Secure purchasing method and system in on-line auction

A method for securely purchasing an item on an on-line auction purchasing system, comprising the steps of:

• after an item is offered for sale on the on-line auction purchasing system and bidding is submitted for the item offered for sale on the purchasing system, receiving an electronic message at a payment and inspection computer system from the on-line auction purchasing system, said on-line auction purchasing system message indicating that a bid has been accepted for the purchase of the offered item;
• sending out an electronic message to a seller of the offered item that a payment of the bid amount for the item was received by a payment and inspection service;
• sending out an electronic message to a buyer of the offered item that the purchased item was received at an inspection service site after the bid for the item was accepted;
• providing the purchased item to the buyer for a monitored inspection at the inspection service site for acceptance or rejection by the buyer said payment and inspection service monitoring the buyer during the inspection, allowing the buyer to inspect the shipped item to assure its acceptability without giving the buyer an opportunity to alter or swap the shipped item;
• and
• sending a message to the seller indicating that the payment was transferred to the seller upon acceptance of the item by the buyer after said monitored inspection or the payment was not transferred to the seller if the item is rejected by the buyer after said monitored inspection.