Better Finds is an awesome place to find great items that support even greater charities, nonprofits and causes. However, for the Better Finds community to thrive, we need you to be mindful of a few safety tips as you donate items to support your favorite nonprofit, or purchase newfound treasures to support someone else’s cause.
Buyer Safety Tips
- Be savvy about what you’re buying
While your payment will still always go to the seller’s charity of choice regardless of the quality of the item they’re selling, we recommend taking the time to make sure you’re receiving a quality item anyway. There’s a reason we call our charity marketplace “Better Finds”, rather than “Lousy Finds”! Feel free to ask questions about items you’re interested in by commenting on listings or sending private messages to sellers, and carefully look through item photos and descriptions before meeting up to exchange an item. - Don’t confirm a purchase until you know what you’re getting
If someone refuses to meet up in person and/or requests that you confirm a purchase before seeing the item they have for sale, they may not have told the truth about the item they’re selling. Also, make sure that you always pay for an item directly through Better Finds and do not offer cash or to pay later. Better Finds is built on the buyer’s payment going directly through the app and straight to a seller’s charity, so if you delay paying or try to pay in some alternate way their charity won’t receive funds. - Meet up safely in person
If possible, we recommend meeting in a public place when you want to purchase an item on Better Finds from another person. Starbucks is our personal favorite spot for meetups, but any well-lit and populated public establishment or area will do. If you do need to go to someone’s home to pick up a large or heavy item, we recommend bringing a friend along for the sake of safety (and as an extra set of hands to get your new couch or TV in the car!)
Seller Safety Tips
- Make your listing as truthful and accurate as possible
While the goal of listing items on Better Finds is to raise funds for your favorite charity with your unused goods, please don’t lie about or exaggerate the quality, worth or functionality of any item you list. The app is called “Better Finds” for a reason! While it’s perfectly fine to list items that aren’t brand new or working perfectly, make sure buyers can know exactly what they’re getting from the photo you take of the item and the description, and also make sure to honestly answer any questions buyers send your way. If a buyer feels cheated by a seller on Better Finds, they may be less likely to purchase other items through the app and charities will lose out in the end: please help us in creating a great marketplace that people will look to first, to benefit charities! - Meet up safely in person
If possible, we recommend meeting in a public place when you want to sell an item on Better Finds to another person and raise funds for your cause. Starbucks is our personal favorite, but any well-lit and populated public establishment or area will do. If someone needs to visit your home to pick up a large or bulky item, we recommend having a friend or family member around for the sake of safety (and as an extra set of hands to finally get that Bowflex machine out of the house!)
