Since its inception in 2014, Nigeria’s foremost online marketplace, Jiji.ng has provided thousands of buyers and sellers with the right avenue to meet and exchange goods and services. From household appliances and cosmetics, to food, toys, pets and even livestock, customers are presented with an array of items to purchase online. However in recent times, a lot of people have been victims of shopping and auction fraud. This is where Jiji comes in.
The main purpose of the free online classifieds website is to endorse “hand to hand” trade while shopping in your city. It also a medium through which you can meet the seller in person, examine the goods on the spot and make a decision to either pay and purchase or cancel the deal. Not only is this one of the most reliable ways to pay for your purchases, it is also safe.
Below are a few more tips from Jiji’s guide to shopping safely online:
1. The general overview
A simple overview of an online ad can give you a better understanding of how honest and trustworthy the seller is. It is important to pay closer attention when the ad text has a lot of spelling errors or the text is incomplete, giving you an unclear description of goods or services. An honest seller is always interested in selling his/her goods and will always write a well detailed description of each product. If something is unclear, always ask for more photos. Ask questions. For instance, what problems or issues the seller has with the item, why the person is selling the item, what the exact model number of the item is, e.t.c. Asking such questions not only gives you more information about the product, it verifies whether the seller has firsthand knowledge of it.
2. Ads posted in multiple places
Honest sellers only post their ad in one city. If you see the same ad posted word for word in a distant city, that’s a huge red flag.
3. Too good to be true?
Prices are important. A deal is a deal. If you want to buy a brand new iPhone 6s three times cheaper than retail, it may mean that the “price” is only to attract your attention for the purpose of fraud. Always stay alert, if the deals you find seem way too good to be true, it probably is. Do not hurry to spend your money based on someone’s promise.
4. Payment options
Carefully consider how you pay. Never pay upfront. If you are asked to pay in advance or make a small deposit to secure your purchase, do not do it, this is a well known fraud scheme and it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. Unfortunately, the safest way to pay is in cash. Try to make an appointment with the seller before making a purchase. Always check the features and quality of the product in question to ensure that it meets the ad description.
5. Meeting with the seller
If you agreed to a personal meeting, it is wise to meet in a public areas with sufficient lighting, like in a mall, etc. Do not accept to meet in deserted alleys or vacant parking slots. Also you can go along with a friend, acquaintance or relative to the meeting.
How posting works on Jiji
As a Seller you can:
- Post free Ads with images;
- Update, move your ad to Top position to get maximum efficiency from selling;
- Get calls and messages only from real people, because we require every user to register.
As a Buyer you can:
- Buy anything, simply call or send message to the seller and agree purchase with sellers directly;
- Write a review after a deal is closed or report problems with an ad and Jjii will check the seller.
