Is this a good way to go with a seller with little or no feedback? I want to make a purchase for a few hundred bucks, and want to make sure I get the item, and that it's as described. Has anyone here used it?

 

Personally, I would not use any escrow service. Use PayPal and the buyer guarantee (which would not apply to a new seller) for big ticket items. Otherwise skip the item, especially computer type items, the risks and hassles are not worth any savings unless it is the only item left in the world, imo.

I have 100 sales and two negatives, one from an idiot and one from a dishonest selller that tried to take advantage (nice way of saying it) of me over an illegal $15 CD. Out of 4 things I have bought (I mostly sell) I have only had one sale completed where I got what was advertised.

 

I used the service to get an engine off of a squirrelly Ebay seller. It worked OK, but you BOTH have to agree on the parameters of the Escrow, which can be hard to do if you are dealing with a numbnut.

 

Rebocardo, why would you NOT use an escrow service?

GeneStoner, I have emailed and phoned a seller about using the service. Talking to this guy, getting his home address and phone # on a web search, and having him agree to using the service made me feel that he was at least not going to just take my money and disapear. Anyone who seemed "squirrelly" with bad or no feedback I would just avoid.

Anyway, if someone does send you a box of broken junk, and you send it back, what happens if the other guy disputes your claim that you did not get what you paid for?

I'm thinking that if they agree to the service, they probably plan to send the item that was described. Logical?

I also suspect that anyone can set up a one time account, and just rip people off if they want to, with little risk. That's why I want to learn about protecting myself.

Thanks for the replies.