Silk Road forums

Discussion => Silk Road discussion => Topic started by: Sevens on October 04, 2012, 10:50 pm

Title: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: Sevens on October 04, 2012, 10:50 pm
I've just started vending and I've chosen to only ship untracked as it is the only way to be anonymous.  What's to stop a buyer from claiming it didn't turn up, and what would happen to the funds if that were to happen?

I'm getting a lot of first time buyers, worried that they are dummy accounts to scam me or ruin my rep before I get started.

What should I do?  Put a disclaimer saying that i'm not liable if it doesn't turn up?  Only accept buyers with 10 or more transactions?  Help me out SR staff.
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: wretched on October 04, 2012, 11:35 pm
first I thought your topic was BY a vendor

AS a vendor,
 use DCN (you can charge for this service) require customs letter for interceptions, and deliver a quality product at a reasonable price with consistent on time delivery. buyer scams are far less likely than vendor scams.

My advice is to start small and grow at a pace that you can keep up with. remain in communication with your customers, be honest, etc. If you are a reliable vendor, and follow a consistent protocol for dealing with your clients, you should have no worries about the occasional scam tryer
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: Sevens on October 05, 2012, 02:54 pm
I'm only doing vending to UK peeps.  As far as I know there is no way to make an order trackable without going into a post office, and they have cameras.

I don't want someone to make a big order and then claim it never turned up.  What's the SR protocol in the event that it goes to the resolution centre?  Would they instantly side with the buyer or does it depend if the vendor has a history of good feedback?

I ask because I see a lot of vendors within the UK shipping untracked.  What if someone ordered an ounce of coke from one of these vendors and it didn't show?
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: mrshah on October 05, 2012, 03:11 pm
I'm only doing vending to UK peeps.  As far as I know there is no way to make an order trackable without going into a post office, and they have cameras.

I don't want someone to make a big order and then claim it never turned up.  What's the SR protocol in the event that it goes to the resolution centre?  Would they instantly side with the buyer or does it depend if the vendor has a history of good feedback?

I ask because I see a lot of vendors within the UK shipping untracked.  What if someone ordered an ounce of coke from one of these vendors and it didn't show?

You could get somebody else to ship it for you, or anonymously get a tracker through RM and their magic print and send stamps? I'm not too sure on that but its an idea. You'd only send that much to a buyer you trust (as best you can) and not a first purchase customer
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: alan smithee on October 05, 2012, 11:56 pm
I vend UK to UK and send all my packages by 1st class post. Some packages failed to arrive in the early days but I believe they were genuinely intercepted due to the aroma of the product. Since I started vac/heat sealing I have not lost a package. I have a decent re-ship policy so someone who wanted to try and scam me could try but most buyers want to protect their stats and refunds/reships affect that. For anyone with small total spend and few transactions there is no reship refund available, it's the only way you can protect from that sort of thing really.
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: BlarghRawr on October 06, 2012, 05:33 am
Tips;

1) Don't mention that you don't use tracking.
2) Don't mention that you don't use tracking and then accept newbie buyers.
3) Don't post about how you don't use tracking, have been accepting newbie buyers, and are worried about getting scammed.

Because you have just painted a fucking HUGE "Scam me" sign on your back, now.
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: Limetless on October 06, 2012, 05:44 am
Don't take no shit.
Title: Re: How to not get scammed as a vendor?
Post by: tina on October 06, 2012, 06:34 am
Make it clear that you will NOT reship or refund on your profile, but if something goes wrong, privately sort it out with that person and refund/reship as needed

This will ward off most all scammers and the people that do come to you with issues will likely be honest.