Using Escrow for EBay purchase - recommended?

[Red Hook]

Hi All,

 

I recently made a large purchase on the Bay and the seller accepts escrow, if the buyer pays the fee. It's for an item over $1,000. The seller has perfect feedback in the several hundreds. Doesn't accept paypal. Whadya' folks think; had any experience using it? Thanks in advance for your input!

 

Red

[aardvark88]

Is the seller international in the UK or Canada? Use escrow even if the seller is based in the USA if the deal does not smell right.

Check the feedback history of the seller. Did he just sell 100 $1 items to 80 different clients? Feedback #s can be easily padded if someone is trying to perpetrate a fraud.

[Red Hook]

No, he seems to be a reputable dealer. I trust him. He's in Ct. I just thought it might add that extra layer of safety.

[ablue]

Hi All,

 

I recently made a large purchase on the Bay and the seller accepts escrow, if the buyer pays the fee. It's for an item over $1,000. The seller has perfect feedback in the several hundreds. Doesn't accept paypal. Whadya' folks think; had any experience using it? Thanks in advance for your input!

 

Red

 

I think Escrow is a no win situation.

I contacted Escrow a couple of years ago and asked them what if a seller sent the item off to to the buyer and the buyer returned the "item" but it was not the same merchandise or let's say you bought a diamond and switched it with a fake.

They told me that it is out of their hands and for something like that, if you feel you need insurance incase of that possibility, you would need to purchase separate insurance from a company for that possibility.

I then asked them why not set up a department where the charge may be higher but the item would be shipped to them first for verification and then ship to buyer, this way no monkey business would happen.

They never responded.

 

Escrow is nothing but a business to benefit the escrow company, and everything else is buyer beware.

[uclapeterg]

Pay for insurance through USPS and send him an e-mail notifying him "I'll pay for insurance". That way, you have a record of it.

[Red Hook]

Thanks guys....I'll pass on the escrow.