Swap meet Know How: Buyer Beware

Swap meets and flea markets are wonderful places for shoppers to chance upon bargains. Used clothing, second hand books, even old cars and appliances have all found a second lease of life in a new home in swap meets. However, buyers at swap meets should be aware of the limitations in quality control of items purchased at swap meets. Furthermore, there is the risk or inadvertently purchasing counterfeit or even stolen items. If a deal is too good to be true, then it probably is!

Questionable origin

Stolen goods are often sold at swap meets. Buyers should be wary of brand new items that are going for a low price – question the vendor closely as to where the goods come from. Another warning sign is when all items on sale appear in bulk quantity and are identical to each other, often an indication of a stolen consignment.

Counterfeit goods

Imitation may be the best form of flattery, but it isn’t very flattering if you find yourself paying for counterfeit perfumes, DVDs, CDs Rolex watches and fake designer handbags at swap meets. Pirated media infringe copyright laws, and imitation designer goods are at best, of shoddy quality. At worst, fake perfumes could seriously irritate your skin and cause potential health issues. Steer clear from goods that do not appear genuine.

Personal safety

Before starting to shop, ensure you know where security is and what their uniforms look like. In case of an emergency, this will enable you to quickly locate them and ask for help. As with any occasion where there are large crowds, swap meets are a fertile breeding ground for pickpockets. Keep an eye on your cash at all times.

Poor quality goods

There are no guarantees, returns or quality checks on the goods you purchase at a swap meet. It is up to you to check over your purchase before handing over the cash. Appliances are high risk purchases, unless you can test them before buying. Items like clothes or bags need to be checked for missing buttons, stuck zippers, stains and open hems. Books should have all their pages intact and records or CDs should be free of scratches.