If you sell something for a living it's nice if you believe in its value and are not merely trying to exact the advantage you have over others in the market. The other day I walked into a music store to sell a keyboard I've had for years but do not play. The store's walls were utterly papered with guitars of all kinds, or maybe shingled is a better word, and they were so pretty, in all colors too. Then you walk up the center and the drum sets are there; and lining one wall are the keyboards, where the outlets are accessible.

So I opened up the keyboard case, and the man in this store who buys used instruments plugged it in, and began checking it out. It was actually a synthesizer, with lots of different sounds and modes, so this took awhile. The guy had huge hands with thick fingers, but he could play well, that was obvious. And he switched from one mode to another rapidly as if he were a programmer on computer. Oh -- right. That's basically what this is. I made a mental note to go hear some live piano soon.

Anyway, I got a price lower than I could have from eBay but this was fair considering the headaches that avoids. Lately, I've been getting punched on ebay when I try to sell something like a cell phone. This is one item that jerks and scammers will go for -- and they'll do different things.

One, they might open a new ebay account and buy your item, and just never pay for it. This blocks your phone from being bid on by real buyers, and, you know, generally wastes your time. Or they might buy your item and then object that it isn't unlocked or that you don't ship internationally, and announce they won't pay unless it is. So you have to get the transaction voided, and this again blocked other buyers and wasted your time. I am now listing the same cell phone for the 3rd time in a row. It was bought twice.

On Craigslist there are other things happening. You can find them if you just search. Sometimes a supposed buyer answers your ad with a really weird message sometimes saying they are ready to buy it. These usually just want to harvest your email address. Sometimes they try to get your phone number as well. And then there's the ship-it-to-me, I'll-pay-for-it crap.

The aforementioned keyboard I first posted for sale on CL. Within a few minutes of posting the ad, someone emailed announcing he'd pay a slightly lower price, today. I looked at that and wondered. So first, I replied that he should send his phone number as I requested in the ad. He did, quickly, and it was a long-distance number. But of course people often have that situation with their cells, so I asked him if he was in my area -- by replying to his FIRST email, which they say to do since this preserves the anonymity that CL provides -- and instead of answering he mentioned he'd been in business X many years and so on. After I asked again his location, he said he was on the West coast and wanted me to ship it to him at his expense.

I laughed and stopped reading, but he later sent about 4 or 5 more emails asking why I was ignoring him.

I'm not certain of the process, but I'm sure there is a way to rescind your Paypal payment to someone if you choose. For example, there certainly was a way to do it on Neteller.

I've deleted my Craigslist post so I don't think his emails will be able to reach me any longer. After selling it to the music store, I learned there is a sort of blue book for used musical instruments. This email guy was trying to tell me he'd pay not only close to my asking price, but the Fedex charges as well, which would be considerable. Sure, there are so few keyboards in California they need to import used ones from other states, using the most expensive courier.

I WAS born yesterday, and I did just fall off the turnip truck. I am aware of that. But really, they need to get some new scams.

Speaking of scams, not everybody knows that domain names are becoming more and more like tangible assets. There are, and have been for at least 7 years, pawn shops which deal exclusively in domain names and websites. The best-known one is based in Florida -- Latonas.com. This is owned by Rick Latona, a domainer who also runs a regular pawn shop as well. The terms for domain name loans are excruciatingly horrible, as you might expect.

You're better off going to Domain Capital, which is a well-established loan company which will accept (valuable) domains as collateral.

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Recently I also visited one of those cash-for-gold shops to see what the process was and if it could possibly suit my needs. (It doesn't.) The one I went to had a lady who was very pleasant, and tested my jewelry to let me know what I'd get in their payment per pennyweight. It turned out to be about one-tenth or less of what I believe I paid for these 10KT items. Like with old silver coins, you're much better off trying to sell the item to someone who wants it for what it actually is. In the case of coins -- a collector. For jewelry -- someone who wants to wear it. So now I won't feel so badly if I were to sell it for half off or so. That's just the way things are. We're better off not buying things to begin with.

I don't know if dental students still buy gold from people, but you might get more from them too.

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I began this post because I realized I definitely do believe in the value of what I sell: Words. When prospective buyers scream and object to the prices of domain names, they say things like, "It's just a word!"

But there's nothing more valuable. Silly people.