It's a Scam !!!

[LordoftheRingsEE]

Yes, even in real life it's happening; and sometimes from your own family!

[allen_bh]

I recently had a good experience selling a Marantz pre-pro on Audiogon. The new site is still worse than the old -- not sure they'll ever get it right. The Marantz sat here for 2 weeks before I listed it on Audiogon; and it sold after two days on Audiogon.

The bigger the audience, the higher the chance you'll get scammers and losers. The scammers are getting better at masking it though. Unfortunately it means I don't buy or sell anything to/from overseas.

[tdelahanty]

Originally Posted by RaceTripper

Really, I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this. It's the same on Craigslist and eBay. It doesn't have anything to do with Audiogon per say.I get these kinds of scams anywhere I post to sell.

I have recently bought and sold on Audiogon successfully. The buy/sell interface is worse than it used to be, but it does work out in the end. I like to bash Audiogon as well as the next person, but this is really unnecessary bashing if you ask me. It's the nature of selling on the internet.

I'd love to use the Marketplace here, but it just doesn't seem oriented towards the gear I buy and sell.

I fully understand AGon has no control over this and intended no critism of the site, just the people doing this. One of the things my father taught me, and I took it to heart, "the only thing you have that is worth anything is your word, so always be honest".

Sincerely: Tom D.

[Whart]

There are legitimate criticisms of the 'new' Audiogon, but I don't want to burn this thread. On the scam thing, it's true that it is everywhere- my buying and selling experiences on Audiogon have all been positive so far, but none of that was recent. I just listed a few things there in the past week, we will see.
I usually go out of my way to point out flaws, or shortcomings, or whatever, and try to draw the ads in such a way that I'll attract like-minded buyers, knowing that I will work with them to make sure that the item meets or exceeds their expectations.
Audigon is pretty vast, and still seems to be the 'go to' site for trading equipment. I kinda dig the Asylum too, for techy-tweak stuff, but the format is archaic.

[Pider]

Well, this is all very informative. I'm about to put the Wadia 121 on Agon, since the interest here is zero. Nada. Zip. Too bad. Thought folks liked that particular DAC and might appreciate some discount. Ah, well.

I've never used Agon. It'll be interesting.

[tdelahanty]

My Nordost Heimdall spkr cable is listed here too, no offers, so far. I think Wire World cable is the favorite here, for the Mac guys. I like to purchase from my local dealer and Nordost seemed to be the best choice (of what he carries) for my system.

[Rilands]

No reason not to bash Audiogon. When your favorite site turns into a site you don't like to visit anymore almost overnight. Man that site used to be great.

I have bought & sold a couple of items on the new Audiogon. I have never been sent emails from scammers, I guess things have changed, & maybe the scammers just didn't care for my stuff.

[Josquin des Prez]

Originally Posted by Rilands

No reason not to bash Audiogon. When your favorite site turns into a site you don't like to visit anymore almost overnight. Man that site used to be great.

I have bought & sold a couple of items on the new Audiogon. I have never been sent emails from scammers, I guess things have changed, or maybe the scammers just didn't care for my stuff.

There's fair and there's unfair. Bashing it because it has scammers is unfair. I had a recent listing for a Naim Flatcap XS. When a scammer emailed me an inquiry, I sent Audiogon mgt the details, and they responded really quickly by suspending the scammer's account.

I have bashed A'gon for the changes to the website, but they have been very responsive to me as a seller, on the scammer as well as other issues.

[Freestone]

I bought an amp via audiogon last month. Was a local pick up so that helped.

But as a buyer you can be nervous - there was a post on here about a phono cartridge being completely misrepresented as to condition.

I wish items could be sent either to or from a local dealer, for a fee, to ensure condition or receipt of the item. Vetting it.

[Whart]

The problem is that the dealers seemed to want out of the used equipment business. The Stereo Exchange in NYC really started as a place to buy used stuff- tons of gear, some of it very good, and not all of it old either, lot's of -gotta get rid of my ARC SP-10 to buy an SP-11 (that's how I bought the SP-10 back in the day).
My sense is that some dealers still handle used equipment as an accommodation for good customers who are trading up, but--- they list it on Audiogon or worse, e-bay.
Once a dealer gets involved, they will have to deal with complaints and issues, even if it is an 'as-is' sale. So, getting a dealer involved would only increase the cost to you, which is one of the reasons, among many, why I think Audiogon was probably so successful.