Whether I'm buying or selling, I do it on text/email in the beginning if given the option. We exchange pics/facts on the game, negotiate a price and set the date and time. Once that is set up, we also exchange phone numbers in the final message so that if anything goes awry with either persons schedule they can be contacted. I alway make it a point to confirm the appointment and announce with a text that I am on the way. I've always had good exchanges with polite and respectful people and have never had a problem...or maybe I've just gotten lucky about 20 times.

*Monster Bash (2 words, proper noun)
*wear
*My equipment doesn't get beat up over time

I read through your full text and I get your frustration. I'm beginning to think one of three things:
#1 does this only happen on higher priced pins? (I've never experienced this on sub $2K pins I've bought and sold)
#2 is it geographical? (a.k.a. do you have more "tire kickers" in KS than in OH?)
#3 are your prices not really in the market range? (I've usually sold pins within about a week at fair price with zero problems with tire kickers)

I'm just not experiencing all these problems when I go to sell a pin, and I am postulating these questions as to why.

A voice of reason in the wilderness speaks.