Buy safe second-hand products online

Before buying second-hand products online

While sellers should make sure products they sell are safe, there are steps that you can take to reduce product safety risks when buying second-hand products online.

Understand your consumer rights and guarantees

Consumers have a right to expect certain things when buying from a business. In consumer law, these basic rights are called consumer guarantees. 

These basic rights cannot be taken away by anything that a business says or does. 

Consumers have a right to expect that a product:

• is of acceptable quality, including that it is safe, durable and free from defects
• matches the description 
• is fit for a purpose that the consumer has told the business about, or as advertised by the business. The guarantee also applies when a consumer buys a product based on the advice of the business. Further information about when this guarantee applies.

Find out if you’re buying from a business or private seller

When buying online it can be difficult to tell if you’re buying from a business or a private seller. An easy way to confirm, is to ask the seller if they are operating as a business. Other ways to find out if you are buying from a business, could include checking:

• whether the seller’s name is the name of a person, or a business name. Look for terms like ’Company’, ’Pty Ltd’, ’Limited’, ’Corporation’ or ’Incorporated’
• if there is an Australian Business Number (ABN) listed
• for current listings or reviews, which may indicate that the seller is selling products frequently (although this alone may not be sufficient for you to determine if the seller is running a business)
• contact details which link to an office location or nominate an ’admin’ or ’sales’ contact person
• if you're dealing with more than one contact person.

Do your research on the product you’re buying

It’s essential that you do your research on the product you are buying and look at the details the seller has provided. This may include important information about the quality, safety, condition and intended use of the product. Also check information on the product itself such as listing information, photographs, and reviews carefully before buying second-hand products online.

If you’re buying second-hand you should consider:

• if the seller has provided any warnings or other information about limitations on use, defects, or damage
• whether the product may have been damaged by previous owners by being used in a way that it wasn’t designed
• if the product has been recalled or banned, or is non-compliant with mandatory standards 
• the age of the product and how long similar products normally last. This may provide an indication of when issues with the product may arise and how much longer you can expect the product to last.

Check listing information, photographs and reviews

Listing descriptions, product photographs and reviews should be checked carefully before buying online.

• The product description, including photographs and listing information may be used by sellers to disclose missing parts, show faults, damage, wear and tear or defects that you should know about before buying. 
• Make sure you understand descriptions like ‘as new’, ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘fair’, or ‘used’ condition. If you aren’t sure, ask the seller to clarify before buying the product. 
• Check if the product comes with the original packaging and instructions. These often contain important safety information for assembling, using and maintaining the product. If they aren’t provided, look for them online.
• Check product reviews as they may be a useful source of information about the product’s safety, durability, and usual lifespan. They can help you work out if the product is likely to have any safety issues or faults, and how long you can expect it to last, given its age and condition. 
• Look at seller reviews to see if other consumers have experienced problems with the reliability of information provided by the seller, follow up customer service, or safety issues. Where possible, it’s worth checking seller reviews from a range of sources, including independent review platforms.

Check for product safety and recalls

Look for warnings, labels and other information on the product. This may include information about meeting the requirements of any applicable mandatory safety standard, product recalls or bans. 

Ask the seller if they have inspected or tested the product or parts to check they are safe. You can also ask the seller if they have any supporting test reports if available.

For more expensive products such as caravans, quad bikes, electronics, or high-risk items like infant and child car seats or nursery products, you may want to inspect the product first before committing to buying it or get an independent expert’s advice for high-value products to make sure the product is safe and still in good working condition. 

If you’re considering buying a product which you know is damaged, or which the seller has told you has certain wear and tear, faults or defects, you may want to get an expert to do a safety check of the product or repair it to make it safe before using it. Consider if the cost and your time is worth it, or if you should consider purchasing a different product.

If you’re buying a part of a used product, including a used spare part, be sure you understand what it can be used for. Look for information about its technical specifications and compatibility with certain brands, makes and models.   

After you’ve received your online second-hand products 

When you receive second-hand products or parts you bought online, you should:

• inspect the product or parts carefully when it arrives
• check the condition of the product, including parts, to make sure everything you expected is included
• check there is no damage or defect that you weren’t told about before you bought it
• follow instructions for assembly, use and maintenance. You may find them online if you can’t get them from the seller 
• register the product with the manufacturer, if possible, so you can be notified of any recalls or other product safety issues occur. Information on how to do this may be included in instructions or on the manufacturer’s website.

Steps to take if there is a problem with the product

If you purchased a product from a business and there is a problem with the product, you can review our guidance on contacting a business to fix a problem. If a problem arises, you should first try to resolve it with the seller you bought the product from. If that doesn’t work, contact the online marketplace to see if they can help you. 

If you don’t receive the product

If you purchase a product from a business and don’t receive your product within expected timeframes, the first step is to contact the business. The business should explain the reason and what they are doing to resolve the issue. If the business doesn’t resolve the issue, there are more steps you can take – for more information, see our guidance on not receiving products that are paid for.

If you think you may have been sold a product that doesn’t exist, you should visit Scamwatch for information on product and service scams and how to get help.

See also

Sell safe second-hand products online