Sorry to hear of your bad experience.
Normal payment method would be send $ first, then when the seller receives it cards are sent.
Personally I have bought/received cards in about every way imaginable on this site. I normally send pictures of famous dead people TTM as payment. Some wait till they receive payment and some send as soon as I say I will take it because I have done several deals with them. I have had a few bumps along the way but they all worked out in the end privately without any drama.
