I seem to recall a thread which offered advice on buying from a private seller but can't find it..
Basically, a record (that has since become my holy grail) was on discogs at a price which was out of my league at the time. It had been there some months so the seller dropped the price and, upon inquiring about it then dithering (me not him), he subsequently decided to put it back into his collection but said he'd consider selling it at a later date. I subsequently sent a couple of emails upping my offer and got radio silence for a few months but now he's just got in touch today to say he's looking at selling it again.
In the meantime, I have been on a fruitless search for this LP and am really keen to scratch the itch (Ms. Needledroppin' asked me a few months ago what is my #1 most desired record of choice and I realised it was this one). However...
a) during the discogs email chain, he asked for my private email and discussions are taking place this way (dunno why but my spidey sixth sense tingled a little that it's now out of the discogs system)
b) another copy (albeit in worse condition) has gone up on discogs for a ridiculous price. Don't think they'll get what they want (they've obviously found it at a booter or equivalent and are chancing their luck) but I suspect that this has been the trigger for the previous seller's interest in selling it.
I've asked him to send pics with today's newspaper in the shot so I can verify he has it (as per advice given here in the past for private purchases) but what other conditions would you apply to ensure that the transaction goes smoothly? Pay through paypal perhaps (can get a refund if it all goes pear-shaped?) or ask him to put it back up on discogs at a suitable time that I can buy it immediately?
Basically, a record (that has since become my holy grail) was on discogs at a price which was out of my league at the time. It had been there some months so the seller dropped the price and, upon inquiring about it then dithering (me not him), he subsequently decided to put it back into his collection but said he'd consider selling it at a later date. I subsequently sent a couple of emails upping my offer and got radio silence for a few months but now he's just got in touch today to say he's looking at selling it again.
In the meantime, I have been on a fruitless search for this LP and am really keen to scratch the itch (Ms. Needledroppin' asked me a few months ago what is my #1 most desired record of choice and I realised it was this one). However...
a) during the discogs email chain, he asked for my private email and discussions are taking place this way (dunno why but my spidey sixth sense tingled a little that it's now out of the discogs system)
b) another copy (albeit in worse condition) has gone up on discogs for a ridiculous price. Don't think they'll get what they want (they've obviously found it at a booter or equivalent and are chancing their luck) but I suspect that this has been the trigger for the previous seller's interest in selling it.
I've asked him to send pics with today's newspaper in the shot so I can verify he has it (as per advice given here in the past for private purchases) but what other conditions would you apply to ensure that the transaction goes smoothly? Pay through paypal perhaps (can get a refund if it all goes pear-shaped?) or ask him to put it back up on discogs at a suitable time that I can buy it immediately?
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