Transactions on PCF (2 Viewers)

[vozy]

So I was wondering what is the traditional / safest method to buy and sell on PCF. As i've seen listings on the classfields for thousands of dollars, how are people doing those transactions? Is it all based off trust? Can you protect the money you're sending in anyway? Do people ever get scammed?

This concept is still foreign to me but I'd love to get some insight as i'm looking to purchase a chip set.

What's the process like? could someone give me a step by step or some sort of breakdown?

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Almost entirely done on trust. The longevity of a member making the sale, their overall level of interaction with the group (number and quality of posts) and their feedback score from previous exchanges and sales help the most.

If you are really worried, go with the suggestion in any of the classified ads to use Goods and Services rather than Friends and Family when buying. It'll cost extra, but that allows a form of "security" when making a purchase, particularly larger ones.

There have been a couple cases in the last decade of folks getting scammed, but those are rare, mostly because the group as a whole looks out for each other. A shady post or a sale or seller that doesn't look or sound right usually gets called out by the members here.

 

[Sparkynutz]

Also read this-
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/pcf-classifieds-rules-paypal-feedback-scams-ad-prefixes.928/

Many established vendors here like @TheChipRoom or in Deals and Offers section too. Not just classifieds.

 

[doublebooyah85]

Entirely on trust, the buyer is trusting the seller, paying before receiving chips…you can always try to use a third person to hold the money if the SELLER is a new member.

Example

John wants to buy chips off Mark. Mark has little to no record on PCF.

John sends the money to Adam. Adam is a longtime PCF member. Adam holds the money until Mark provides tracking numbers, photos of chips being sent, and John receives them.

Lost packages/damaged packages are a risk for both buyer and seller and terms of that should be discussed before sale is finalized. That’s always a debate who is responsible.

 

[inca911]

Always protect yourself if you can’t afford a loss. Pay for Iinsurance, tracking, PayPal Goods&Services, or simply deal either in~person or with known members (including using them as intermediaries). Blind trust is always a bad idea if a loss is too much risk to tolerate. Establish when ownership transfers between parties (i.e., upon tracking number creation or only when goods are received in acceptable condition). It’s still a business deal. That said, I’ve done several 5-figure deals with trust as the foundation, but still with clear ownership transfer terms and paying PayPal fees + insurance when needed.

 

[Tonysquander]

In addition to the foregoing suggestions, you can also ask the seller for references for past deals they have been involved in and talk to others who have done business with them. Longevity and interactions on PCF are important. If a seller does not want to willingly provide you with the information you need to feel comfortable with the transaction, that is a red flag in and of itself to me.

 

[Sparkynutz]

Up until a few months ago I've had mostly nothing but good transactions.
Good Feedback and Membership longevity gave me no indication I'd get stiffed on 4 recent transactions.
Obviously there are still bad apples hiding here and with hundreds of previously flawless transactions until recently.
LUCK is a good thing to have but can't always count on it.
So many things can go wrong.
Misunderstanding or communication issues, Packaging issues, Clarity of condition, Shipping issues, Payment issues.
Sooner or later they can and will happen.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Up until a few months ago I've had mostly nothing but good transactions.
Good Feedback and Membership longevity gave me no indication I'd get stiffed on 4 recent transactions.
Obviously there are still bad apples hiding here and with hundreds of previously flawless transactions until recently.
LUCK is a good thing to have but can't always count on it.
So many things can go wrong.
Misunderstanding or communication issues, Packaging issues, Clarity of condition, Shipping issues, Payment issues.
Sooner or later they can and will happen.

I told you I'm not paying you. You think you can insult Springsteen and still expect me to give you my money?

 

[Sparkynutz]

I told you I'm not paying you. You think you can insult Springsteen and still expect me to give you my money?

You did pay me lol. It was $14 lol little peanuts

 

[ChipMonster]

I’ve only had one negative experience on PCF from an EU sample set purchase that was lost in the mail. I get that it happens but the seller pretty much dropped conversation down to zero which was frustrating. At the end of the day he refunded half of the money which I guess was fine enough for me to wash my hands of it and move on. I have no idea if the chips were ever returned to him or not but he never reached out. Needless to say, I try to avoid non-US deals now. The funny part is that it seemed like everyone else had positive feedback with this person.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

To actually add to the conversation, I've sent and received 80+ packages and only had one bad experience. The seller was rude, product was not usable. I brought it to the attention of the community, most people agreed and we moved on.

It was for a small sum but still sucked. Majority of people on here are trustworthy and will work with you to make things right. I've sent refunds in the past after people have brought problems to my attention, but you can't expect that every time.

Just make sure to communicate the whole way, so many problems can be avoided if you just speak up. Real life happens, people get sick or busy, just find a way to make like a Looney Tune and Warn-A-Brother if the package is going to be late.

 

[MeridianFC]

There is a little bit of a tricky calculus you have to do. The member (how long have they been here, what is their reputation, what is their feedback et?), what is the item specifically (rare, seemingly unbelievable), what are the dollar values involved (thousands, hundreds, tens), and what is the method of exchange of both goods and money.

All of these can be tricky. If you look at my profile, you think I've been here forever and while I did register back in 2014 and was on the previous chip site that many folks here were, there was a gap of many years I wasn't around. You'd also think given my feedback rating that I don't have much of a history, but I've bought here for as high as $4000 and as low as $25 but don't have much to show for it feedback wise. On the other hand, you will occasionally find somebody who has been around for a while who turns to the dark side. It's very rare, but it happens. Reputation does carry a lot of weight here, but you do have to do your due diligence.

 

[cpac54]

Avoid Dutch guys named Poppin and you’ll be off to a good start.