DoneDeal’s Section of the Week on Newstalk
Get what you bargained for
DoneDeal has some good advice to help you make sure you actually receive the goods you want to buy and not some dodgy replacement
Have you ever come home from a day’s shopping to find you’re missing an item? Usually it’s an honest mistake – perhaps you or the retail assistant missed bagging it at the checkout. Or how about you find that an item doesn’t work? Occasionally, brand new goods don’t work but that’s why we have guarantees or warranties to fall back on.
Annoying isn’t it? Something even more annoying is having the wool pulled over your eyes deliberately – after you’ve followed all the advice in the book.
Wising up to scams
Unfortunately, we’ve heard that some shoppers are not getting what they’ve bargained for and are arriving home with duds. Sellers are showing buyers working items and then handing over boxed items that are not the real thing. This isn’t just a DoneDeal issue but, nonetheless, we think it’s something that all DoneDealers should wise up to.
Have you checked the box to see the genuine goods you’ve bought are in it and not some old junk? No matter whether you’re buying from a stall, the corner shop where you’ve known the shopkeeper for decades, the fanciest shop in the world or through an ad on DoneDeal, here are some very general tips.
• Check you are paying the amount advertised
• Be certain of the amount of money you’re handing over and count it out so there can be no issue of being short changed
• If the item is being fetched from a storeroom or warehouse, check the box is the correct brand/model
• If it’s a boxed item (electronics as opposed to teabags of course), ask to see that the item is in the box
• Hold on to your receipt
Asking to see the item working is not feasible for everything, especially if it’s a 50-inch television in a store. The chances are the television will be covered by a guarantee and warranty and your transaction will be recorded on CCTV too.
Taking precautions
If however, you’re buying an item from a private seller in their home, your home or a neutral location, you need to do the following:
• Ask for a demonstration
• Check that it is the genuine make/model you’re looking for and not a counterfeit
• Make sure the working item doesn’t leave your sight (eg pack it into the box yourself and carry it away yourself )
Alarm bells
If the person refuses to show you the item in action, that will cast doubt in your mind. It may be best for your safety not to start making accusations. However, you can report suspicions to us or local gardaí if you fear that you are dealing with con artists. You don’t want it happening to someone else, do you?
We recommend to sellers that they can grab the interest of buyers by showing a video or selection of photos of an item in working order. However, remember you need to make all transactions in person via DoneDeal. Just because a seller has an impressive video of something in working order, doesn’t mean they’re handing over that version of it to you.
Unfortunately, there are people who take advantage of others trust and naivety. Make sure you’re not one of them!
