[NA]Validating online companies[NA]

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
20,333
Location
west Texas
Display Name
Display name:
Dave Taylor
I am buying a $3000 storage container.
There are none locally. The nearest was 220mi away and they jacked me way too much.
So I have to look further afield.
Found a link to a company. Guy emails and talks like he is the real deal.
But I'm still sending $ before receiving anything (no one is going to ship this far without confirmed payment). Mailed check, wire or money order.
How do you confirm companies have some legitimacy?
Anyone can put up a website or get on FB.
I did a googlemaps search for the address on his invoice and it is here
https://goo.gl/maps/FLnJ3FZJCDk
a high-end residential area which does not make a lot of sense.
Here is the company:
http://www.iplmanagement.com/
Basic googling reveals little.
 
Most of those guys are just one man show brokers or small outfits with a delivery trailer that have access to the shipping companies who they buy the containers from wholesale on demand as the order come in. They can market and sell with out ever having to take possession of the actual container except to deliver it nor need to be in a commercial location to warehouse them, so the ad and your links do not at all strike me as odd having dealt with several of them over the years.

I usually do cash in hand upon delivery but would all depend on how much you trust this guy as you would have little recourse should it go south.

I would compromise with him and offer to prepay shipping then cash in hand for the actual container when it arrives.
 
I know they wont do that; none of the ones I talked to would. Too risky for them.
 
Can you put the money in an escrow like account? Short of doing that, get a detailed bill that includes a deliver by date and require that you sign for the delivery. At least then you will have a good chance of winning a court battle if it comes to that. You have an airplane, go visit the guy in person just to make sure it's legit.
 
Dave, there are tons of those storage containers around here. I know a guy with a semi, too.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I did a googlemaps search for the address on his invoice and it is here
https://goo.gl/maps/FLnJ3FZJCDk
a high-end residential area which does not make a lot of sense.
Click to expand...

Not to necessarily alay your concerns, but I wouldn't let this part bother you too much. Very well may be a guy who's retired or this is a side business (as others have said, likely a ship from source as needed situation). The business address for my ranches, stable, and other businesses is a "high-end residential area" where my office is about 30 feet from my bedroom.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Whoa, I was so wrong about that; I misread the email...they WILL accept COD with no contract.
Yay!
Click to expand...
Cool. Failing that you can ask for a contact at the actual mfr and/or a bank reference.
 
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