I just managed to have something shipped. Yesterday!

This was a 3 month process to buy a set of springs.
- Middle of May I sent in a order by email.
- Middle of June I called and spoke to John, who was going to send me a final quote with shipping.
- Middle of July I sent him an email telling him to forget about the order since he hadn't bothered to give me the quote.
- John came back (same day) and apologized, and made up some excuse about a helper. I replied and told him I'd like to do business, but I'd hold him to whatever delivery times he gave me, and while I was not in a hurry, I also would not wait forever.
- 3 days later John sends me the quote, I pay, and he comes back and tells me not all parts will be ready to ship. He offers me partial refund of what cannot ship, or to hold the money until he's ready to ship. Knowing this forum I tell him I'll take the refund and then order later.
- John sends the refund two days later.
- 7 days after that (yesterday) I get a email, and a tracking number.

I say this can be done, but one needs to straight but pushy, and tell him up front that he'll be held to delivery times.

I wouldn't pay him any other way than by Paypal, and have him give you a delivery date. With Paypal you can dispute the payment if he doesn't live up to it, and Paypal will back you up. Just make sure as you send it as a payment for goods (and keep email correspondance on all) and not as a payment to "a friend".

And here you can see the package progress:
http://www.boxoh.com/?t=1Z9AX9380397517093