I got ripped off on US Audio Mart - Becareful!

Think you're getting agitated for no good reason. Sounds more like a flake than an impending threat.

 

WTF?

Are you serious??

 

It's an ironic statement coming from the source.

 

How so?

 

Regardless of the eyebrow-raising nature of that info, it'd be in poor taste to post it publicly but feel free to PM me if you want the scoop.

 

Are you saying he had 1526 pieces of feedback on USAM? Or that was his eBay feedback which USAM lets you import as part of your profile?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone on USAM wothbbewr that number of transactions.

Did you also notify USAM so you can do your part to prevent others from falling victim from the thief?

 

When I sell anything online from no matter which site it is everything is documented with pictures. Pictures of the component from every side top and bottom. Then I take pictures of the box from all angles as well. I also take pictures of the component in the box before closing it and taping it up.

This is beneficial for me as well as the buyer. It protects me if the seller claims the component is not as stated. It also protects the seller if there is damage en route. Having the pictures of the box can show that it was shipped with no damage. The short amount of time it takes to take these pictures is time very well spent.

 

During a phone call conversation to an eBay rep they admitted that eBay had to hire a HUGE staff just for the return issues. No tracking on eBay now means never received. The new policy on eBay is to raise the commission rates by 40% to cover the costs involved. I know a seller who sold thousands of items without tracking and not one item was "lost" before eBay's new "not received" policy. Since the policy was introduced the eBay rep implied that the rate of items without tracking is about 50%. It may be category dependent but this would be clarified by the rep.

 

Feedback on CAM and USAM can be imported from another selling platform such as feeBay.

 

On pricy items I have been taking pictures of the package at the postal outlet after the postage has been applied to prove shipment and condition of the package as well.

 

W
Aware of that but it doesn’t show up as feedback FROM USAM. All you need is an account. He could have used his sister’s eBay account. Or his good twin’s.

 

When ever I sell something, shipping with tracking is the only way I ship. And document everything. Protect the buyer and yourself for a good transaction.

 

I’m some cases, difficult, confrontational and oddly argumentative people often have unsuccessful interactions with others and blame everyone but themselves. Saying that most people are dishonest could be an indication of that very thing.

It is a dangerous would be the reality is that most guys that are into this hobby are pretty good people. It the clippers that suck.

 

Well that may be but that's for Paypal to worry about, and also perhaps any seller who is caught doing it and faces Paypal's wrath.

Me personally, I have no issue with it. Like I said, I'd rather see Paypal act with some integrity and not blindly take one side whenever there is a case brought before them. Instead they worry about how some fee is agreed to be handled by the two parties doing a transaction. If as a buyer I am ok paying the fee then what business is it of theirs? Well, I guess it is because it's in their terms and conditions, but honestly I think they've got other things they should be worrying about. Like trying to discourage fraud, be it seller fraud or buyer fraud.

 

If this helps any, my son sold something on ebay, shipped it out with confirmation. 2 months later he gets a dispute and paypal said it would take months to sort out and they took money out of my son's paypal account, putting it in the negative. Less than a week later the dispute was resolved in his favor they put the money back in. I think they tell you this longer period of time to hedge their bets.

 

Interesting thread. Bottom line is there is risk everywhere, it is incumbent on the buyer to do their diligence and use any data they can, contact the seller, do whatever you can to minimize risk, but even then there are no guarantees.

In the last six months alone, I have made purchases from HiFiDo, Yahoo Auctions / Aleado, Ebay, USAM, Audiogon, Craigslist and a couple of others. Right up front I don't think I will ever purchase from Aleado again unless I buy from one or two of the better sellers they broker for.... but that's another story I shared on another thread.

I will say I always have doubts in my mind even after asking a lot of questions, talking to the seller on sites like USAM, Audiogon mainly because there are no safeguards in place like Ebay has with Buyer Protection. Sure, if you use Paypal, there's recourse, but it can be time consuming and there are no guarantees. I have to say Ebay's push button protection ---- that is skewed in favor of the buyer these days (wasn't always that way) --- really works and gives buyers peace of mind. However, that same safeguard that protects buyers on Ebay scares the heck out of many sellers ---- you are much more prone to get screwed on Ebay as a seller than a buyer! The pendulum has swung so far to the buyers side on Ebay that sellers get screwed by buyers and have little recourse.

 

Also, I see a lot of classified adds for expensive records with $4 shipping in the USA. Do you guys actually use $4 shipping on $100+ records? I assume it has no tracking.

 

I have a big issue with somebody bagging on a marketplace when the seller is at fault. Every marketplace has bad sellers. The buyer should always beware. It's part of any transaction whether it be in person or eBay or Audiogon. If Audio Mart or Paypal didn't assist with the protections that were promised, this would be an entirely different thing. I've never used Audio Mart. But, they shouldn't to blame. If I didn't get an immediate shipping notice, I would inquire. This is especially true for hardware, where you'll likely require a signature. Specific preparation have to be made if you work away from home to endorse the delivery. If anything is amiss. I will insist that refund procedures begin. If they aren't initiated by the seller, I'm clicking buttons and writing narratives of the events.

 

All the time. And no, Media Rate is trackable.

 

Item location: Flushing, New York, United States? Pickering VSX 3000 CARTRIDGE with ORIGINAL STYLUS?

If yes, your "seller" sold you an illusion. The real seller is on ebay. Maybe the dude who grabbed your money missed to buy the item to resell it to you and now gone with your money. A small time scammer.

"This 5070 is in great cosmetic condition, I very rarely will call anything mint, but this table is very close to it. The dust cover is mark and swirl free. The KD 5070 comes fully serviced and ready to play. I took the table to my local McIntosh Certified repair shop for a pre-auction tune up..."

Sold for:US $450.00

Kenwood KD 5070 Turntable with Pickering VSX 3000 CARTRIDGE with ORIGINAL STYLUS | eBay

 

Goodbye!

 

Call them and speak to a rep.

 

Sounds like a seller issue not usaudiomart

 

Ultimately that's a true statement --- there are good sellers and bad sellers no matter where you go --- but it's always incumbent on the buyer to do everything they can to ensure that they are getting what they think they are....

... sometimes bad transactions are just as much the buyers fault as the sellers - and vice versa!

 

I've seen some less than scrupulous Japanese sellers do this. They find a desirable item on the website of a Japanese domestic used reseller/retailer and post the same item on Ebay with identical pics at triple the price. Basically
they don't have the item. That very same seller has a Yamaha MX-10000 amp on the bay right now priced at more than double ($10,000 w/shipping) what it's actually worth (probably $3800 based on Japan market price) and may not
even actually have it.