+1 on using PayPal.
The best way to do these deals, in my own experience, is to have the seller set up a 'buy it now' just for you. You need to be there and click on it as soon as the listing shows.
I am not certain if PaYPal guarantees anything if the sale is outside of an Ebay auction.
My two cents.
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"I tell you, We are here on earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." - Kurt Vonnegut jr.