Thread: Buying and Selling On-Line

When buying and selling on-line always be careful and use caution when dealing with people you have never met. GuitarsCanada.com does not monitor and cannot guarantee transactions conducted on the site. we do offer some advise for novice buyers and sellers.

1) Check the buyer or sellers iTrader feedback. Many of our members are frequent sellers/buyers/traders. You can get an idea of who you are dealing with using this tool.

2) Check the persons post count. We have a minimum post count requirement in order to create a thread in the For Sale forum. This is one step in controlling people that just want to sign up and post an item for sale without any other participation. If the person has listed an item with a post count of under 25 then use more caution than someone with a large post count.

3) Always try to meet the person you are dealing with. If you can avoid shipping or sending money, this is always the best way to conduct a transaction.

4) If you must ship, use a "signature required" or "tracking" service. Without this form of shipping there is no way to ever prove that an item was recieved. The buyer can simply tell you it got lost or never arrived.

5) Never send cash or money orders for items. Try to use a third party service that has tracking and possibly a buyer protection service. PayPal often offers buyer protection but it is not perfect. You can also send items COD.

6) Insurance on costly items is a good thing to have. It can be costly and should be negotiated with both parties. Perhaps sharing the cost.

7) Do not put your email address in your ad. First because it will usually get picked up by automated programs that scan the net to pick them up for future spamming. Secondly, you should always try to deal with members instead of having visitors contact you through your email address. Use the PM system internally.

These are just some tips you can use. Generally, most transactions go very smoothly but there are always cases where someone will try to get away with something. Always use your best judgment when going through with a buy or sale.