Where to meet for a private sale

Good places

• A railway station. Busy, well lit, under video surveillance, reachable without a car, and neutral ground for both parties.
• A bank's lobby, for a large sum — the withdrawal and the handover happen in the same place.
• A shopping centre, during opening hours.
• A police station. Several cantons are happy for people to meet outside, and simply suggesting it keeps bad faith away.

An honest seller or buyer has no reason to refuse any of these places.

Places to avoid

• A deserted car park, on a weekday evening.
• A private home, yours or theirs, when you don't know the person.
• A place the other person imposes without discussion.

When the item can't be moved

A piece of furniture, a built-in appliance, a cargo bike: the meeting necessarily takes place at someone's home. In that case:

• don't be on your own. Having someone with you changes everything, and it needs no explanation;
• tell someone where you are going and at what time;
• arrange the meeting during the day;
• don't let more people in than necessary.

What to prepare

If you are selling: the item clean, charged if it is a device, with its accessories. Have change ready. Bring the item out rather than letting people in, when you can.

If you are buying: something to test it with — a plug, a cable, your phone to check pairing. The agreed amount, ready. And time to check without feeling rushed.

On the spot

Take your time. An honest sale can stand five minutes of checking; pressure to hurry is a signal in itself.

Check what matters for the item: that it switches on, that it rolls, that it isn't locked. On a phone, that the seller's account has really been removed. On a bike, the frame number.

Then pay. In that order.

If something is wrong

You are under no obligation to buy. An item that doesn't match the listing, a seller who dodges a question, a meeting place changed at the last minute: leave. You owe no explanation and no apology.

A buyer who walks away has lost a trip. A buyer who goes through with it out of politeness can lose a great deal more.