I AM CURRENTLY BUYING A PSION REVO 8MB, WHAT ARE THE PRECAUTIONS I SHOULD MAKE WHEN BUYING FROM A PRIVATE SELLER, AND WHAT CAN I DO TO INSURE THAT THE PRODUCT REACHES ME, AND THAT MY MONEY IS NOT TAKEN WITHOUT DELIVERY OF THE PRODUCT?

PLEASE COULD YOU ADVISE ME??

try paying by a credit card cheque so you can claim the money back if ur hardware is fluffed.

also always question why someone is selling new hardware at a low price, ie a gf4 ti4600 for 180 quid. i myself would stay away from that sort of think.

when you email someone also check to see how long it takes em to reply. if it takes ages every time i stay away too

Dunno is this too late, sorry if I am.

However, I can tell you from experience that the success or failure of a purchase via classified ads depends on you and you alone.

Some basic steps for hardware purchases:
1] Determine (if possible) where the seller is located - If they're close, are they willing to have you collect?

2] If the seller isn't close to you, then ask about you two meeting somewhere in the middle to handle the exchange - depends of course, on the item in question.

3] If possible, insist on seeing the product in a working situation before agreeing anything.

4] Ask for *full* specs on the item, age, and about the manuals, CD's and other relevant documentation that it should have. If you're like me, then you'd insist that they provide all of those (or a pretty good reason why the don't have them). Think about it, have you ever bought anything and not gotten *some* stuff about the item?

5] If its some rare item that you simply have to get despite the above precautions, then ask the seller to accept either part payment up front then the rest when the item arrives.

6] Stay away from sellers who only provide dodgy looking e-mail addresses. My motto is: "Land line telephone number, or no sale!"

That's about it, really. For me, the last time I purchased an item in this way, I pretty much had four telephone conversations with the seller before I paid for the item. Fortunately, we both live in the same county (either end, as it turns out) and we arranged for me to collect in return for a small discount (he'd have had to find time to post it anyways). I saw the item in working condition, and got all the docs, and even original boxes and packaging as well.

Its not going to be this great each time, nor will it be this convenient, but its your money and your have to do everything you can to ensure you get what your pay for.

HTH

Stacey