Safe way to sell stuff...

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
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We placed an ad in Plaza Libre

and Corotos
for home furnishings. Someone (a woman) called and was interested in one item. We agreed on a price. She called to say two men were coming to pick it up.
Is that safe? What would you do? How would you sell items like this in S.D.?
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
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The following is a text of a popular web service providing some tips for similar transactions. I have removed the name of the web service so as not to cause any conflicts with the administrators of this online forum.

"The Safe Way to Do ********* Transactions
The safest way to do ********* transactions is to deal only with residents of your local area, only in person and only in cash, according to ********* Terms of Use. Transacting with individuals in other states or countries, and using other methods of payment -- in particular, money orders and personal checks -- exposes you not only to fraud but gives the other party anonymity, which limits the actions you can take against him.
1. Choose the "Use an Anonymous ********* Email Address" option offered on the website when you post a new ad. ********* directs inquiries you receive about the ad to your personal or business email address without divulging it to others. This protects you from being directly solicited, harassed or spammed.
2. Arrange a public meeting whenever possible. If you are selling a bed, for example, meet the prospective buyer at a local coffee shop or convenience store before inviting him into your home to see the bed. This will give you an opportunity to interview the buyer and make sure you feel safe inviting the person into your home.
3. Inspect the item together, if you are buying or selling something, to make sure that you and the prospective buyer are on the same page and no discrepancies exist in how the item is perceived. Ensuring that both parties' expectations are met prevents unpleasant encounters down the road.
4. Accept or pay only with cash. If you accept a cashier's check or money order, you may fall victim to a common ********* scam that involves depositing a fake money order into your account and leaving you with nothing in the transaction. If you pay with a personal check, the seller can harvest your checking account information, which could then be used for fraudulent purposes."

Aside from this, I would not allow any stranger into your house, especially in this time of the year, when Dominicans are fond of saying "las calles están calientes" (the streets are hot) or "las calles tienen hambre" (the streets are hungry). This time of year leading up until December when some miscreants look to make a fast peso by any means possible leading up to the Christmas season. If need be, conduct the transaction in front of a local fire station. Those lads always seem willing and able to assist when need be.
 

jimbobo

Member
Feb 9, 2014
170
4
18
The following is a text of a popular web service providing some tips for similar transactions. I have removed the name of the web service so as not to cause any conflicts with the administrators of this online forum.

"The Safe Way to Do ********* Transactions
The safest way to do ********* transactions is to deal only with residents of your local area, only in person and only in cash, according to ********* Terms of Use. Transacting with individuals in other states or countries, and using other methods of payment -- in particular, money orders and personal checks -- exposes you not only to fraud but gives the other party anonymity, which limits the actions you can take against him.
1. Choose the "Use an Anonymous ********* Email Address" option offered on the website when you post a new ad. ********* directs inquiries you receive about the ad to your personal or business email address without divulging it to others. This protects you from being directly solicited, harassed or spammed.
2. Arrange a public meeting whenever possible. If you are selling a bed, for example, meet the prospective buyer at a local coffee shop or convenience store before inviting him into your home to see the bed. This will give you an opportunity to interview the buyer and make sure you feel safe inviting the person into your home.
3. Inspect the item together, if you are buying or selling something, to make sure that you and the prospective buyer are on the same page and no discrepancies exist in how the item is perceived. Ensuring that both parties' expectations are met prevents unpleasant encounters down the road.
4. Accept or pay only with cash. If you accept a cashier's check or money order, you may fall victim to a common ********* scam that involves depositing a fake money order into your account and leaving you with nothing in the transaction. If you pay with a personal check, the seller can harvest your checking account information, which could then be used for fraudulent purposes."

Aside from this, I would not allow any stranger into your house, especially in this time of the year, when Dominicans are fond of saying "las calles están calientes" (the streets are hot) or "las calles tienen hambre" (the streets are hungry). This time of year leading up until December when some miscreants look to make a fast peso by any means possible leading up to the Christmas season. If need be, conduct the transaction in front of a local fire station. Those lads always seem willing and able to assist when need be.

I think its funny when they say, talking about safety, only do transactions in cash.... that's weird
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
Thanks Caonabo
for the tips, I appreciate it. The item is a piece of furniture and even though it will be hard to bring it out somewhere to do the transaction it is probably the smart way to do this in S.D.
 

ExDR

Member
Jul 31, 2014
421
0
16
I would put the piece of furniture outside the home so that they don't need to access to the inside of the home. Iwould also have a few neighbors over for a beer at the time that they are picking up. Yes, it's funny that using cash is a good safety measure, smh.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
We placed an ad in Plaza Libre

and Corotos
for home furnishings. Someone (a woman) called and was interested in one item. We agreed on a price. She called to say two men were coming to pick it up.
Is that safe? What would you do? How would you sell items like this in S.D.?


Agreed on a price without her even looking at it ???
And your good with that ???
 

RDKNIGHT

Bronze
Mar 13, 2017
2,715
1,435
113
Too much way over thinking stuff here.... just sell it don't worry. Street smarts goes a long way here. not everyone is a thief
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
I like the idea of moving the item outside on the days when someone is coming over to see it. Not having strangers in your house seems like a prudent and reasoned precaution.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Sold many items on corotos or emarket. If it was a piece of furniture they pick it up at my house. Do you expect a  thief / criminal randomly visiting people selling items online to go and then rob you at your place. It's probably easier to rob a random person on the streets. 

Don't expect a lady neither to pick up the furniture alone, even if she comes, she'll always bring her husband, boyfriend, primo, neighbor or employee to help carry. 
 

Uzin

Bronze
Oct 26, 2005
1,386
20
38
I had an ad on Corotos, got some people contacting me from 200km away for a discount and photos via Whatsapp (while photos were already on Corotos) !? looked to me they wanted to act as a middleman or get commission or something. Also some contacted to get the ad on their own site/system, a lot of time-wasters even I had mentioned no offers...

Most ads on Corotos are rubbish, either wrong info or ridiculously high prices, even buyers are waste of time, only good deals are between foreigners if you can get one, as a seller/buyer (although they deleted anything I put in English... !?)

As for safety, well, I wouldn't be very comfortable to let two guys like that in my house, but most probably be fine....
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Only good deals with foreigners? 

Not my experience. Good thing with Dominicans is that they are more emotional. Last August I sold my fridge. In the process of the guy picking it up I sold him my stove, garden chairs and parasol. If anything else would have fit on the camioneta he’d probably also have taken it. They think (out loud) like ‘a la Mama le gusta sentarse en el patio, se la voy a llevar de sorpresa’. 

The average foreigner will only buy what he came for. 
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
1,570
525
113
I agree with Mauricio above, we have dealt with a number of Dominicans via Corotos (selling stuff), and not one bad experience, quite to the contrary. The point that the buyer might buy something spontaneously, we've also seen. We sold an old A/C to a family, who saw that we also had a newish stove for sale. The took the A/C with them, returned in a couple of hours, and took the stove as well, with the price we asked.

Also, I think deleting English ads only makes sense, as Corotos is a Spanish-speaking site targeted to a Spanish-speaking population (the DR). I have seen sites with UGC (User Generated Content) outside of the country, where it is not only forbidden to post in foreign language, the site admins also advice against dealing with people posting in foreign language, for security/safety reasons.

From the two of us, my wife is more hesitant with letting prospective buyers enter the house, and with items that we cannot place in front of the house, we move close to the main door, so that the buyers have no reason to actually pass the door and close all the doors within the house. If you have a garage you can close, you can also place items for sale there, then the buyers don't even need to see into the house, and if it's a busy street, the item might sell even without an advertisement.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Craig's List in the US, Kijiji in Canada

selling like this is normal in other parts of the world - and I do it... both sell & buy.

Both suggest an 'in person' transaction and 'cash only'.... avoids fraud and/or misunderstanding.

I would have it ready to go outside.... no need for house entry.

If you have never used these services - try it !!
I have done TV receivers, dog kennels... yard tools...... ypou name it.
Save a bundle.... Save Dollars McDonald is my alias
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
Agreed on a price without her even looking at it ???
And your good with that ???

Well this is precisely what prompted my friend to begin to have doubts and turn off her phone. Two men were to call when they were near to find her exact location.
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
Craig's List in the US, Kijiji in Canada

selling like this is normal in other parts of the world - and I do it... both sell & buy.

Both suggest an 'in person' transaction and 'cash only'.... avoids fraud and/or misunderstanding.

I would have it ready to go outside.... no need for house entry.

If you have never used these services - try it !!
I have done TV receivers, dog kennels... yard tools...... ypou name it.
Save a bundle.... Save Dollars McDonald is my alias


I have used Kijiji several times here in Canada. Transactions were made in a public place (small items). Also the number of people running around with guns (guns per capita) is probably higher in DR than Canada. :)
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
Sold many items on corotos or emarket. If it was a piece of furniture they pick it up at my house. Do you expect a  thief / criminal randomly visiting people selling items online to go and then rob you at your place. It's probably easier to rob a random person on the streets. 

Don't expect a lady neither to pick up the furniture alone, even if she comes, she'll always bring her husband, boyfriend, primo, neighbor or employee to help carry. 

They wouldn't be randomly visiting people. They have a photo of the item online. They would know the address. Two guys with guns would have no problem taking the item and making off with it.

As for the "lady"...
My girlfriend showed me her photo. She's a very hot 'looker'!
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
They wouldn't be randomly visiting people. They have a photo of the item online. They would know the address. Two guys with guns would have no problem taking the item and making off with it.

As for the "lady"...
My girlfriend showed me her photo. She's a very hot 'looker'!



Maybe I didn’t read your OP careful enough, if it’s a woman selling I’d be more careful. Or differently stated, if I sell something I don’t let my wife receive anyone unknown without me being there. 

With random I mean, a criminal I’d expect to try to get into a house where he knows where he can rob something ‘worth robbing’, not by reacting on online ads and then arrive at a place where the only thing they can steal is the caoba comedor.
 

MarkDR

Member
Feb 18, 2016
264
9
18
I just had an idea. How about this...
My girlfriend lives in an apartment with a gate at the front and a guard (most of the time). How about we talk to the guard beforehand and arrange the following. He let's them inside. They go up to her floor. She will have moved the furniture outside her front door (in the stairwell). The guard locks the gate after they enter the apartment. Theoretically, they can't leave now until the guard gets the OK that they have paid, and opens the gate.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
They wouldn't be randomly visiting people. They have a photo of the item online. They would know the address. Two guys with guns would have no problem taking the item and making off with it.

As for the "lady"...
My girlfriend showed me her photo. She's a very hot 'looker'!

If she is indeed a "very hot 'looker'", please advise her that I am selling the same exact item as you, for 500 pesos less. Thank you in advance.