How to Safely Pay for an Item??

[B1SON]

Ok, so I was in negotiatiosn with a player for these "presentation" balls last week. We finally agreed on a price and I said, ok how are we going to pay for this? I suggested paypal and assured him I'd send an echeck so he'd pay no fees. He said "I don't do that paypal". Either a money order or Western Union minus the fees. I said I had no problems sending him a moeny order but that I needed to receive the balls before I sent it. I said no offense but no one here at the University has seen or heard from him for years and I have no way of ensuring the balls get shipped. He said he was not shipping the balls without the money in his hand. I said if anyone is taking a small risk it is him. I teach in the department he was majoring in, I am big into the fundraising clun Team Makers here. I would love to trust him, but I have no one to call or talk to if he simply quites emailing me back. He said he'd try and think of something that would work for both of us. Today, he emailed and said he can't think of anything. DO ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? Do I have any recourse if I use Western Union and he doesn't ship? Maybe someone in the Milwaukee area would be willing to help me out and get to meet a former NFL player all in the same day? Thanks for any help anyone may provide. I always use paypal and I don't know what to do here.

[TFig27]

I'm not sure how much money you're talking about, but I would split the payment and the shipments of the balls up. I would send maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the money, and he would send the same amount of the balls.

[sammy]

Have the balls sent COD via UPS or another carrier in which you are familar with the driver.

You get the balls and he gets paid at the same time, and you are both protected. The driver can not deliver the package without payment, and you don't pay without the package.

The good thing is you can check out the package before handing over payment if you are familar/friendly with the driver.

You can also give the driver a check which can be cancelled if you are not able to view the contents before payment and the seller tries to rip you off.

[GarkoCollector]

Have the balls sent COD via UPS or another carrier in which you are familar with the driver.

You get the balls and he gets paid at the same time, and you are both protected. The driver can not deliver the package without payment, and you don't pay without the package.

The good thing is you can check out the package before handing over payment if you are familar/friendly with the driver.

You can also give the driver a check which can be cancelled if you are not able to view the contents before payment and the seller tries to rip you off.

2 problems with your suggestion:

First, not everyone is familiar with the driver. MOST drivers will not let you open a package unless its paid for.

Second, if you write a Check for a COD and then cancel it, its technically fraud. Granted that if worse came to worse, you would be able to fight the charges and explain why you did it, but theres plenty of hassle that goes along with it.

Are you guys from the same area? Theres always the option of meeting at the school and doing the deal in person. Most people wont send you product until they are paid.

I think TFig27 is right on the mark with their suggestion. Depending on the amount of money you're talking about, split those payments up. Find out if you send half, the seller can send the whole deal and you can pay the remainder or split it up into 3-4 payments and each payment gets a portion of the deal.

YOU should choose what part you want though for each payment that you make. If the seller wont comply to the very reasonable terms, that would throw up enough red flags for me to stay away.

Good luck on your acquisition.
Tom

[aeneas01]

perhaps an online escrow service such as:

https://www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/consumer.asp

i've used online escrow services before for business equipment and it always worked out extremely well - but it has been many years and i can't seem to locate info on the company i used.

...

[B1SON]

It's $100 per ball and tfig's suggestion was what I was leaning toward. Send him $100 at a time and for each ball and hope for the best. I guess worst case scenario is I lose $100. Worth the gamble I guess to get these balls. I don't come across them very often, especially this many at one time.

[sammy]

My suggestion was/is based on experience.

I know all my drivers and it has never been a problem to check something out before paying and or excepting.

I understand what works for me may not work for you.

Just another proven suggestion.

Good luck.

[B1SON]

My suggestion was/is based on experience.

I know all my drivers and it has never been a problem to check something out before paying and or excepting.

I understand what works for me may not work for you.

Just another proven suggestion.

Good luck.


I am just assuming if he won't go through the work of signing up for paypal, that he won't ship COD with UPS. I don't know. Thanks for the suggestion. I really appreciate it.

[AWA85]

Where does the player live, maybe you can find a member here to pay the guy and get the items picked up.

[B1SON]

Thats what I was originally hoping. He lives in Milwaukee. Scott Harpt??? Want to help me out buddy???? :D

[B1SON]

Ok, so after much agonizing, I sent a $100 money order for one ball and waited patiently. He kindly packaged the ball great and sent it too me. I decided to have him send the NDSU game ball first. Now, I sent him the other $400 money order today for the 4 NFL presentation balls. The 1st one is his first career preseason touchdown scored (Rams), the 2nd is first career regular season touchdown (Rams) and the last two and balls presented to the team, but each player got their own ball personally painted to them (Eagles and Dolphins). Now, my question is......do I ask him to autograph them before shipping them to me. I am on the fence on this one and I'd like others opinions. I like to have the players sign their jerseys, but I just don't know about the presentation balls. I have to email and let him know tomorrow because he gets the money order and ships them to me on Monday. I'll post pics when they arrive...either with autos or without...I can't decide.

[dcrules01]

An autograph and inscription is nice on a football.Nice way to represent the ball.I'm glad things worked out can't wait to see pics :cool:

[Fnazxc0114]

hey bison sorry to hijac your thread but was just wondering how things were going for you up that way. are you close to the floods?

[B1SON]

hey bison sorry to hijac your thread but was just wondering how things were going for you up that way. are you close to the floods?

Actually I live right here in Fargo. I have been sandbagging 12 hours a day for the last week. Fortunately, (cross your fingers) the river has appeared to crest and is on the way down. We still have to deal with breaches and the town has been shut down for a week. The national guard control all the roads. Hopefully, things stay safe. Thanks for thinking about us. All is well for now. We are getting stir crazy not having anywhere to go for fun.

[dcrules01]

Wow that is rough I hope everything works out for the town.I live in Easton Pa and we had major flooding 3 times in a year and a half.It was a mess for weeks afterward and a historical canal was destroyed when all is said and done plus homes businesses.My family was not directly affected but I knew people that had there homes destroyed..Like I said good luck I hope everything works out..

[B1SON]

So, to update.........I sent payment for one ball $100 and held my breath, not only did he send the first ball but he packaged it amazingly. So, now send payment for the other 4 balls and ask him to sign them on a non-panited panel of the football in silver paint pen. I get this email from him today.

"Yeah I just did it this morning. Will arrive monday. A lot going on here. I didn't get to sign the back so I used a black sharpie on the painted areas and signed my name." LG


I am scared to death how they are going to look. I hope he had enough common sense to be very careful and regardless I am not convinced I wanted this done to them. Any thoughts on painted presentation balls being auto'd in the presentation area???? Thanks.

[sportscentury]

So, to update.........I sent payment for one ball $100 and held my breath, not only did he send the first ball but he packaged it amazingly. So, now send payment for the other 4 balls and ask him to sign them on a non-panited panel of the football in silver paint pen. I get this email from him today.

"Yeah I just did it this morning. Will arrive monday. A lot going on here. I didn't get to sign the back so I used a black sharpie on the painted areas and signed my name." LG


I am scared to death how they are going to look. I hope he had enough common sense to be very careful and regardless I am not convinced I wanted this done to them. Any thoughts on painted presentation balls being auto'd in the presentation area???? Thanks.

Bison, I wouldn't worry too much just yet. They may look terrific. If he signed them on a blank section of the painted part, they may end up looking even better than you first hoped. Stay positive and post some photos when they arrive. Sounds like a cool item. At the very least, you didn't lose your money... which was your original concern. Any time you pursue autographs on special items through the mail, you're risking the items turning out differently than expected/hoped.

[B1SON]

Bison, I wouldn't worry too much just yet. They may look terrific. If he signed them on a blank section of the painted part, they may end up looking even better than you first hoped. Stay positive and post some photos when they arrive. Sounds like a cool item. At the very least, you didn't lose your money... which was your original concern. Any time you pursue autographs on special items through the mail, you're risking the items turning out differently than expected/hoped.

Thanks Sportscentury for putting it into perspective for me. Your very right about simply getting the items after payment. How quickly I forget. Anyway, I have also gotten to get to know Lamar through the 3-4 months it has taken to get this whole deal completed, which has been fun. I will definitely post pics of all the balls after they arrive Monday. Thanks!