Are you planning to buy a second hand gears from classified ads, forums, and online shop? Buying a second hand gears can help you to save money. But, this can lead to dissatisfaction and scams. Here are some tips on buying a second hand gears safely without wasting your money or being scammed.
1.Price. Expect that the price of the second hand item is lower than the brand new ones. Search for the original brand new price of the product on Google. Because some of the sellers, sell a second hand item in higher price than the price of the brand new, to a earn revenue. So it's good to know the original brand new price of the item first.
2.Seller's Information. Know the important information of the seller such as full name and exact address.Make sure that the item is really for sale, because some scammers are just getting a photos on the internet then sell it, some of this scammers are only requiring shipping, once you've already pay for it, they will not ship it to you, because there are no item to ship. You should check his/her feedback from other transactions, if you find out that his/her previous clients are not satisfied or being scammed, you should find another seller.
3.Looks. Expect that the item you will get is not good as brand new, because obviously that's a second hand item. If you are perfectionist, you should buy a brand new and don't buy second hand item, because that can't satisfy you.
4.Actual Pictures. Ask for actual pictures of the item, before going to meetups. If possible ask for pictures of the item in all angles. Inspect if there are cracks, scratches, issues etc. If it has scratches or other issues, that should be indicated on the condition of the product.
5.Test. In meetups, set a specific time and place to avoid wasting time. Test the product if it's good for you, inspect the product if it's already repaired. You can use a flashlight or other source of light, if you notice that there are some shiny scratches on the screws, that means the previous owner repaired it or opened it already.
