buy and sell » Selling process

Firstly, any sale or trade via this forum is a personal negotiation between the seller and buyer. The forum does not accept any liability if things don't work out.

There is no single answer to the questions you raise. A small padded bag via Royal Mail would be appropriate for some items whereas others such as wheels might need to be on a pallet, strapped down or shrink wrapped.

Only you can decide the level of risk you are willing to accept for each item in terms of payment. The same applies to your buyer. When I have agreed to buy something here or on another forum I expect to pay up front before the seller sends me the item. It is often best to ask the recipient which parcel service they prefer. I am happy with Etsi/Hermes here as I have had the same chap for years. Others will tell you they are unreliable in their area. You may wish to consider insuring the item as you would be the one with the contract with the courier and would need to issue a refund to the buyer if the item does not arrive.

I have bought and sold dozens of items via forums and I have always been paid and items have always arrived. I tend to favour direct bank transfers nowadays. If someone is willing to share their bank details then they are very likely to be genuine. Remember, it is not an insecure thing to do - we used to write cheques and hand over a bit of paper with all of our account details printed on it. If you use Paypal then ask for a Friend and Family payment as there are no charges.

If you do decide to place a for sale post, make it clear where you are located as someone might offer to collect the item and give you cash. Make it clear if the price includes postage and to where you are willing to send it e.g. UK only, Europe or worldwide.