[boxthorn]

Hello,
 
Sometimes I am approached by strangers who have zero feedback and zero posts trying to buy items I've posted for sale. Is there anything I should be cautious of when I am receiving verified paypal payments with verified addresses?

 

[Asr]

Use your own intuition to decide if you should go through with such a sale. And make sure you ship with full insurance and real tracking (not the pseudo-tracking that USPS uses, but FedEx or UPS), and that the buyer sends payment as a purchase of goods in PayPal. Not as a gift, which you should never use with unknown buyers—using gift screws both the buyer & seller if anything goes wrong.
 
I generally don't sell to such people especially if the item is high-value (say over $500), but I do realize that everyone has to start somewhere. But I'd never sell to anyone who also has a completely empty profile, as everyone can at least put their location and list something that they already own.
 
In this day & age it'd be prudent to at least request a cell number which you could verify by sending a text and requesting the other person to text back.

 

[lin0003]

I don't see what the problem is if the buyer has no feedback, but I would be very cautious buying things from people with less than +5 feedback.

I recently sold an expensive DAP to someone with no feedback from another country with no problems.

 

[Taowolf51]

I don't see what the problem is if the buyer has no feedback, but I would be very cautious buying things from people with less than +5 feedback.

I recently sold an expensive DAP to someone with no feedback from another country with no problems.

 
On the other side of that coin, that guy that scammed a bunch of people out of thousands of dollars of gear (who's identity was later revealed causing him to return all the gear) had plenty of feedback, all positive.

 

[paradoxper]

Although it's against HF policy when dealing with a member with 0 feedback/posts you can (if you feel something 
may be 'iffy' though you shouldn't be doing a deal in the first place) request they send 'gift' the payment
per the family/friend option. This option essentially makes it moot for both sides, when it comes to protection and or
complaints. 
 
 
The reason I even suggest forcing a suspect buyer into using a personal method of payment is 
because PayPal's 'buyer/seller protection' is absolute rubbish. 
 
Your best bet is really as Asr suggested use your intuition.

 

[Kost]

There shouldn't be any danger assuming the payment is received and you actually have the money. When I first joined the forum I was that way, with like 3 posts and no feedback buying stuff.
 
Everybody has to start somewhere.

 

[lin0003]

There shouldn't be any danger assuming the payment is received and you actually have the money. When I first joined the forum I was that way, with like 3 posts and no feedback buying stuff.

Everybody has to start somewhere.

Ah, me too at the start of this year...

 

[Akabeth]

  Hello,
 
Sometimes I am approached by strangers who have zero feedback and zero posts trying to buy items I've posted for sale.
...
Is there anything I should be cautious of when I am receiving verified paypal payments with verified addresses?

 
Well there are always risks with online trading and you're talking about two different stages here. From my experience both should be context specific like customer location (are they overseas?) and obviously the amount of money involved.
 
I'd say as item value goes up, buyer and seller should get in contact with each other regardless of their history (feedback rating etc). You should be able to sense very quickly if the other end isn't able to satisfy the deal.
 
Good luck.

 

[boxthorn]

Thank you all very much for the advices. The trade went through well without a problem, and the buyer now has a feedback to start from. Thanks.