Everything you need to know when buying online

Tue. Aug.05, 2014, By BragDeal

In the previous article, we talked about the truth about making money online. In that article,

we covered how marketing schemes mislead people into signing up with their services.

Here, we will learn how to be prepared when meeting up locally with a seller we never met

before. For this article, we will use the scenario of buying a new mobile device.

Mobile devices today, come with advanced technology and durability. Each year,

companies such as Apple, Samsung, to name a few, sell upgraded devices with new

softwares and more features. Although the difference is not always significant for the

average consumer, we still tend to want the latest technology just to stay up to date. Can

we get the newer device for a cheaper price though?

When looking around for a new phone, it is easy to find literally thousands of ads within

seconds. Of course it goes without saying that established companies will charge $200+

more than you can get from someone online. With that comes the need of preparation and

awareness to avoid getting fooled. We are sure you heard of the saying "If it's too good to

be true, it probably is", what we refer to is, an ad that claims to have a brand new phone,

still in the box, and it is cheaper by $100+ than the rest of the similar ads around, this

should be the first red flag. Although it can be true and legitimate, chances are low. Let's

think about it, why would a seller, knowingly lose on a $100 bill they could gain? There are

the possibilities that they really need the money for rent, school, excreta sure. On the other

hand, it also could be that the phone has a problem with it. Why drop the price then? Why

not just lie and say it's mint? Because the seller in this case, would hope you do not catch

the issue with the phone, but just in the case you do, expect to hear: "well, that's why the

price is so low, what did you expect...". The other side to this, it could be that the phone was

stolen and the seller is trying to get rid of it as fast as possible for whatever amount

possible.

What you need to know before meeting up

Firstly, always trust your gut feeling. If you think it is a scam or stolen device, do not risk it.

Being penny smart dollar foolish can get you in a big loss. In the case you do decide to get

the phone, always ask the reason for the sale, even if you do not care and just want the

phone. Doing so will enable you to quickly make your judgment of the seller. Again, listen to

your gut feeling! You can tell who is shady or weird by the type of reply. For example, if the

seller is selling an iPhone 5 and replies with "I don't use it..", well, if that was true, he would

reply "I got the 5S", or "I cannot use iPhones, hate touchscreen". Based on their reply, you

can get a glimpse of the truth if you have some doubts. Use their reply to validate their

reason of sale when meeting up. Did he say he hates touchscreen? What phone is he using

then? Better not be a touchscreen.

During the local transaction

Finally. You agreed on a meeting time and the location. You both show up on time and the

phone is in your hands to be checked. The seller, so far, seems to be legitimate. He is

dressed like a regular person, speaks normal, and has an old phone (as he did say he

hated touchscreens). You examine the phone and see a little scratch at the corner, nothing

serious just a tiny scratch. Ask the seller about it, see what he replies. If he never

mentioned it prior to the meeting, that is a red flag. Make sure the phone turns on and off

like it should. Try typing, opening a few applications, and check the sound. Go as far as

making a quick test phone call to his cell phone to hear the quality. If all check out to be

okay, make your call based on all the points above. Sure it is time consuming, a whole 5

minutes maybe, but this will save you from losing money that you worked hard for.

Be smart, do not rush. There are tons of phones for sale every hour. If a deal is good,

another one will come around within the next few days. It is better to wait an extra day than

be at a loss.

Sincerely,

BragDeal Team