Why distrust buyers from Russia?

sockeyed

sockeyed

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I'm curious why a recent number of ads in the classifieds state that they won't accept buyers from Russia.

I recently sold a lens to a buyer from Saint Petersburg. Communication was good, payment arrived promptly via Paypal, and so on.

Are there known scams coming out of Russia? Have people personally had bad experiences?
 
Back in the early day of Paypal, alot of scams from Eastern Europe in general. Not so much nowadays, it just happens to be a precaution that took root
 
My experience with sellers in Moscow is poor, mainly because of incredibly long shipping times between the USA and Russia. Or at least, according to the sellers - who can really know for sure half a world away? It has taken months for a small package to transit the distance, and in the case of any issues, months more for the package to return, then more months for yet another trip back to me. Not worth it for $60-some US, IMHO. I'll pay twice that to source an item in this country just to avoid the headaches even if the seller in Moscow is above reproach.

Assuming I am the seller in the US shipping to Moscow, unless the buyer is willing to pay for air shipment, it can be 6 months before anything can be considered resolved. And what happens if one party is not ultimately satisfied? Organizations like Paypal have time limits on their guarantees. This can mean that if I send an item the buyer is not happy with, it's possible I won't see said item for perhaps three months after the transaction. At which point, both buyer and seller are out of luck if one or the other renegs. And if both buyer and seller are willing to pay air shipping charges both ways, the additional costs incurred remove any incentive to sell the item in the first place.

FWIW, I would be willing to buy from Russia if the item warrants air shipment and is a tracked package. I am NOT willing to sell to a buyer in that region simply because there are too many opportunities for unhappiness on both sides. It has nothing to do with my faith in the good nature of Russian people, it has to do with the practicalities of trade spanning the globe.
 
I've purchased things from Russia before. My most interesting case was a Lomo RF camera. When I received it, I noticed the vertical RF alignment was off. I had read about how it was almost impossible to fix, so I asked for a refund. The seller actually refunded my money before I shipped the camera!!! And since I was naughty.... :cool:

Kidding. I did return the camera. :angel: It was a sweet camera otherwise, other than the problem with attaching film to the winder.

EDIT: I ment the Leningrad, not a Lomo.....
 
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Thanks for all of your input. I've bought quite a few things from Russian and Ukrainian buyers with a large amount of success. The last thing that I got was a stunning Jupiter 3 in minty condition and a stellar performer. I was just wondering if folks had a reason not to sell to someone in Russia. The great distance and shipping is certainly a detriment.
 
I bought a Ukrainian copy of the Hasselblad NC-4 prism from an ebay seller in Kiev several yrs back. It arrived new in the box pretty quick, like a week, and I was very happy. I still use it on my ancient 1968 vintage Hasselblad 500C (the only way I could afford a Hassy was to get one 40 yrs old!)
 
Once I needed Agat 18 camera as a gift though couldn't find one locally. Some guy in Moscow had one, not used for years and were willing to exchange for me. So I sent him package with train staff and he sent me back camera. Best memories from this.

People living in countries generally are much nicer than government, that's all.
 
Well like everywhere there are scams and there are genuinely honest, professional people.

I've seen some "businessmen" who brag in person about ripping off a foreigner on a sale, as if taking some special third-worldish pride in it. Majority of Moscow taxi drivers are in this category :) They are however just as likely to rip off their clueless compatriot also.

General advice about buying from a reputable seller is still sound, FSU or not. Also on eBay there tends to be less risk, since entry barrier for ex-Soviet sellers there is high and they'd likely to be cooperative, for sake of maintaining their business.

If by some chance you find yourself shopping in person at unknown seller in ex-USSR, just don't smile and look too friendly. For bad apples there, it's a victim behavior. Ask price on few of the items, taking mental note for how far-fetched they are - 1/2 eBay going price is a good start. Always try to haggle down, even in commission "stores" that have price tags.
 
So far all of my shipments from Russia and the Ukraine have arrived in 2~3weeks. The sellers use registered Air Mail. They have all been honest.

I am careful to read Feedback on Ebay and to "read in between the lines". I favor the sellers that give shipping discounts when buying multiple items. That also states a lot about their integrity, ie not pocketing the double-charge for shipping. I received a J-8 and J-3 yesterday, and the seller included a hood and orange filter not mentioned in the Ad. Shipped both items for the cost of one. I'll be adding a big thankyou to the feedback.

My first dealing with a buyer from Indonesia was an attempt to forge a Paypal payment. My second dealing with a buyer from Indonesia went quite smoothly. I've never had a buyer from Russia, but I would take the same precautions as I do with just about anyone.
 
I certainly wouldn't discriminate against Russia. Quite the contrary; anything I have bought from there has always been fine in terms of transaction and item. I'm with Brian on the "reading between the lines" caution - no one country has a monopoly on scoundrels.

In any event, it would appear that most Russian criminals are now either buying up chunks of London or working in restaurants - there can't be that many left in the Motherland... :)

Regards,

Bill
 
Talking about bad luck. These two months got screwed by two ebay sellers both with thousands of feedbacks one from Germany and the other from Washington State. I am sure we all have horror stories regarding any country.
 
This is kind of OT, but I bought a FED 2 from a guy in the Ukraine. It took me many, many tries to get the money wired Western Union. The website just would not work. Then I had to make several trips on my bicycle to the WU hotline at the Mexican owned grocery, where the farm workers wire money home, but that took me several tries due to background noise in the grocery and a poor connection etc. I got it to work finally, but it was a hassle all said. Good news is that it only took about a week for the camera to make the trip.
 
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Last year I sold a Cannon EOS slr on ebay to a buyer in the Ukraine,he paid for it using PayPal....The camera left Newark International bound for the Ukraine the day after I mailed it....It took 2 months for the buyer to get the camera, in the ensuing time period the buyer made my life rather unpleasant with continual e-mails to me and PayPal,even though I sent him proof that the camera left the U.S.the day after the sale.With such a rotten postal system I don't ever want to do any business with that part of the world again....Not worth the aggravation.
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I have purchased several items from russian Sellers using personal checks. Never had a problem. My problems have been with Sellers from Pennsylvania, what a bunch of losers. :mad: Maybe not all are losers. :angel:
 
Thanks for all your thoughts, everyone. It seems that the majority of people have an positive experiences with buyers and sellers from Russian, and just as many bad experiences from buyers/sellers in other countries!
 
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