Classified ads on Friendstime: tips for buyers and sellers
In the marketplace you agree on everything directly in chat; Friendstime does not process payments and offers no buyer protection. With a few habits you can still buy and sell safely and quickly.
As a buyer: how to stay safe
For classified ads, Friendstime does not process any payment and offers no buyer protection: money and goods change hands directly between you. So take the hints shown in the marketplace seriously: meet in a public place for the handover, check the goods before you pay, and be wary of offers that sound too good to be true. Do not send money in advance to strangers; pay only once you hold the item in your hands.
Sizing up the seller
On a listing in the browser you see the seller's profile picture, name and since when they have been a member; a click leads to their profile. The listing does not show an email address or phone number — you write through the listing's contact button. There are no seller ratings in the marketplace, so ask about condition, defects and the place of handover, and check whether the answers add up.
As a seller: writing a good listing
In the browser you enter a title (up to 120 characters), category, description (at least 10 and at most 4,000 characters) and price. You can add the condition from “New” to “Defective / for parts”, the shipping option, a place or postcode, the tick “Price negotiable (VB)” and up to 8 photos of at most 5 MB each. Describe condition, dimensions and flaws honestly — it saves questions and arguments at the handover. In the Android app you enter title, description, price, place, category and one photo; condition and shipping option cannot be chosen there, the app sets “pickup only”.
Photos, reporting and looking after your listing
From photos in JPEG, PNG and WebP format, Friendstime removes location data (GPS) and other metadata on upload. What is visible in the picture stays visible, though — cover house numbers, doorbell labels and serial numbers before you upload it. New listings are visible immediately; the moderation team reviews them afterwards. Any listing from someone else can be reported, for example for fraud / scam, spam or a prohibited product. You can edit your own listings, mark them as sold (and reactivate them) or delete them; mark sold items so nobody asks in vain.
Try it yourself
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Frequently asked questions
Is there buyer protection in the marketplace?
No. For classified ads Friendstime does not process payments and offers no buyer protection; you agree on payment and handover directly. A payment function exists only for shop products of a page (a “Buy now” button, paid via the payment provider Stripe).
What should I do if I suspect fraud?
Do not pay in advance and do not hand over login details or codes. Report the listing with the reason “Fraud / scam” — in the browser via the flag icon, in the Android app in the listing's more menu. You can also block the seller; you will find the list of your blocks in the settings.
Who may post listings?
Only members aged 18 or over. Posting a listing is rejected for younger members, and the marketplace pages in the browser are blocked for them.