By following these tips, you will significantly reduce the possibility of being scammed in the used market.
Now that the PS5 and Xbox Series X are no longer in short supply, and we can find a few dozen of them in the stores of almost every distributor, profiteers have also disappeared from online marketplaces with that momentum. This also means that those who want to save a few tens of thousands of forints can buy second-hand gaming machines at a reasonable price, which has increased in the meantime.
This is definitely a great development, because even though a PC with similar capabilities costs significantly more, the PS5 and Series X are not cheap fun. Yes, but while with brand new machines we risk only a small number of factory defects, a used console can come with so many possible pitfalls if we are not sufficiently thorough and careful before the purchase.
There are no more profiteers, but there are quite a few fraudsters.
Before writing this article, I quickly checked some online marketplaces where they typically try to sell used products. On almost all of them, you can find fraudsters who are easy to spot and filter out, who probably do not send anything in exchange for the shiny-eyed customer’s money, or not what one would expect.
Fortunately, you can track down the seller everywhere, so this is the first place to start your research. If, for example, several people use the same image, or perhaps a set photo clearly downloaded from the Internet, as an illustration, this may already be a reason for suspicion. If you come across something like this (e.g. several fake profiles with different names on Facebook Marketplace trying to sell a console with the same image), then it’s definitely not worth bothering to exchange messages.
But in addition to this, there are things that are worth paying extra attention to. Let’s take them over quickly!
Condition: One of the most important and clearest is that the selected used console is in good condition. In most cases, we will not be able to clearly determine this from the pictures, since we cannot see inside, but it is already an encouraging sign if the cover of the machine itself is in a beautiful, visibly well-preserved condition.
Control: Directly related to this is the second important thing, which should not be taken lightly (many people do anyway), the control. In almost all cases, it is worth trying out the machine before you buy it. If you can squeeze in 15-20 minutes, try it in basic mode and with a game, and pay attention to its sound in addition to its performance. If the console is loud, it may indicate a possible cleaning, or even inadequate cooling.
The check also includes the seller’s check. As I mentioned above, there are a lot of scammers, so to avoid them for sure, let’s find out if the given person is trustworthy. Let’s take a look at your profile and your previous buying and selling activities. Since it is possible to evaluate sellers on several sites and platforms (including on Facebook), it is also worth checking what other people think about the person.
Accessories: Many people can also do tricks by simply “forgetting” important accessories from the box, which would normally come with the console. Of course, it may also happen that it is really an accident or inattention, but it really doesn’t matter, because the point is to always check whether everything is there.
In the case of a console, this should definitely mean a controller, a power cable and an HDMI cable + for the PS5 there should also be a stand. If any of them are missing for any reason, but the machine itself is perfect and functional, then it’s no big deal, because they can be purchased separately. However, be sure to check how much other sellers are asking for the entire set, because if the price is similar, it is at least a good bargain. At least I wouldn’t pay for an incomplete package any more than I would for a complete one.
Guarantee: It also matters a lot whether the machine is under warranty or not. If it can be proven that it is, then it also makes the seller more reliable, and of course we are also doing well, since the manufacturer will repair any malfunctions during the warranty period free of charge. If there is no warranty, we must be careful, because we have to finance the repair ourselves, but in return, you can lower the price of the machine even further.
Year: We’ve talked a lot about the price, so it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. Obviously, the person who buys a used console is quite price sensitive, so it is definitely worth comparing the prices with the offers of other sellers, as well as who and exactly what they are offering for that amount.
It is also very important to never tip anyone in advance! Not even a thousand! For the above reasons alone, it is important to receive and pay in person, but if this is not possible, then we should definitely agree on cash on delivery. If someone is not willing to do this, then let’s say thank you and find someone else for whom this does not cause a problem. We will check the package immediately! If it came to the post office, then if it was brought by a courier, open it beforehand and make sure it’s not a bag of stones or a few cans of canned fish.
Xbox One Series S? Vagy Xbox Series One X?: The last very important thing is more for people who are not familiar with consoles at all. If we buy a console as a gift, we must first make sure that we are really buying what we want. This is quite easy for PS4-PS5, since a higher number indicates a better and newer machine, but Microsoft has complicated the situation quite a bit.
Xbox One and all its following designations: One S, One X indicate different models of consoles belonging to the same generation. More and more new games cannot be played with these. The Xbox Series computer family currently represents the latest consoles, of which we distinguish two: Series St and Series X.
We also wrote a separate article on the differences between the two Xboxes, as well as a review on the two different models of the PlayStation 5, it’s worth reading them if you don’t know which one can do what.
Then there is the Nintendo Switch, which can be purchased in three versions. There is the plain, unmarked basic machine, the Switch, we can choose the Lite, which can only be used as a handheld console, and there is the turbocharged version of the basic machine, the OLED.
First of all, I think these are the most important things that you should be aware of before you buy a used console (or even an electronic gadget).
Of course, I may have missed something because it didn’t occur to me, if you think there is such a thing, please let me know in the comments, as you can help many other people with this.
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