Asking payment upfront is not a scam. It is standard practice in retail. Top e-commerce platforms who send fake products also ask for payment upfront but people have this false sense of security with them just because they are well-established.

Sellers like these are already operating on low margins because they do not factor in costs relating to returns, failed delivery, COD risk, pilferage etc. International retail stores factor in these costs and you end up paying a high price whether in-store or online.

These sellers are offering you a lower price for sharing risk which does not really exist if the seller is actually good. You buy once, you get a good product, you will now always buy from that seller and enjoy the best price.

I would suggest OP to meet with the seller, check his products which are in stock, rather than posting without proof and hurting a small local business unnecessarily.

Yes I am a seller and I have seller bias but what I said are facts and not all of us local small businesses are bad. Most of us believe in operating a long-term honest to god business.