Possible Purchase Online - Recommendation Needed

[Eric Alan]

I've been on the lookout for a Calider female, and a slick looking little girl showed up on kingsnake.com today. The catch is, the seller doesn't have anything written about them on BOI and doesn't have any sort of credit card/PayPal listed as a form of payment on their website. I posted an inquiry about the seller there and am awaiting responses.

Do you have any recommendations in cases like this? Any specific things that you would want to know from this seller before proceeding? I know there is a recent "questions to ask before purchasing online" thread, but that looked like it was in regards to a known seller.

Thank you for your guidance in advance!

Eric

[KatStoverReptiles]

You could ask for references from people they've done business with.

Some people are probably going to say "don't buy from an unknown." But how does one become known without doing business? (Job interview wants you to have more experience but how can you get experience if you can't get a job?)

You have to decide if that's a risk you're willing to take.

[reptileexperts]

X2 ^


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[JohnNJ]

I've been on the lookout for a Calider female, and a slick looking little girl showed up on kingsnake.com today. The catch is, the seller doesn't have anything written about them on BOI and doesn't have any sort of credit card/PayPal listed as a form of payment on their website. I posted an inquiry about the seller there and am awaiting responses.

Do you have any recommendations in cases like this? Any specific things that you would want to know from this seller before proceeding? I know there is a recent "questions to ask before purchasing online" thread, but that looked like it was in regards to a known seller.

Thank you for your guidance in advance!

Eric

In your case it's good that there's nothing negative. I would do it if the seller was within one day's driving distance of me. If not, I would pass.

[MrLang]

Get the discussion in writing but then also talk to them on the phone. I feel like you can tell a lot from someone by the way they speak. Unline an email address which people feel more anonymous behind, if you have their confirmed working phone number "you know where they live"

[nighttrain_1991]

I posted the other thread. I think the responses there would still apply to your situation, and maybe more so. Since you don't have a reputation to go by the more "proof" the seller can provise the better. I.E pictures of parents, picture of snake you are buying on scale, feeding records and guarantee via email of live healthy arrival, proper sex etc, so that if something does go wrong you have some recourse. I agree with the other poster here, the fact there is nothing negative in the BOI is a good sign. People tend to post right away about a negative experience mor so than a good one. I also agree with talking to them on the phone, ultimately it is an act of trust. The more I have read, the more I realize how lucky I got with my first purchase. The seller was great to work with, followed up at each step of the process, everything went great, and I did little to know research. I wouldn't advise that, but after talking with him several times on the phone, the way he patiently answered all my questions, gave suggestions etc I just got a good feel. Good Luck with your decision, I hope everything works out well.

[Inarikins]

I always say to trust your gut. If you are talking to the guy and something seems off, back out. Your gut instinct is usually not wrong (and I learned the hard way to trust that instinct - luckily not with snakes worth hundreds or thousands of dollars). And if something bad goes down on fuana or kingsnake you can pretty much guarantee that person is going right to the BOI to report it, hopefully only after talking to the breeder.

[Eric Alan]

Looks like I'm not going to get the chance to do a deal at this time with this seller. After sending two emails back and forth today, his last email stated that she has now sold. Hopefully it's for the best.

Thanks for all of your help though - if nothing else, I learned quite a bit.

Eric