Hello Everybody,

The rules of r/ABDLMarket have been updated as of September 10, 2024. This has been done to (hopefully) promote clarity where some rules were previously vague or imprecise in their wording. Please take a moment to look these changes over to ensure that future posts align with this community's expectations.

In other news, we have implemented new Auto Moderator functionality, which will add a pinned comment to every new post on r/ABDLMarket. This comment should not be taken as an indication that you have done anything wrong or are otherwise under suspicion of wrongdoing. It is merely an automated measure to help promote safe practices for all users of the subreddit.

If you have any questions about the rules you would like to have clarified, please feel free to use the "Message the mods" button in the sidebar to ask.

Cheers,
The r/ABDLMarket Mod Team

Recently I've noticed a lot of posts in this subreddit where users are complaining about having been scammed. It's become pretty apparent that an unfortunately large number of people are unaware of the most important precautions to take when buying, selling, or trading on a subreddit like this one, so I thought I'd put together a guide to help people trade safely on here.

General Precautions

Whether you're buying, selling, or trading, there are some universal precautions that everyone looking to do business on a subreddit should follow:

1. Don't trade with new users.
   It takes mere moments to set up a free Gmail account and register a new user account on Reddit. Don't take the risk! If a buyer, seller, or trader has a new account and you really want to do business with them, ask if they are active with an older and well-established account on any other social media platforms -- if so, move the conversation over there to ensure that they're really who they say they are before sending them anything!
2. If they contact you via Reddit's chat or messaging system, require the user to post a comment in your public thread in this subreddit as well.
   Why? Because banning a user from a subreddit does not prevent them from viewing the posts in that sub or from messaging members of that subreddit. The mods' bans aren't effective if people aren't careful, and making them post here proves that they're currently in good standing on this sub.

3. Use ONLY the following payment methods:

   1. Cash (In-Person Only - The old-fashioned "paper" stuff, not the app)
   2. PayPal Invoice
   3. PayPal (tagged for Goods & Services)
   4. Venmo (tagged as a Purchase)
      

4. DO NOT use the following payment methods unless meeting in person to make the trade:
   None of the following payment methods offer purchase protection of any kind.

   1. Cash App
   2. Zelle
   3. PayPal (tagged for Friends & Family)
   4. Venmo (not tagged as a Purchase)
   5. Cash via Mail
   6. Personal Check
   7. Money Order
   8. Gift Cards
      

5. Just Pay The Fees!
   I know, I know. Nobody wants to give a big corporation their money if they don't have to, but you pay a fee to PayPal or Venmo because they offer a Purchase Protection Program, which protects both the buyers and sellers. Your fees help pay the wages of the reps dealing with those disputes and for paying out claims. You might not need their help today, but someday you might do business with a bad actor, and you'll be grateful to have those reps there to help mediate the situation. Less than 3% in fees is a lot less than the 100% you'll lose if you're doing business with a bad actor.

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Precautions for Buyers

1. Demand Proof of Ownership
   Scammers may use fake/stolen images of items they don't actually have in their possession. To combat this, do a reverse image search on their photos. To be extra careful, ask the seller to take a picture of the item with a piece of paper listing their Reddit username and today's date to prove that they actually own and possess the item they're offering for sale.
2. Reluctant Seller? Offer To Pay The Fees!
   If the seller is reluctant to give up <3% to PayPal or Venmo to receive the money using one of the safe methods listed here, offer to pay extra to cover the fees! <3% is a lot cheaper than the 100% you'll lose if they're a scammer.
3. Be Reasonable, Patient, and Polite
   We all have lives and hobbies that keep us busy, but try to remember that most sellers are doing this in their spare time on the side. Don't get upset if they don't respond within two minutes every time you message them, don't start ranting at them if they don't reply right away, and give them at least a couple of days to reply before even considering filing a payment dispute. You have plenty of time on most purchase protection policies, a day or two won't make a significant difference.
4. Be Willing to Walk Away
   If a seller is refusing to cooperate in ensuring a safe transaction, keeps making excuses about why they can't prove they have the item or keep trying to get you to use an unsafe payment method, JUST SAY NO! I know those rare vintage Tykables PLeather are super tempting, but it's not worth the risk, and a genuine seller will want to make the deal work.

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Precautions for Sellers

1. Get Paid First
   Unless you're meeting In-Person, always get payment from a buyer before sending out anything! Since you're going to use a safe payment method (Right?), they have zero risk in paying you first.
2. Beware of Overnight Shipping
   Nobody needs their ABDL products overnighted, it's a weird red flag, be cautious! They might be using a stolen account or something similar and want to ensure the item arrives before they're found out.
3. Use Tracked, Insured Shipping
   Yeah, it costs more, but: - Tracked shipping is the only way to prove the delivery of the item in a dispute - Insurance covers the shipping fees and the value of the item. This makes you whole and enables you to refund the buyer in full without losing your shirt.
4. Stay in Contact
   We all have lives and hobbies that keep us busy, a reasonable buyer will understand if you cannot reply within 30 seconds every time they message you, but don't forget that you owe your customer some accountability for their purchase. Keep them informed of what's going on if there's a delay, and get them their tracking number ASAP, so they don't keep bugging you for updates. You don't want them opening up a payment dispute because you were unresponsive.
5. Be Willing to Walk Away
   If a buyer refuses to cooperate in ensuring a safe transaction and keeps making excuses about why they need to use an unsafe payment method, JUST SAY NO! I know those out-of-print ODU shortalls are taking up valuable closet space, but it's not worth the risk, and a genuine buyer will want to make the deal work.