Furniture, appliances, books, clothes… It’s hard to know how to properly buy second-hand items on the internet. Whether you go through a professional or an individual, your rights are not the same. Here’s how to find your way around and some tips for doing it safely.
You are used to buying second-hand on the internet and you have had unpleasant surprises. If your seller is an individual, you will not have the same rights as if you buy a property from a professional in Europe. Here are 6 tips from the Center Europen des Consommateurs France to avoid being tricked!
1- Start with read the general conditions of sale (GTC) of the second-hand sales platform. We know, it won’t be a thrilling read, but it will let you know if the platform acts as a simple intermediary or if you have the possibility of benefiting from assistance and protection services and under what conditions.
2- Dwell on the Product Description. If you do not have all the information, take the time to contact the seller to find out the dimensions, the condition, the presence or not of the user manual. Certain luxury brand products cannot legally be sold on second-hand sales platforms (to combat counterfeiting)
3- Check the price and in particular if it is fixed or subject to auction. Please note, if you buy a product outside the European Union, remember to check whether there will be additional taxes or customs fees to be paid.
4- Consider also scrutinizing the service fees or commissions charged by the platform you use.
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5- Make your payments on a secure site (https + closed padlock symbol in the URL). You also have the option of using secure payment systems.
6- And finally, think request the invoice If it’s possible. It is in fact to know if you still benefit from the legal guarantee of conformity and to prove to the professional seller that you are the new owner of the product. For information, this guarantee is for a minimum of 2 years for new goods and a minimum of 1 year for second-hand goods (2 years in France). In some EU countries such as France, this warranty follows the product, regardless of successive purchasers.
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The non-existent right of withdrawal if you buy from a private individual
Do you want to treat yourself to a new phone, a new jacket or even a book and you prefer to buy it second-hand? No problem! But be careful who you buy from. On the internet, with a professional, you have a right of withdrawal of 14 days from receipt of your product. With an individual, you do not have not able to return your order if it does not suit you even if you went through dedicated platforms.
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