SCAM ALERT SCAM ALERT

i guess i cant grasp the concept of goods and services being paid through friends and family. if i am buying an item is the person i am buying from really my friend? wouldn't i be just giving the money as a gift and not expect to receive an item i purchased? i always send an invoice with a description of what i am selling so i am liable for a customer receiving what they purchased. i am not worried about the 4% PayPal fee. its a cost of doing business in my eyes. i am not good at judging character from text on a screen. could be some guy in Botswana collecting money for all i know. repeat purchases from the same person could be a different story though.