5 Tips for Buying Used Gadgets Online

With the persistent problems and scams that plague the cyberspace, an online gadget buyer must be vigilant in his purchases. Here are a few tips we can share so your hard-earned cash will not go to waste.

I’ve witnessed people losing their money to bogus sellers online, falling prey to plans of scammers and the like. These five tips can help you make wiser decisions in purchasing used gadgets online.

Stick to trusted buy and sell advertisement websites and channels. If you are buying one, check a few of your friends that may advertise some of their gadgets on sale a few times. When there’s none, head out to the buy and sell websites to check out gadgets that may pique your interest.

While there may be a followed online price guide courtesy of our friends from Greenhills, there are still users that sell their gadgets for way below the expected resell price, so keep an eye on those diamonds in the wild.

Be wary of fake and bogus sellers. There have always been persistent reminders to be vigilant enough when it comes to items that you buy online.

Here’s a rule of thumb: If the price is too good to be true, then consider that a bogus. Consider the seller to be a scam too if he only accepts remittance as mode payment, refuses to meet up, and makes a promise to ship your gadget, unless there are proven testimonials that he is actually a good seller. There are also stolen gadgets being sold over the internet, and it might be disguised as a pre-loved device. It’s as good as giving your money to scammers.

With these fake sellers roaming around the internet like fleas, it is important that websites also beef up their verification policies on sellers to protect them as well. Hachi’s Buy and Sell, a Facebook group dedicated to this kind of trade, implemented a seller verification program in an attempt to combat scammers persistently flocking their group. Buyers can check the seller’s badge, a proof that the latter has been accredited as a legitimate trader by the group administrator himself.

Try to haggle, but don’t force it. As we have already mentioned before in our Top 5 Crazy Filipino Gadget Buying Habits article last year, we always clamor for last prices, much to the ire of sellers who posted advertisements as fixed prices. We are also more of 19th century traders, as most of us still believe that trading is still synonymous to selling.

While haggling for a last price may be ire-worthy, it is still a good try to do so. Let’s not forget to respect the seller in the process, as they are still in charge of the transaction.

Always check the condition of the gadget upon meetup. To save time in the future, don’t forget to inspect the gadget upon meetup. Not discrediting sellers, but seeing the gizmos personally is clearer and better than in pictures. You might find an unmentioned issue, and it can be a reason for you to haggle the price lower than the one agreed upon.

While sellers issue personal warranties on top of the current one (if it has), your gadget is considered good and working properly once the deal has been finalized. It’s also recommended to have someone accompany you when doing meetups, as you are also bringing cash.

Never post pictures of your money unless there are watermarks. I’ve seen a lot of buyers that post their cold cash on buy and sell groups that aim to collect seller offers and buy the best one, along with a picture of their government ID. (My 5k to your? Post offers here)

Never, ever post your full ID on the internet without concealing private information, please. While it may be necessary for authenticity, do keep in mind that identity theft is still very rampant nowadays; if you’re not careful enough, there will be instances that you will be impersonated without your full knowledge. This happened to a a few of my friends as well. Like what we said in the other half of this series, you may consider using a watermark with your name and Facebook URL so it would not be easily replicated.

We hope that these tips may help you in becoming a smarter and more vigilant gadget buyer in cyberspace. Got any tips not on this list? Hop down to the comments section below.