Idea for safer online shopping

[MetalSkulkBane]

Random thought I had. If it exists, please let me know.

Buying stuff on internet or commissions on from the artist. How it looks?
Step 1 Pick thing you like
Step 2 Send money for it
Step 3 Pray to all gods that person isn't a dick and won't keep your money, giving nothing

When it comes to commissioning artists it can go other way around. First half of payment received, artist shows pic, asks for 2nd half, buyer disappears. Paypal, ebay, deviantart, no one protects you.

 

Here's my solution: introduce 3rd party. Let's call him Buck. After your item is ready you give money to Buck. Only them item is sent to you. Once you receive item and you're happy you tell Buck to give money to seller.

And here's the key point: if someone tries to cheat, money stays with Buck.
So seller must send the product or he will never see the money.
And if buyer got his item and wants to be a dick, he can't get his money's back (unless seller agrees to it. Complaints happen). So being a jerk will give him nothing but trouble.
There is a risk that buyer will be lazy and forgets to tell Buck to send money, but that can be fixed with time counter. 2 weeks without reply imply that buyer is happy and money automatically goes to seller.

Is it perfect? I guess not. Some people might stop money in Bucks hands just for sake of being dicks. But it's still improvement in every way over current system.

[Guest]

...isn't this what PayPal is supposed to be?

[KnuxDLX]

Sorry about the reactions.

 

I had to.

[MetalSkulkBane]

9 hours ago, Angyu said:

...isn't this what PayPal is supposed to be?

Have you ever used paypal? You sent money and that's the end of it. Paypal helps with transfer, but doesn't make it fair.

Sure, you can make a complain and Paypal will get your money back...assuming that money is still on cheaters account, If dishonest seller transferred that money already, it's gone. At least that what I heard from stories. Thankfully it never happened to me.