Selling electronics is different from selling a chair or a jacket. A buyer may reasonably want to see that the TV turns on, the PlayStation reads discs, or the blender motor actually works.
The problem: most sellers do not want a stranger standing in their living room.
That is fair. You can prove an item works without turning your home into a showroom. Here is how to do it safely — and how Lesto.me makes the process cleaner.
Start With Proof Before the Meetup
The easiest way to avoid awkward in-person testing is to show the item working in the listing.
For electronics, include:
- Photos of the item powered on
- A clear photo of the model number
- Photos of accessories: remote, cables, controller, charger, attachments
- A short note about condition: scratches, missing parts, battery issues, noisy motor, dead pixels
- A realistic description of what has been tested
If something is broken, say it before anyone places a deposit or schedules a meetup. A buyer who expects a perfect item and discovers a problem in person is more likely to walk away. A buyer who knows the issue upfront may still buy it — especially if the price is right.
On Lesto.me, this matters because the price is fixed when the buyer places a card deposit. Clear expectations protect both sides.
Choose a Public Place With Power
You do not always need to meet at home. For smaller electronics, pick a public place where testing is normal and simple.
Good options include:
- Coffee shops with accessible outlets
- Library seating areas
- Community center lobbies
- Co-working space common areas
- Apartment building lobby or package room, if allowed
- Workplace lobby, if appropriate
- Police station safe exchange zones, when power is available nearby
For a blender, speaker, game console, laptop, monitor, or small kitchen appliance, this is usually enough. Bring the power cable, any necessary HDMI cable, and the accessories needed for a quick test.
For a PlayStation or similar console, agree on the test ahead of time: power on, controller connects, disc loads, menu opens. Keep it short.
Selling a Large TV Without a Home Visit
A large TV is harder because it is bulky and needs space. You still have options.
Before the meetup, record a simple video showing:
- The TV turning on
- The remote working
- A streaming screen, HDMI input, or menu screen
- The screen from different angles
- Any visible damage or display issues
Then meet somewhere safer than inside your home if possible: building lobby, garage entrance, driveway during daylight, or another semi-public area where you can plug it in. If you have a portable power station, even better.
If the only practical place is near your home, do not invite the buyer inside. Keep the exchange outside, during daylight, and ideally with another person present.
Use Commitment to Filter Out the Wrong Buyers
Electronics attract lowballers, no-shows, and people who want to negotiate after they arrive. Expensive electronics make that worse.
Lesto.me is built to remove that friction:
- Buyers place a card deposit before meetup access
- Chat opens only after that commitment
- The agreed price is held in escrow through Stripe
- No cash, no Venmo screenshots, no “I only brought less” moment
- Either side can propose a meetup location inside the order flow
- Both buyer and seller confirm the handover before funds are released
The higher the item value, the more important this structure becomes. A serious buyer who is comfortable with escrow is usually a better signal than someone sending casual messages with no commitment.
Set the Meetup Expectations Clearly
Before accepting a location, make sure the buyer knows exactly what will happen.
Example:
“TV works and was tested today. I can show it powering on at the lobby outlet, but I cannot set up a full living-room demo. Remote and power cable included. Small scratch on the back, shown in photos.”
That one message prevents most confusion.
Lesto also stores the agreed meetup address in the app, so both sides see the same location. No scattered texts, no “I thought you meant the other parking lot.”
The Safer Way to Sell Electronics Locally
You do not need to choose between letting strangers into your home and losing the sale. Show proof upfront, pick a test-friendly public location, be honest about defects, and use escrow so only committed buyers reach you.
That is exactly the kind of local resale Lesto.me is designed for: nearby buyers, fixed prices, verified payments, structured handover, and no cash surprises.
Ready for a safer, seamless resale experience? Try Lesto.me now.
