Start with the details
A good secondhand purchase starts before you leave home. Read the full description and check the asking price, condition, location, and date added. Ask whether the item is still available. A recently published advert does not necessarily mean the seller has recently checked it, especially when someone else submitted the listing on their behalf.
Ask questions that change your decision
Request the model number, dimensions, age if known, and details of repairs or defects. For furniture, measure your doorway as well as the space where it will stand. For electronics, ask what accessories are included and whether you can test the item. Ask for an extra photo if an important surface or label is missing from the advert.
Make the price unambiguous
Agree whether the amount is in XCG or USD, particularly if the listing or conversation uses only a dollar sign. Confirm the total, any delivery charge, and who is arranging transport. If you negotiate, put the agreed amount in the conversation. Do not assume that a currency conversion, delivery service, or warranty is included unless the seller explicitly confirms it.
Choose a sensible meeting
For portable items, arrange a well-lit public meeting place and tell someone where you are going. Take another person if that makes you more comfortable. For a large item that needs a home visit, agree a daytime appointment and bring someone with you. Avoid sharing unrelated personal documents, account passwords, or verification codes to arrange a purchase.
Inspect before completing the deal
Compare the actual item with its photos and description. Look at corners, moving parts, cables, connections, and visible repairs. Test the functions you intend to use rather than accepting a quick demonstration of something else. If a seller refuses a reasonable inspection, changes the terms unexpectedly, or pressures you to pay immediately, pause. You can leave without completing the purchase.
Keep a useful record
Confirm the payment method together and keep the conversation and your payment confirmation. A screenshot supplied by another person is not a substitute for checking your own account. Before leaving, confirm that you have every agreed accessory and the correct item. Afterwards, report an advert if you encountered misleading information, and ask the seller to mark a completed sale as sold.
Our listing review is a moderation step. It does not establish ownership, product condition, or a guarantee of the transaction. Your own questions and inspection still matter.