i recently ordered a gecko from a breeder on MM and after purchasing i was informed that my gecko would not ship for several weeks, due to egg laying, but she was listed as a pet only not for breeding. also the seller constantly provides excuses when i ask for updated photos or a estimated shipping time ( i.e. another few weeks, im not home to take pictures but i can send them tonight) ive waited several days for photos but the seller has had an excuse as to why i have to wait for photos. so i guess what im asking is does this seem legit or am i just overthinking it?
also they "accidentally " sent me an over priced invoice and then told me sorry i have another offer, when i refused to pay the amount that was more than what we agreed on. they then contacted me 2 days later and said the other offer had somehow fallen through so they would sell her to me for the original price.
I believe shipping arrangements should be discussed prior to money exchange and or covered in once TOS, based on this specific situation the seller should have mentioned the delays in the ad itself or communicate this prior to the animal being paid for.
Now there are shipping delays that may occur even once the transaction is completed however those are generally weather related.
Sometime it’s hard to distinguish between a poorly ran business and a possible scam.
Here are the things I look into when buying an animal online
Ratings
Name, I research the seller online on other platforms such as social media.
Communication (not just what is said but how it is said)
Online or show presence
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