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What's the highest you'd pay for a Cary 808 used in an online sale? I've got my eye on a nice one, at least I think it's nice. I just don't know if it's worth half the new cost and that's what is being asked. I know there are a lot of scammers on places like Ebay and Audiogon so there is some risk. Before I start negotiating, I'd like some input from youse guys.
Well, you're right. It's always a risk. The risk is generally reflected in the prices, and really good deals usually have some risk. You can reduce the risk by dealing with people and companies you know will be there tomorrow. They have something to lose if they botch a deal and a customer gets vocal about it. But they generally have more costs of doing business, so they have a little bit higher prices too. If you think about it, the guy selling a single used amp usually has little to lose if he misleads you, since he can quickly change his online identity and do the same thing if he needs to later. It's the online version of the guys selling stuff in vans. But the person or company that's doing repetitive business has a reputation to protect. They may charge a little bit more, but they've also had to develop their business. There's not really any comparison between these two kinds of deals. I'd say the safest thing is to be prepared to lose anything purchased online from a person using an anonymous moniker. It's a roll of the dice. If it turns out well, super, you got a good deal. If not, it was maybe worth a shot but now you have a boat anchor.