[flintstone]

I have bought and sold at Agon and e-bay with not a single problem for around three years. I just bought a used turntable about two weeks ago as a matter of fact and am once again listening to vinyl after 20 years away.

Dave

[Inscrutable]

Jerry et al,
I've bought and sold lots of things, maybe 30+ transactions, over several years.  I deal mostly at A'gon and boards like this one, where you may 'know' the people involved, or perhaps there is feedback from someone you 'know'.   I've never had a bad transaction, or even a shipping problem, ever, in either direction.  Use common sense, and you'll probably be alright.  I won't deal on eBay.  I usually won't deal with zero feedback (definitely not with negative feedback).  I'll drill thru the feedback, looking for 'regulars'. I'll often get on the phone and chat a bit, and trust my instincts. I won't low-ball, nor deal with same.  I'll rarely bother with anything that looks too good to be true.  I'll time shipping so the package does not sit in a warehouse over a weekend.

All that said, if you can cultivate a relationship with a good local dealer, you can get all the benefits of that (sevice, support, auditions, no shipping risk, etc), and get probably get reasonable pricing so that you won't get hammered at resale time.

[Music Maven]

Thanks to all of you who responded to this thread...

Anyone who is considering a used purchase, as I am, but not really too much experienced in doing so, will get lots of guidance from all of your feedbacks.

I think what has to be remembered about electronics is that they are by nature delicate, and sometimes subject to domino-effect damage from a component "further up the stream." Additionally, reliability of the carrier is an important factor. There is another thread somewhere here with a discussion of the reliability of FedEx vs. UPS vs. DHL vs. freight trucks and there didn't seem to be a clear winner in that thread. Using air service increases the chance of safety, but not many of us can afford the greatly increased rate.

I'm most fascinated by Audiogon. My greatest interest is in speakers and speaker cable and I don't think any forum offers as good a chance to find virtually ANY obscure brand, given a little time and patience. In my experience- unless I'm not using the right search- EBAY tends to have just the more "commercial mass market" brands 90% of the time.

If there's ANY other website remotely close to Audiogon for variety of merchandise offered, I don't know of it, but I too have enjoyed perusing the Trading Post here...

Normally, I'd say if anyone else has other pointers about buying electronics used, please post- but you all have covered it so well, I don't know if much else is left to be said.      

Jerry