Caution not really avoidance... Starlight-Collect on eBay. The guy's name is Bill... Bought a still and he packaged it poorly and moisture penetrated in a spot causing a bump on a mint still.
Requested a partial refund and he replies: "We will leave it up to you whether or not you feel it is fair for us to pay for the obvious carelessness of USPS."
I reply:
"Although I appreciate you putting the ball back in my court, you could have packaged the item to avoid the water damage. I simple plastic sleeve would have prevented the damage. I've had packages from another dealer packaged so well that even though it was left out in the rain and soaked - nothing got wet. (<<<This is Bruce's package of course, it was in one of his e-mails)
So at this point I do think that you should pay for not being prepared for the carelessness of the USPS..."
Then he gives me the runaround after sending multiple photos, that he can't see the damage... Everyone knows that once a still gets wet its over especially if you have been dealing for 15 years...
So I tell him I will just send it back for a full refund and zoom! here comes my partial.
Just be careful if you buy from him. Maybe ask him to provide extra packaging. I have purchased from him many times and everything was fine. You just don't really know the character of a dealer until something goes wrong...