So back in September I purchased a Meopta Meostar on this forum.
I broke the cardinal rules of CYA in the classifieds.
1. I made assumptions. Always ask questions. You are not here to make friends, so do not worry about offending anyone with logical and pertinent questions. A solid seller will always be willing to answer.
2. If a serial number is present, do a serial number lookup or call the item in question's manufacture regarding age of product.
3. ALWAYS ASK IF THE SELLER IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I'm not saying this will be a deal breaker if not, but the sins of a previous owner are sometimes overlooked innocently by the current.
4. As Len suggests, ask for an examination period. Sometimes people just want the item gone and will move on to another buyer if this is requested. Consider that a red flag and a crisis averted.
5. If you have a bad feeling, trust your gut. This is the one that we look back on with the most self loathing.
6. Make sure that if you are buying a very expensive product, not only to purchase but also repair, the warranty is good and transfers.
7. Communicate with the seller after the fact. Even if you are just letting the seller know you received your product, communication is key. A seller who is communicating throughout with the buyer is less likely to be blindsided with a problem. If in fact there is an issue, a solid and honorable seller will make every attempt to make it right.
I'm sure everyone has rules of their own they can add to this list, these are just a few of mine that looking back, I wish I had respected.
My current drama, now with Meopta, is still unfolding. Their legendary customer service seems to be on hiatus.
Luckily the seller I purchased from is not the scumbag kind. Although there are details I wish he had disclosed in the original ad, I could have asked the questions stated above as well as a few more before closing the deal. So at this point, I see it as my fault.
Good luck on the classified forum and remember two things:
1. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. No one forces you to send funds. Do your homework before you spend your hard earned money.
I broke the cardinal rules of CYA in the classifieds.
1. I made assumptions. Always ask questions. You are not here to make friends, so do not worry about offending anyone with logical and pertinent questions. A solid seller will always be willing to answer.
2. If a serial number is present, do a serial number lookup or call the item in question's manufacture regarding age of product.
3. ALWAYS ASK IF THE SELLER IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I'm not saying this will be a deal breaker if not, but the sins of a previous owner are sometimes overlooked innocently by the current.
4. As Len suggests, ask for an examination period. Sometimes people just want the item gone and will move on to another buyer if this is requested. Consider that a red flag and a crisis averted.
5. If you have a bad feeling, trust your gut. This is the one that we look back on with the most self loathing.
6. Make sure that if you are buying a very expensive product, not only to purchase but also repair, the warranty is good and transfers.
7. Communicate with the seller after the fact. Even if you are just letting the seller know you received your product, communication is key. A seller who is communicating throughout with the buyer is less likely to be blindsided with a problem. If in fact there is an issue, a solid and honorable seller will make every attempt to make it right.
I'm sure everyone has rules of their own they can add to this list, these are just a few of mine that looking back, I wish I had respected.
My current drama, now with Meopta, is still unfolding. Their legendary customer service seems to be on hiatus.
Luckily the seller I purchased from is not the scumbag kind. Although there are details I wish he had disclosed in the original ad, I could have asked the questions stated above as well as a few more before closing the deal. So at this point, I see it as my fault.
Good luck on the classified forum and remember two things:
1. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. No one forces you to send funds. Do your homework before you spend your hard earned money.
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