Do You Frequent The Facebook Garage Sale Sites?

The Facebook garage sale sites.  They seem to be a booming business these days.  Why traipse out and burn your gas hitting all of the local garage sales when you can find some great bargains in the comfort of your own home any time of the year?  Well, I still enjoy hitting the scene and finding some great deals.   Sounds great, right?  You may want to take a look at some of this info before you decide to buy something.

One thing you definitely need to beware of, is people selling broken or damaged electronics.  The picture of the Iphone 5 looks great, but you need to check the item before committing to purchase.  If the seller does not want to demonstrate the product and prove to you that it is in good working condition, then simply pass on the item.  You are not obligated to buy if you are not satisfied with the item.  I have seen so many complaints of someone getting taken by someone selling a phone that is locked or is not in good working order.

Like regular garage sales, items sold are “as is”, and you need to be aware of this.  This is why I generally steer away from electronics and appliances.  You never know if that thing is on the verge of breaking and you don’t get a warranty and you can’t return the item to the store.  So just be careful and always check the condition before you buy.

Also, be aware of people using these forums as a business.  They are not setup for people running a business and most of them explain in their rules that businesses are not allowed on the site.  A lot of times you will see people selling something that they just happen to have a lot of and they are selling at retail type prices.  Find out what their return policy is before you purchase anything, if you happen to buy from one of these sellers.

People sell used cars here too.  My biggest piece of advice before buying a used car from a Facebook garage sale site, is to have it check out by a mechanic before you buy.  If the seller refuses to allow you to do this, it generally means they are hiding something and then the sale was likely not in your best interest in the first place.  Check the Kelly Blue Book value and the Carfax of the car before you buy.

If you decide to buy something from a seller, agree to meet in a mutual location that is highly populated, for your own safety.  Also try to bring someone with you when you go to meet a seller.  If they can’t agree to meet you somewhere, simply pass on the item.  It’s not worth it.

A lot of great things you will find on these sites.  I myself find them addictive and I find myself impulse buying on a pretty regular basis.  But I always check out the item before I buy.  So far, I consider myself lucky that I have not come across a bad item, but that is primarily because I use extreme caution and make sure the item meets my approval before I shell out the cash.

Happy shopping!