if you want the item.
Sadly lacking from society today.

I have sold cars and delivered them very long distances without a deposit, you get a feel for a person talking to them on the phone.
Sadly many only message , talking seems to be a thing of the past lol.

Fear of being scammed and mistrust is obviously the future .

[bernie_eccle]

if the item isn't too big, get them to stick it on Vinted. They can then drop it off at a locker and you can then collect locally. Costs the seller nothing and will probably cost you less than Royal Mail postage. Some buyer/seller protection is built in.