I know some of you may think this is dumb or what not, but to be honest I think it is a good idea. Say for instance a guy on this forum has only 5-30 posts and we don't know wether he is a legitimate/fake seller. No vouches from any other forum or anything. It's basically a gamble sending your money wether it's through paypal or check. (Obviously it's okay if a meetup is possible). I know paypal has the gifting option where you can avoid the 3%, but say you don't have a paypal (me) or want to avoid paying that fee, it's always a chance your taking.

Sooo.. what I wanted to know if it was possible to have a middleman? Like trusted forum members could hold payments for another person, contact the seller to ship the item out, and the trusted forum member with the money will then give/transfer/wire/ship the money to need be. It would be better having people from main points on the forum such as California, Florida, NJ/NYC area and the Mid-Western part. This may be a little longer process, but in the end you know the money is secure.

I don't know... just a thought. Don't flame me!

 

I like the idea.It would just be hard to find people to willingly do so without some kind of incentive I would think

 

That's basically an escrow service

 

good idea, but won't there be additional wiring costs and overhead when doing such a transaction?

 

^Idk ... but why would there be any incentive? Just loyal members trying to help out/look out for others

 

I don't know anyone on here that would volunteer to do such a thing. You are spending your personal time doing favors for others for free, plus taking on the responsibilities associated with a monetary transaction. You'd have to take payment from the buyer, contact the seller, follow up on shipping, confirm the item was received, confirm product is as advertised, then complete payment to seller. This is best case scenario, and an unhappy buyer or shipping error makes this process a HUGE headache. Imagine a buyer who says his rims have more damage than advertised and wants his money back, along with a seller saying the rims are as described and wants payment. The middleman would become a mediator for other peoples problems. From my experience you want to have as few people involved in a business transaction as possible, and if someone doesn't have a paypal in today's world, and is not available for cash payment and meet up, it's not a good sign. Paypal does charge 3%, but they also handle disputes/resolutions and offer buyer protection, Well worth the fees.

 

Someone with a high post count isn't necessarily a more "legit" seller. If you're uncomfortable with the transaction, don't make it.

 

^ I'd have to agree with the previous two posts. Paypal is easy and ensures a smooth process. If it seems shady, pass it up