Buying second-hand products

Before buying second-hand products, always think of your safety. You cannot expect top quality from used articles so you should be more cautious when buying such items. Consider the following tips.

1. By law, many products must comply with mandatory safety standards before they are sold in a business situation. Included in this list are electric fans, flat irons, LPGs, portable fire extinguishers, and safety belts. The Bureau of Product Standards of DTI is mandated by law to regulate compliance to standards of these products.

2. Beware of scrap materials used as substitutes for high-cost and brand-new materials such as kabilya or steel bars, nails, GI sheets, and plywood and bought from junkshops at giveaway prices or priced by the kilo. These may pose hazard to lives and safety as well as damage your property. Brand new, these construction materials are under mandatory product standards.

3. Look for safety instructions or warnings that may be missing when buying used electrical appliances. Wiring problems can lead to house fires. Plug the appliance and keep it plugged for several minutes before deciding to buy it. Typical used appliances sold are toasters, ovens, turbo broilers, rice cookers, refrigerators, and washing machines. Make sure metal products do not show signs of corrosion.

4. Consider if the spare parts of these second-hand items are still available.

5. When buying used items for your kids such as basketball nets, cots, strollers, and bean bags, check for parts that can cause choking, suffocation, strangulation.

6. You may still be entitled to a refund, replacement, or repair of a purchased second-hand item. However, if the item is marked as damaged or "as-is", you are accepting the product in that condition. When buying second-hand products, remember the golden rule: If I am buying "as-is" or "as traded", there is no guarantee that it will work properly and safely or continue to do so for a length of time after purchase.

7. Try to compare prices between new and used articles. If the difference is not all that big, your investment and your peace of mind that the brand new product is safe and covered by a warranty is very much worth the extra amount. A cheaper product may be a false economy if it injures someone or risks a fire in your home.

8. If you are buying an item that has been refurbished, find out what changes have been made. Also, determine if any of the major parts which have not been refurbished are likely to fail, given the age and the use of the item (if it can be determined). Best to be prepared for repair expenses, if ever.

9. Make sure you know the warranty details. Are you getting parts and labor or just labor? Will you have to ship the product back to the supplier at your expense (this is the usual case)? If the warranty states "or replacement product", is that product a similar product of similar age or is it to be replaced with a new product within the allotted time?

(You may send your consumer complaints and comments to the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection, DTI-Domestic Bldg., 361 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City. You may also call us at our consumer hotlines 896-5740 or 890-4938. Our e-mail address is www.e-reklamo.net.ph)