Carousell is one of my favorite buy and sell websites/apps in the Philippines. I have been using it a lot and I consider this as my main shopping and selling app. However, just like any other e-commerce website, because of its growth, it’s also attracting scammers. Luckily, I have never been scammed yet. However, I almost got scammed once. I trusted my gut feel and dodge the bullet, but it was really a very close call. I’m here to share with you guys how to shop on Carousell Philippines safely.
Let’s start, shall we?
Photo by Thom Holmes on Unsplash
Always Check the Feedback
Carousell has a feedback system to help buyers find the most reputable sellers on Carousell. It’s a 5-star rating system wherein 5 stars is the highest and 1 is the lowest. You can see the rating of the seller just below the seller’s name when you click on their profile.
In the past, I only check if there’s a rating or not. I try my best to not buy from sellers without a rating just to be on the safe side. However, I also bought from online sellers in the past without any rating and I did get the package without any issues. I’ll discuss later on how to do this safely.
Going back to the topic, I mentioned earlier that I almost got scammed once. The scammer’s profile has a 5-star rating, but what I failed to do was check the feedback. If only I checked the feedback, I will know right there and then that it might be a scammer’s account.
The seller only has one feedback and when you check the account of the person who gave the feedback, it also has one feedback coming from this seller. So maybe, the owner of both accounts is just one person and he just gave both his accounts a 5-star rating.
I also noticed some accounts with many feedback but when you check the feedback, they’re all coming from the same accounts.
So, before you buy from any seller, be sure to check the feedback just to be on the safe side.
Be Cautious in Buying from Seller Without Any Rating
New sellers on Carousell will definitely not have any feedback at first and it’s unfair to avoid them just because they don’t have any ratings yet. However, as an online seller, I can also understand why buyers prefer to buy from online shops with existing feedback. This is to ensure that they’re dealing with someone legit.
In the past, I have bought a lot from new sellers without any feedback nor ratings yet and these are the things that I did to minimize the risks:
- I asked for additional pictures of the item – By doing this, I will be assured that they have the item on hand and that they did not just copy someone’s picture from the internet. I also asked for pictures of specific parts of the bags (I usually buy bags online) such as the tags, labels, etc.
- I opted for COD payment – Sometimes, there are new sellers who provide detailed pictures on their post, and in instances like this, I can’t ask for additional pictures anymore since they’re already provided. What I do instead is I asked the seller if I could opt for COD or Cash on Delivery. By option for COD, I minimize my risk since I don’t have to send the payment right away to a seller who doesn’t have any ratings yet.
- I waited for them to get feedback – Carousell has a ‘Liked’ feature wherein when you click on the ‘Heart symbol, which you can find on the lower right-hand side of your screen (when you click on an item), it will be saved on your ‘Liked’ page. As a seller, this is also a risk for me especially when the item is a rare piece, other buyers might get it while I was waiting. However, I can’t also risk my hard-earned money.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Always Check the Pictures and the Descriptions and Ask if Unsure
Before you buy an item, always check all the pictures provided and also the descriptions posted on the listing. If you are still unsure of the condition of the item do not hesitate to ask the seller for additional pictures and to double-check the item.
Even though I have never been scammed on Carousell yet, I have received so many items that fell below my expectations. Partly, I admit that this is my fault.
Nowadays, I learned my lesson really well and I always ask the seller to check the item again before I make an offer. Some of the things that I want them to check (for second-hand bags) includes (but not limited to):
- Tear (Interior and Exterior)
- Scuffing
- Rust
- Condition of the lining especially if it’s a vintage bag (Is it sticky, powdery, or are there any stains?)
- Are all hardware working (buttons, snaps, zippers, etc)?
- Is there a strong foul smell?
And any other relevant questions that I might think of (inclusions if there are any, etc).
Always Double-check the Details of Your Chosen Payment Method
A lot of online sellers on Carousell including myself are just small-time business owners and we don’t have our own payment system. Usually, online sellers on Carousell get the customer’s payment through bank transfers, mobile e-wallets such as GCash or Paymaya, remittance centers such as Palawan Express or 7-11, etc.
Before you make any payment, please confirm to the seller the accuracy of the details that they’ve sent you.
And also, when typing the details on your chosen payment method like for example on GCash, double-check all the details first before sending the payment. This is to ensure that the payment goes to the right person.
This is really a simple issue but I know a handful of people who mistakenly sent money to a different number (usually they mistakenly type the last number).
Always Double-check the Shipping Details that You’re Providing the Seller
I lost count on how many times I have received an incomplete address from my buyers so to ensure that I have all the information that I need, I always ask them to confirm the details that they have provided me.
As buyers, especially if you’re living in condominiums, always provide your Unit Number and Building Name/Number. Also, make sure to provide your mobile number and not your landline number so it’s easier to contact you if ever the courier is having a hard time finding your location. This is to minimize the risk of delayed shipping.
Final Thoughts
I love Carousell and just to be clear, this is not a paid nor a sponsored article. I really use Carousell both for selling and buying stuff. I find it an amazing community of buyers and sellers and I hope that it will just continue to grow in the future.
I’m sure that this website/app has helped a lot of people jumpstart their online selling careers and it also helped a lot of collectors find the rare gems that they’re looking for in the second-hand market. As a buyer, I’ve found a lot of rare items (that I’m now hoarding LOL!) on Carousell.
If you are not yet on Carousell, go check it out. You can find it on Android and IOS. It’s also available in other countries, namely:
- Australia
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Taiwan
Interesting. Had no idea Carousell existed, which sounds like a really good alternative to Amazon. Amazon had to deal a lot with fake reviews and products and it’s still dealing with it. If an established company like Amazon still can’t completely get rid of them, then Carousell might have the same problem.
Have to proceed and buy with caution on any buy/sell apps!
Hi David,
Thanks for dropping by. So true, proceed with caution on any buy/sell apps.