Buying on the rebound and gambling

[Br1ck]

And I suspect many would have the opposite view. That is why in this day and age of the Internet, you almost have to be willing to just take a chance.

[Greg P. Stone]

Well, I rolled craps on the Ike Bacon. The seller had been on this forum for a year with few posts. He offered the mandolin in the classified section. We agreed on a deal. I paid him...

That was three weeks ago. The mandolin was supposedly shipped twice via USPS with the first shipment mysteriously returned to him without explanation. He has refused to give me any evidence of either shipment until sending me a tracking number a week ago which reports that the post office never received a package from him. I've caught him in two lies and suspect others. He promised an immediate refund and then broke that promise. Paypal has it now as a dispute.

This certainly reinforces the point that every purchase is a gamble, especially one online.

[Scot63]

Fascinating thread. I would say that, for myself, instrument collecting is one form of OCD behavior that I really don't display in other walks of life, though once upon a time I was very much into book collecting. I do have three rules for myself. First, the instrument needs to be a good deal, and I enjoy doing the research to try to determine whether this criteria is met, sometimes even more than acquiring the instrument itself. Second, there needs to be something different and uniquely appealing about the instrument; I don't collect, say, multiple A1s. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, of course. Third, if an "upgrade" has rendered a nice instrument I already own to the "never play" category, consider selling it.

[jim simpson]

Well, I rolled craps on the Ike Bacon. The seller had been on this forum for a year with few posts. He offered the mandolin in the classified section. We agreed on a deal. I paid him...

That was three weeks ago. The mandolin was supposedly shipped twice via USPS with the first shipment mysteriously returned to him without explanation. He has refused to give me any evidence of either shipment until sending me a tracking number a week ago which reports that the post office never received a package from him. I've caught him in two lies and suspect others. He promised an immediate refund and then broke that promise. Paypal has it now as a dispute.

This certainly reinforces the point that every purchase is a gamble, especially one online.

Greg, sorry to hear about your situation. I remember seeing the Bacon, it had/has the unconventional headstock shape, the completed price was low enough for a gamble. I suspect the seller was hoping for more!

[Greg P. Stone]

After fruitlessly asking for shipping information for three weeks and filing a paypal dispute he has finally given me a shred of evidence which indicates that the mandolin may be lost in the USPS somewhere, six days into a two day priority shipment. If the prepaid label record is accurate it puts the other data in a different light. Here's hoping it pops up out of limbo and is delivered.

[Br1ck]

I had a BC pick take 10 days to go 20 miles recently. Seller was going to refund, but I said let's wait. Turned up finally.

[Simon DS]

Just remember that even when it appears you have only two options, there’s always at least one other.
-like many addictions, doing nothing is often the healthiest choice.

[Jeff Mando]

I had a BC pick take 10 days to go 20 miles recently. Seller was going to refund, but I said let's wait. Turned up finally.

Good point.....in this case, not the fault of the seller, but the post office, which happens, but in my experience is fairly rare -- although we all want 2-3 day service, which should be possible, at least domestically.....