Multiply as an online marketplace is huge in the Philippines — aside from clothing and accessories, you can also buy anime merchandise, toys and figures, and cosplay supplies.

However, the Multiply platform was initially designed as a media-sharing SNS and not as a dedicated online marketplace (like EBAY), so there are some flaws in the system. As a result, some buyers are being ripped off by unscrupulous sellers. How can you as a buyer protect yourself? Here are five quick tips to keep in mind.

Check their seller feedback rating on their Multiply seller page.

You can also Google the seller’s name to search for previous buyers, and see if they had a pleasant shopping experience or if they ran into problems. Keep in mind that price should not be your only deciding factor; paying a bit more for quality goods and excellent service will save you a great deal of headache in the long run.

Do a small test-purchase first.

If you would like to purchase something from a seller who has very little feedback, you can always do a small transaction first to see how it goes. Find one or two affordable things that you liked in their shop and purchase them; if everything goes well, then you can go ahead with the larger purchase.

Use a secure payment method.

Do not use a money-order service like Western Union or Pera Padala, as it is very easy to be swindled from these services. Paypal is your best option since you can reverse charges, but you can also do that with Globe G-Cash — especially if you purchased the cash credits from a Globe Business Center.

Insist on quality packaging and safe shipping methods.

Some sellers may do a shoddy shipping job in an attempt to cut costs, so to avoid having your stuff broken in transit offer the seller a small additional amount to cover packing supplies like foam peanuts and shipping boxes, or to pay for courier costs.

Request a meet-up when buying expensive merchandise.

If the item costs PhP 5000 and up and the seller is in Metro Manila, ask for a meet-up instead of relying on shipping. That way you can inspect the merchandise before you hand over your life’s savings, and you have a physical description of the seller that you can give to the police in case anything untoward happens.