AudioWeb offers the information on this page as possibly useful "helpful hints". AudioWeb assumes no responsibility or liability for anything that results from your actually doing or not doing any of it.

The AudioWeb Preowned Marketplace is a laissez faire free market. You participate knowing that although most people are as honest and responsible as you are, they are all not. Minimize your risks, give good measure and if you get burned, dust yourself off, put it in perspective and get on with your life.

If you are new to person to person buying and selling it is especially important that you review this page. It contains some simple buying and selling rules that will help you avoid misunderstandings and problems when tranacting business with other AudioWeb members.

• Caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer (and Seller) Beware!
• Assume Nothing!
• Trust but Verify!

Many (if not most) problems are related to a misunderstanding between the buyer and seller as to what exactly is being transacted. Much of what follows may seem obvious. Remember: ASSUME NOTHING!

1. Consider only selling to buyers who are registered AudioWeb members and who make available to other members a reasonable amount of contact information. VERIFY that information!
2. The Buyer can't see or handle what you are selling. Give as complete and accurate a description of the item at hand as possible. Be ridiculous about it. List every nick, scratch, fleck of rust, discoloration etc. Words like "Mint" or "Excellent" are in the end meaningless. One person's "Mint" is another person's "Very Good". Point out if something is missing that a buyer might naturally expect to receive with the item i.e. manuals, accessories etc. Make sure you know the exact model number and/or version if applicable. The best way to insure a hassle free transaction is for both parties to be absolutely clear as to what's changing hands.
3. Always check out a member's Rating and Feedback before transacting business with them.
4. Make absolutely sure both you and the buyer are clear exactly how much money is changing hands and what forms of payment are acceptable to you.
5. Make sure both you and the buyer are clear on whom is paying the shipping/insurance charges.
6. Insure what you are shipping for loss and damage with the shipping carrier. Make sure the insured amount is fair and PROVABLE!
7. After misunderstandings between buyer and sellers, the next most common problem encountered, is the receipt of damaged goods by the buyer. This is often caused by improper packing. ALWAYS double-box what you ship. Wrap the item in something protective (bubble wrap, paper, etc..) and secure loose items. Place the item in a tightly fitting box. Place the box in another box, filling the gap between the boxes with packing material. Seal the outer box securely with strong packing tape. Large and/or heavy items may need to be crated. Whenever possible use the original shipping material provided by the manufacturer. Manufacturers will often provide you with new original shipping containers for a nominal fee.
8. Send an email to the buyer specifying who, what, where and when. Get a confirmation back before actually shipping anything.
9. Ship when you say you will or contact that the buyer if there is going to be a delay.
10. Follow up with the buyer and encourage them to add a point to your Member Rating and write a positive feedback comment on the transaction.
11. Read the Buyer Tips.
12. Consider using an Escrow Service

Buying items on the Web involves a certain amount of risk that simply doesn't exist with face to face transactions. Do your best to minimize your risks. Remember you not dealing with a local store that's a short drive away and has a very liberal return policy

1. Dont send someone cash or the equivalant (cashiers check, money order etc.) before you receive an item.
2. Consider only buying from sellers who make available to other members a reasonable amount of contact information. VERIFY that information! You can only get access to this information if you are a registered AudioWeb Member so Join!.
3. Always check out a member's Rating and Feedback before transacting business with them.
4. If you have friends or family that are local to the seller, consider having them physically transact the purchase.
5. Consider asking the seller for references of people they have sold items to previously and then VERIFY them. Most audiophiles buy and sell many times, so this is not an unreasonable request.
6. Make sure it's not 3:00 AM where you are calling (see the time zone link below.)
7. Be as certain as possible that you are buying what you think your buying. See seller tip No. 1.
8. It is your responsibility to make sure you are paying a "fair" price for something, not the seller's.
9. Don't agree to buy something unless you are absolutely certain that you want it. Changing your mind after the fact will at best be a huge hassle and at worst impossible to undo.
10. Consider using an Escrow Service
11. Read the Seller Tips.

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