Features

The seller still hasn't paid. I am now in the process of employing a Sheriff's Officer (a bailiff, in other words) to collect the debt. If the seller disappears from his current location, one further course of action is to hire a private investigator to trace him. Two industry bodies - the Association of British Investigators (ABI) and the Institute of Professional Investigators - provide lists of accredited companies. It should cost around £100 to carry out a trace. It's a lot of bother for £330, but it's a matter of principle.

Of course, my experience is rare and

It is pretty easy to remain safe when shopping online. Only go to retailers you trust or that friends have recommended. With eBay, you're safe if you bid only from traders that exhibit the PayPal Buyer Protection shield. But really, this is a little disingenuous. EBay is meant to be about trading with other users on the basis of trust. What hope does a new seller have if they want to sell a computer and find they have to make 50 other transactions first in order to be trusted? In these cases the best guide is the old legal term caveat emptor - buyer beware. Feel free to take a risk on new sellers, but make sure it's a risk you can afford to walk away from empty-handed. Either that or get ready for a long, lonely fight.