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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

buying process on market place

J

Jean-Yves Lemoigne

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I want to buy a lens set on Reduser. It is quite some money.
I am wondering what is the best way to secure the payment ?
I want to avoid any scam

Any experience to share ?
Best

JY
 
Check how many posts they have on RU. If they have a significant amount...should be fine. If they only have a few, you could always have the owner of the lens send pictures with something you specifically request in an image...like holding up a number with their hands or something simple, so you can verify the owner actually has possession of the lens. Also, pay with PayPal - which has buyer protection, or if you could pay/buy locally, even better, but PayPal does protect you. It's a little more difficult with wire transfers....takes way too long. Just keep records of all your emails with the seller just in case you do need to file a claim, you've got the proof.
 
Use a third party escrow service. In this case, a lens tech or dealer who is willing to provide this service. The dealer can receive and inspect the lens and report its condition. You pay the seller, or pay the lens dealer who in turn pays the seller, lens specialist then delivers lens to you.

Buying and selling lenses online is a crap shoot. Even with two legitimate parties, it seems to always be a bit awkward at times due to the unknown aspects of the transaction and usually high dollar amounts. The other option is to go see the lenses yourself and make the transaction in person. Not a bad deal here when both parties are in the USA. It's often the same price or less to get round-trip airline tickets as it is to do overnight shipping, properly insured. If you're crossing oceans or national borders, that becomes a different story.
 
You can also check to see if they have sold on Reduser in the past. I have checked their history and bought and sold many items on reduser. But I am still careful and rarely buy anything expensive from someone with less then a 100 posts and no past history of a sale on reduser. Hope that helps. Always use a credit card and paypal or escrow if possible..
 
Yes but you can have bad surprises with good contributors on reduser.

I bought a lens , of course during the sale process , this guy was really available by mail , almost everyday sending messages.

Now i need a document as a proof of sale, for my company. I receive one or two messages by month saying, the document will be sent when his next shooting will be done.. it's been 3 month the sale is done ..

Just no way to secure correctly a sale and no way to trust sincerely someone even if he seems well known and involve in this forum
 
There is loads of good advice already given and I have very little to add other than I personally really want to actually talk to anyone I am doing business with (preferably face to face but if by telephone I am not in a rush).. This arcane practise has served me well. If someone is difficult or untrustworthy you often get a feel for it and even with a good deal offered I walk.. Honesty can often come across when just talking to sombody. When I 1st came into this industry (only 20ish years ago) a persons word was often enough. I am sad it is no longer as it was.

Even just a couple of years ago I sold 60k worth of lenses on this lists to somobody in the LA from London just on the trust from a long phone call. Not sure anyone would do that now with all these scamming wankers about...

Please do also protect yourself fully with the mechanisms outlined above....it is just that talking to people directly has served me well..
 
I just picked up an entire RED system from a member located in a different geographical location than where I reside. Honestly, I find the most comfort actually picking items up in person. I'm not sure the distance between you and the seller, but it was a 5 hour flight for me and a few hundred in accommodations/car rental and it is honestly was only a fraction of the price of the sale. I booked my travel plans in good faith and the seller sent me part of the camera in good faith. The rest we did in person and I got a chance to see a city I've never been before. The seller was amazing though, and in hindsight, I could probably have skipped all of it and just sent money, but if you are looking for ease of mind at the start, you can do what I did.

If you buying a system or lens set, I can't see it being under $20k and the 5-10% extra for travel is almost inconsequential at that point.
 
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