Top Five Things to Watch Out for When You Buy at Carousell

Apart from Lazada and Shopee, Zalora or FB Marketplace, one place where you can actually scour for your online shopping needs is Carousell. Offering both new and old items, Carousell has become my go-to site for anything and everything. With some luck, I get to score branded items at hugeeee discounts (mostly, with their price tags attached to them!). I also like Carousell for the simple fact that it is a platform where you can simply join and sell stuff- no matter if you’re simply decluttering or in a small buy and sell business, But don’t take my word for it. All you need to do is check it out and see for yourself. So for first-time visitors, here’s a list of the Top Five Things to Watch out For when you purchase from Carousell (based on personal experience):

1. Look for “steal” items

With thousands of sellers, choose the ones who offer nice and quality items at great prices. Don’t just settle. But also, when you do find those “steal items”, don’t resort also to low-balling. Respect their prices enough- that when you ask for additional discounts, the seller won’t be offended.

2. Check out locations from where they will be shipped

This is important, especially when you want to save on shipping fees or when you need to get the item right away. Filter, if you must, and look only for places near you so you do save on shipping fees and time. But of course, if the piece you’re eyeing is so unique and cannot be found anywhere else, then maybe the shipping fee shouldn’t matter.

3. Look for 5-star sellers in Carousell

Sellers who are rated 3-star sellers should already raise a red flag for you. That means you get a 50-50 chance that your transaction will go smoothly or that the products you’re purchasing have no issue. 5-star sellers are usually rated such for their attitude or for the kind of goods they sell.

4. Read the reviews

By reading the reviews (not just checking the stars) you will get a pretty good sense of the seller (or buyer, for that matter) you’re dealing with and the kind of stuff he/she vends online. By reading the reviews, you will know if a person is kind, considerate, truthful or offers freebies.

5. Check out the other listings in Carousell

Based on their other listings, you will know what kind of things they possess- if they’re worn out, or if they’re branded, or if their stuff comes from Japan, U.S. or Baclaran. You will also get a sense of what their background is- for ex., if she sells used baby clothes or outgrown and unused diapers, then she must be a mom; of is he sells used tennis apparel, he must be upgrading or has shifted his interest. While some might say this is overthinking, this will actually give you subtle tips on how he/she is as a person and who you’re dealing with.