Silk Road forums
Discussion => Silk Road discussion => Topic started by: MetaD13 on July 10, 2012, 11:08 pm
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Since I'm new to the SR, a couple of vendors have told me that they will only sell to me if I finalize early. Can someone give me some details on this? Should I do it?
Thanks in advance.
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Since I'm new to the SR, a couple of vendors have told me that they will only sell to me if I finalize early. Can someone give me some details on this? Should I do it?
Thanks in advance.
Hi buddy,
I would advise against it unless they have a solid reputation i.e over 6 months on SR and 100% positive feedback. Essentially what they're asking you to do is release your Bitcoins from escrow so they can get their hands on them before you've actually received your product, as opposed to you receiving your product, confirming via SR that you received and then (and only then!) is the seller paid.
You can boost your reputation by buying some digital goods as we discussed (Check out CaptainPicard, Echo and Warweed for instance) and through making smaller orders at first.
V.
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Since I'm new to the SR, a couple of vendors have told me that they will only sell to me if I finalize early. Can someone give me some details on this? Should I do it?
Thanks in advance.
Hi buddy,
I would advise against it unless they have a solid reputation i.e over 6 months on SR and 100% positive feedback. Essentially what they're asking you to do is release your Bitcoins from escrow so they can get their hands on them before you've actually received your product, as opposed to you receiving your product, confirming via SR that you received and then (and only then!) is the seller paid.
You can boost your reputation by buying some digital goods as we discussed (Check out CaptainPicard, Echo and Warweed for instance) and through making smaller orders at first.
V.
Hey Vlad! Thanks for the info!
What if the seller has 97% positive feedback or somewhere around there? Do you recommend only ordering from sellers with 100% positive feedback?
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As a new buyer, you should just make small orders to build your stats. Only purchase amounts you can afford to lose, like $20 or so. There's lots of drug listings in the $20 range. If they require FE, go ahead. If not, don't. Do your homework and make your first purchases from top vendors to minimize your chance of being scammed. Once you have some buyer stats, never ever ever finalize early, ever again. It just takes some patience and time on the site and here in the forums. Hope that helps.
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Don't ever finalize early. I'm a pretty arrogant bastard and thought I knew better than everyone and got ripped for an ounce. Find a vendor who will work with you. I will never do it again.
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Don't ever finalize early. I'm a pretty arrogant bastard and thought I knew better than everyone and got ripped for an ounce. Find a vendor who will work with you. I will never do it again.
I think it's too simplistic to say, "never finalize early". The problem is that there are scammer buyers too, so sellers, rightly, don't trust brand new buyers. So I think there is some middle ground here, where new buyers make small buys from reputable vendors and FE if required. As Vlad mentioned, a noob could also buy digital items to build rep, but still the low dollar amount might scare off some vendors. It really isn't that complicated, but I can see how it's just one more thing for a new buyer to figure out when vendors are cancelling their orders or demanding FE. This is not that complicated. If you're new, buy one of davidd's listings for $15 to $25 (he has several) and then FE if asks you to. You are going to get your shit. Buy two pills from schitzofreen. You will most likely (99%) get your shit and if you don't, so what it's only $20 and you're a noob, deal with it. There's a dozen other vendors who are just as trustworthy, at least. The problem is some new buyers come on here and think they're entitled to try to buy ounces of product with no buyer stats. Be patient, build your stats carefully, and then when you become a big shot with stats, go ahead and buy your ounces in escrow from any vendor. They will trip all over each other for your business.
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Don't ever finalize early. I'm a pretty arrogant bastard and thought I knew better than everyone and got ripped for an ounce. Find a vendor who will work with you. I will never do it again.
I think it's too simplistic to say, "never finalize early". The problem is that there are scammer buyers too, so sellers, rightly, don't trust brand new buyers. So I think there is some middle ground here, where new buyers make small buys from reputable vendors and FE if required. As Vlad mentioned, a noob could also buy digital items to build rep, but still the low dollar amount might scare off some vendors. It really isn't that complicated, but I can see how it's just one more thing for a new buyer to figure out when vendors are cancelling their orders or demanding FE. This is not that complicated. If you're new, buy one of davidd's listings for $15 to $25 (he has several) and then FE if asks you to. You are going to get your shit. Buy two pills from schitzofreen. You will most likely (99%) get your shit and if you don't, so what it's only $20 and you're a noob, deal with it. There's a dozen other vendors who are just as trustworthy, at least. The problem is some new buyers come on here and think they're entitled to try to buy ounces of product with no buyer stats. Be patient, build your stats carefully, and then when you become a big shot with stats, go ahead and buy your ounces in escrow from any vendor. They will trip all over each other for your business.
+1
Some scam buyers change usernames like underwear. When we vendors see zero feedback, we know it may mean you are new, or it may mean this is a new account because your last account was used to scam unwary sellers out of their goods. If someone comes to me with zero feedback, and I have 100% positives with a long history on this and two other sites, and they won't trust me but they expect me to trust them- that says to me that they are either totally igorant of the situation or they are a scammer. There is nothing in the current system to protect me from buyers like this. I have to protect myself by requiring FE.
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Being a new buyer I feel your pain. I so far have a few purchases under my belt and have FE'd on nearly all orders. I would suggest seeking top sellers who have good feedback history and order smaller amounts to start with.
On a vendors side, if they post the gear and it has left their hands, it is not totally unrealistic for them to expect payment. They have no control over it when it leaves their place of business and have completed their side of the transaction.
Only ordering from people who do not require you to FE severely limits your options. Its all about risk for reward. Would you risk $x to get your stuff safely to your doorstep from a top vender after reading other users reviews verifying the product? If the answer is no, then you may have a hard time here, but good luck with whatever you chose to do.
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And you should also consider what the security by buying here is worth to you, compared to buying on the street.
I have been scammed more than one time as a buyer, due to several facts, including my stupidity, low amounts I don't care about, etc. (mostly on BMR, very seldomly here, but then even from some very reputable vendors - NOT only Tony),
But I still consider this the only way for me to buy drugs and other things, the overwhelming majority of vendors here are very cooperative, "honest", and generally nice to talk to, and of course are shipping what you have ordered.
Of course you cannot expect an underground site to act the same way as ebay etc., after all this is anarchy of some sort, there are no laws to protect you other than common sense (which, btw, can also be bought here for a very reasonable price ;) ) and those set forth by DPR.
One thing you shouldn't ever do, unless there are very , very compelling reasons: buy completely outside of SR from a SR vendor. There are actually people who are doing just that and then dare to complain to admins about how they were scammed here etc.
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Most everybody on here has seems to have some really good advise.
Also
Many new vendors don't require you to FE.
As a new buyer I feel we should help the new sellers (especially if they don't make you FE) ie KAT (LSD)
The only way this community can get better is if it's bigger. We just need a better way of pegging scammers...
I don't FE unless I REALLY NEED TO.
Good luck
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I only FE'd once for a vendor with less-than-ten-transactions-policy and received my weed.
there were two occasions where escrow saved my ass. don't trust vendors that offer bonuses for early finalization or otherwise try to urge ppl into fe'ing is my two cents.
Edit: aren't there like thousands of similar threads? this forum needs a sage button!
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Don't do it Jimmy!!!!
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:P
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................ don't trust vendors that offer bonuses for early finalization or otherwise try to urge ppl into fe'ing .........
Amen to that. Unless they are trusted vendors. They tend to care about feedback.
You really have to judge on a case by case basis.
Use common scence and the tips we have given you and you literally can't go wrong.
(unless a trusted seller decides to scam all of his clientele as he ends his vendor account)
I think that has happened a couple times.... but rare.
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Since I'm new to the SR, a couple of vendors have told me that they will only sell to me if I finalize early. Can someone give me some details on this? Should I do it?
Thanks in advance.
Hi buddy,
I would advise against it unless they have a solid reputation i.e over 6 months on SR and 100% positive feedback. Essentially what they're asking you to do is release your Bitcoins from escrow so they can get their hands on them before you've actually received your product, as opposed to you receiving your product, confirming via SR that you received and then (and only then!) is the seller paid.
You can boost your reputation by buying some digital goods as we discussed (Check out CaptainPicard, Echo and Warweed for instance) and through making smaller orders at first.
V.
I dont ask anyone to early finalize. I just refuse their order. With that being said, some of the best vendors that have ever been on SR didnt have a 100% rating for the bulk of their time on the road. Its impractical do only deal with 100% positive sellers. Since you are a new member its perfectly reasonable that some vendors dont want your business OR if you really want to do business they want you to finalize early. The logical way to deal with this is by only making small purchases, which is what you should be doing anyway. Alot of times nubs are losing big chunks of money because they want to do a $500 deal the very first time instead of just being patient. If you are unable to be patient and build your stats then someone will end up scamming you sooner or later anyway.
The best way to deal on Silk Road since your new is to find a vendor and ask them if they will have the product you want in stock on a regular basis. Then make a small purchase. Once you receive it make a larger purchase if you are satisfied. Do multiple transaction with that vendor and slowly build up to larger amounts. This way you build a reputation with that vendor and you are testing the product and other methods the vendor is using.
Remember that "A fool and his money are soon parted."
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I not sure I understand how a buyer can scam a vendor? The only thing I can think of is if the the buyer claims he didn't receive anything when he did. And, then claiming a refund or resend. If vendors are worried about new buyers doing this, why don't they say there will be no refund or reship to new buyers, not ask the buyer to FE. Have I missed something here?
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Got ripped off my first order, seller had a good record (reputation for being slow) and apparently he decided to just rip off a bunch of people and cancel his account.
However, my second two purchases have been flawless. I messaged both before placing the orders and made sure they did not require FE. I then release the funds (complete the order) as soon as I can once I receive them. I want my reputation as a customer to be good, just like those that vend want a good rep.
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Some really good advice here, ty! I joined about 6weeks to 2 months ago, but no purchases yet. I've been feeling my way around, reading, getting as much info as i can before i do my first order. This thread has helped me a lot in deciding who to go with and how much to spend, since so many want to FE or don't do any orders with new members, which i completely understand. So from what i've read, my best bet is to go with a reputable seller, buy several small amounts/orders esp if i have to FE, and build my reputation that way. Then I will have more options down the road. Thinking I am ready to take the plunge this week!
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I not sure I understand how a buyer can scam a vendor? The only thing I can think of is if the the buyer claims he didn't receive anything when he did. And, then claiming a refund or resend. If vendors are worried about new buyers doing this, why don't they say there will be no refund or reship to new buyers, not ask the buyer to FE. Have I missed something here?
Missed a shit load .
Buyer finalizes Early without being asked then threatens to alter 5/5 feedback to 1/5 , any comp/resend then doesn't show on their stats .
New buyers , yes I can state that they won't get any compensation/resend if it all goes wrong but they can still leave a 1/5 feedback which damages my rep .
These are the most common 2 but there are some really inventive ones , there needs to be some investment to get a buyer account .
My tuppenceworth :-))
Long Live S/R
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Can someone please explain to me what is escrow?
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I never require FE and dont realy turn people away either. I've had well over 100 transactions without any scammers so either its not as common as vendors make it out to be or I've just got an amazing group of customers. I'd really like to see a response option on the feedback to give the seller a chance to explain what happened. Or maybe do not allow brand new buyers to leave feedback but still allow them to file a complaint and request refund. Or maybe even weight the impact of the feedback by the number of transactions the buyer has had.
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Can someone please explain to me what is escrow?
Basically, escrow is a type of "middleman" service between vendor and buyer. Instead of paying the vendor directly, your money goes to Silk Road's escrow system, which acts as a middleman. Once the vendor ships the product, and you receive it, you then finalize your order and leave feedback, which releases your funds from the escrow system and puts them into the vendor's wallet. This helps prevent vendor scams in which the vendor takes your money, and then doesn't send the product. If your money is in escrow, and you don't receive your product, then you can take your order to the resolution center and work out an amicable solution (usually either a re-shipment or refund).