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Payment Questions?

simonclarke

Registered
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
145
Location
Birmingham
What is the usual method of payment on here? When collecting I presume cash but what about when using Martin/couriers?
 
If you frequent the site you get a feel for the people on here and if they are a trustworthy person. I wouldn't send money to someone who had just registered and was selling a Pin, or anyone I wasn't confident about.

There's always a risk, you just have to weigh up that risk.

Collection in person is always the preferable option but that isn't always possible.
 
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Obviously you are new to the forum and don't know who to trust so ask on here if in any doubt. This is a great forum but without knowing who's who it can be a little scary.
If you have been contacted by a member or have contacted a member to buy a machine then ask away on here if anyone can vouch for said member, most members know each other and will let you know who you can and who you can't trust.
Ask away .
 
Do some due diligence on the person, is it someone who has been a long standing member in the community. What have they sold and bought before.
To post an advert, they have had to donate to the forum so we know they exist and have some sort of PayPal account.

Most of us have had the same concern when buying our first or every pin. Pretty much all of mine have been from this site, bank transfer and then delivered by Martin.
 
Obviously you are new to the forum and don't know who to trust so ask on here if in any doubt. This is a great forum but without knowing who's who it can be a little scary.
If you have been contacted by a member or have contacted a member to buy a machine then ask away on here if anyone can vouch for said member, most members know each other and will let you know who you can and who you can't trust.
Ask away .
Vouching is truly appreciated. Obviously the buyer takes the risk regardless; but I didn't know if the forum has any issue with asking on a seller. Thankfully, that's not the case. Thank You.
 
Nothing beats the first time your Mrs says ‘what the hell do you mean you’ve transferred 5k to a guy on an Internet forum you’ve never met for something that won’t arrive for weeks and will be delivered by another guy you’ve not met. This sounds way too dodgy’
These days she doesnt even flinch apart from a sarcastic ‘another one’
🤣
I’m normally at work when Martin comes and I leave a key out and he lets himself in 😳
 
Presume it's always been safe then :)

No issues so far other than a £100 deposit paid to me by a buyer who then ceased all contact with me. I didn’t mind as I spent it on a nice shaker motor for Metallica!
Any doubts just ask away on the forum, I’ve been very well looked after so far since joining just over a year ago [emoji106]


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Nothing beats the first time your Mrs says ‘what the hell do you mean you’ve transferred 5k to a guy on an Internet forum you’ve never met for something that won’t arrive for weeks and will be delivered by another guy you’ve not met . This sounds way too dodgy’
Second that. It is exactly what we do. But we are also quite good at spotting the dodgy ads. And at looking after each other.
 
Yeah - it's a pretty decent bunch here to be honest, but if you don't know you can just @ the person and people will be honest. It is scary transferring money, even now if I don't know people on here (and I "know" the regulars" as it were) I still ask about a bit.
 
The other thing to say is that nobody will get upset if you are asking for someone to vouch on a seller. And if nobody comes forward, think twice.
 
100% what everyone else has said but also if you are using Martin don’t freak out about timing and radio silence. Both are standard practice. You’ll probably find yourself transferring a large sum to someone you’ve never met and then being told “maybe collection will be this week but January is also a possibility”.
 
Martin may pick up / pay cash on your behalf but most sellers would still want a deposit. Often buyers transfer cash as martin arrives. Risk here is bank shenanigans if money doesnt clear promptly
 
Cash on collection or bank transfer only for me. Tbh when you’re starting out in the hobby I’d suggest cash on collection every time as then you get to meet other members as well as see the machine yourself before paying.
 
Cash on collection or bank transfer only for me. Tbh when you’re starting out in the hobby I’d suggest cash on collection every time as then you get to meet other members as well as see the machine yourself before paying.
Distance being the biggest problem for most of us and even more so if we don't drive.
 
I wouldn’t even think about distance as you could miss out on a lot of deals, I’ve driven crazy distances to pick up games and gotten great deals and/or really rare games because of it 👍 Not being able to drive is a bigger issue though 😁 Martin is going to be your best bet and buying off a well known and trusted member on here the way to go.
 
I wouldn’t even think about distance as you could miss out on a lot of deals, I’ve driven crazy distances to pick up games and gotten great deals and/or really rare games because of it 👍 Not being able to drive is a bigger issue though 😁 Martin is going to be your best bet and buying off a well known and trusted member on here the way to go.
Exactly, I've yet to speak to Martin but only heard good things. I'll make a bank transfer as that's what is recommended as I can't ask a stranger to pay cash on my behalf. Just be a nervous wreck for the week lol
 
I agree with everything said here, I’m happy doing bank transfers for known members but your alternative option is to pay via PayPal on basis buyer pays the fees - like an insurance premium.
 
I agree with everything said here, I’m happy doing bank transfers for known members but your alternative option is to pay via PayPal on basis buyer pays the fees - like an insurance premium.
I'd be happy doing that, but that can be risky for the seller, not to mention stuck in PayPal for them.
 
I dont think many people on here would accept PayPal from a stranger for a pin, too much risk of an issue and paypal siding with the buyer, leaving you without a pin and without any money.

Same advice everyone has given, buy from here, ask about the seller (you'll get an honest opinion on here, and the seller won't mind at all) then you've got less to worry about, when you send your cash to a stranger.
 
I dont think many people on here would accept PayPal from a stranger for a pin, too much risk of an issue and paypal siding with the buyer, leaving you without a pin and without any money.

Same advice everyone has given, buy from here, ask about the seller (you'll get an honest opinion on here, and the seller won't mind at all) then you've got less to worry about, when you send your cash to a stranger.
Indeed, collection and PayPal don't go very well together unless it's a signed transaction which then would make cash in person the more logical option.
 
I generally use Martin as a guide. If someone has been in the hobby a while and regularly uses Martin for delivery you can normally ask him if he knows the seller and i get reassurance from that. As you’re new, i’d say speak to the seller and arrange for payment when Martin arrives to collect and most would be cool with that. Martin was collecting from me on Tuesday and my buyer was an ebay buyer who didn’t know me or Martin, so i said I wouldn’t expect any money until Martin was here and I FaceTimed him as Martin was loading it so he seen it leaving me. Then by the time i had a chat with Martin the buyer had paid so all was well. Slight gamble there at my side as I didn’t know for sure whether the ebay buyer was a time waster but after chatting to the guy i got a feeling he was genuine so went with it. I think most people would be happy to let you do similar regarding payment so long as you use Martin. I wouldn’t have been comfortable if a random courier loaded it onto their van and the money wasn’t cleared in my account. With Martin i knew if there was delays with the transfer I could call Martin and give him the go/no go decision if the payment didn’t clear. Generally buying from a member on here who has been here for years is more than enough to give me confidence in buying from them.
 
I generally use Martin as a guide. If someone has been in the hobby a while and regularly uses Martin for delivery you can normally ask him if he knows the seller and i get reassurance from that. As you’re new, i’d say speak to the seller and arrange for payment when Martin arrives to collect and most would be cool with that. Martin was collecting from me on Tuesday and my buyer was an ebay buyer who didn’t know me or Martin, so i said I wouldn’t expect any money until Martin was here and I FaceTimed him as Martin was loading it so he seen it leaving me. Then by the time i had a chat with Martin the buyer had paid so all was well. Slight gamble there at my side as I didn’t know for sure whether the ebay buyer was a time waster but after chatting to the guy i got a feeling he was genuine so went with it. I think most people would be happy to let you do similar regarding payment so long as you use Martin. I wouldn’t have been comfortable if a random courier loaded it onto their van and the money wasn’t cleared in my account. With Martin i knew if there was delays with the transfer I could call Martin and give him the go/no go decision if the payment didn’t clear. Generally buying from a member on here who has been here for years is more than enough to give me confidence in buying from them.
This is excellent advice. I really need to sort online banking out.

What I'm most likely going to be doing is purchasing from Ronnie63 as long as his mind doesn't get changed about the machine when he does eventually get round to selling. As far as I can tell, a long time user and genuine bloke.

May I ask as you've used Martin before. How he operates? Just to the door of the building or up a flight of stairs to apartment etc. I presume, maybe naively, he'd accept cash on delivery. I mean he'd have the asset.
 
It is between the buyer and seller payment methods but generally if Martin is coming to collect, or if the buyer wants it - BANK TRANSFER. I would not want to mess about with waiting for Martin to facetime etc. That is not always possible due to internet connections. Then what if it takes 2 hours plus to transfer money. Martin would have to leave and return.

Best way is to get a van and collect yourself. You are near me (I did ask you but not sure you replied) and I do machine collections for some customers.
 
May I ask as you've used Martin before. How he operates? Just to the door of the building or up a flight of stairs to apartment etc. I presume, maybe naively, he'd accept cash on delivery. I mean he'd have the asset.

That all depends on what biscuits you offer him and your set up. He has helped me wheel the machine up a steep and twisty path and into my log cabin. He has helped folks with stairs and certainly not just to the door step like other companies.
I have heard stories of him setting machines up for folks but he is a busy chap so let’s not keep him from the road too long.
Just let him know what you need at your end.
 
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