need some explanations

[Bigtimer 0]

Hi Guys,

I'm new around here and seek to purchase some used gear.

I need some instructions.

If I purchase or sell gear through the classified section, how do I know I get the goods or the funds (respectively)?

how do I make sure I don't pay a couple of thousands and remain with some non flyable gear (or no gear at all, for that matter)?

well, I know skydivers are basically honest indiviuals, but accidents do happen.

I would therefore be greatly thankful if someone could refer me to the relevant section in the site or drop me (nice choice of words, if I may say so myself...) a couple of lines about the issue.

[JustChuteMeNow 0]

Check out this thread.

Buying Used Gear

Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that.

[Remster 30]

If the seller is close to a big DZ, you can usually ask th DZ riggers to check the gear for you (sometime for a small fee).

You can also ask and see if someone knows the seller where you jump. Its a small world, and personaly references work well sometimes.

You can also use some escrow system to transfer the funds, tho I've never bothered with them.

Remster

[vid666 0]

you can opt to use Paypal and use your credit card.
you can opt to use your DZO/rigger as a middle man
you can opt to use escrow service
you can opt to meet the seller. Afterall if you live in any major metropolitan area and so does the seller, and the $$$ amount is large - what's $200-$300 compared to the piece of mind ?
It's quite likely that you or the seller know somebody in the area - so you can use your friends as middle man for a face-to-face

Either way you do it - GET ON THE PHONE AND TALK TO THE SELLER FIRST - that may not give you more confidence, but that sure as hell is going to weed out all the scammers/idiots.

BSBD