If he lets you purchase it with a major credit card, you can get your money back. I've had a merchant account (Visa, MC, AmEx, etc.) for years, and believe me in a customer/merchant dispute, the customer almost always wins. Of course, it may take a little time to get your money back, but if he is smart, he'll refund your money on the mere threat of a chargeback. A refund is preferable to a chargeback anyday.
I wouldn't use PayPal if my life depended on it:
http://www.paypalwarning.com/