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How to Buy and Sell Safely Online
Buying or selling online can be a worry-free experience. Just
follow our simple 8-point guide.
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DISCLAIMER:
Australian Pet Link acts as a venue to allow anyone to advertise pets (and
related accessories and necessities) for sale or wanted. We are not involved
in the actual transaction between buyers and sellers. As a result, we have
no control over the quality, safety or legality of the items advertised,
the truth or accuracy of the listings, the ability of sellers to sell items
or the ability of buyers to pay for items. We cannot ensure that a buyer
or seller will actually complete a transaction. We do not claim to provide
a 'secure trading system' for buyers or sellers. Australian Pet Link is simply a place
to post ads. The onus for the success or security of a transaction is entirely
with the advertiser or buyer.
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Whether you're the
winning bidder at an online auction, or you're responding to an ad on a classifieds
website (or even replying to an ad in a newspaper or magazine) you should
be aware of the options you have to ensure the transaction goes smoothly:
1. Where possible,
insist that the seller use Australia Post's Cash on Delivery service.
More details can be found here: http://www.australiapost.com.au/BCP/0,1080,CH2137%257EMO19,00.html
2. Alternatively, purchase goods by Escrow. Escrow is an independent
third party that holds your money until you have received and approved the
goods. Only then is the payment passed to the seller.
Australian Pet Link recommends Escrow Australia:
https://www.escrowaustralia.com.au
For a transaction of under $500, they charge a AUD$20 flat fee. This is a
small price to pay for the peace of mind it brings. To
see their full schedule of fees click here.
3. Never
pay by bank transfer or instant wire transfer services such as Western Union
or MoneyGram. Avoid sellers who demand that method. Always use a safe payment
method.
4. Make sure you
are using services such as escrow or credit cards with chargeback facilities
or a payment service like PayPal.
5. Make sure the
people you're dealing with are honest before any money changes hands. Ask
the seller to provide references from satisfied customers (or the email address
of satisifed customers, so that you can contact them directly).
6. This is
an Australian advertising board, for Australian advertisers only. We do
not recommend dealing with overseas buyers. We have received complaints from
advertisers who have received E-mails from scammers based overseas. If you
receive a reply to your advertisement from someone based outside Australia,
we recommend you ignore their E-mail. Before any money or goods change hands,
make sure you have measures in place to ensure a successful transaction. Only
by trading within Australia can you be certain that the person you are dealing
with is subject to Australian law.
7. The safest way to buy is to examine the pet you are buying in person
before paying for it. For this reason, we do not recommend buying animals
from interstate or overseas, unless you are able to examine them in person.
8. The best way to ensure the pet you're buying is healthy and that
your transaction is safe, is to meet with the breeder or rescue shelter in
person.
We welcome your comments and suggestions regarding this document.
To have your say, please email
webmaster@petlink.com.au
Recommended Further Reading:
• Financial
Tips & Safety Checks on ASIC's Consumer Website "Fido"
• eBay's
e-Commerce Safety Guide |
