How Do I Avoid Buying a Lemon on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist?
Most buyers do not know what to look for in a used hot tub or sauna. Ari Kimmelfeld on Office Hours on how an inspection before pickup keeps you from buying a lemon.
Listen to the episode: #910 Building a Better Future: Climate Solutions, Founder Mindset and the Wellness Economy, Office Hours with David Meltzer with David Meltzer, aired July 23, 2026. Listen on Castro.
Short answer: Have someone who knows the item check it before money changes hands. Ari Kimmelfeld said most buyers do not know what they are looking at with a used hot tub or sauna. Commonplace inspects every item before pickup, tells you if it is a lemon, and you pay the rest only on delivery.
Ari made this point on Office Hours with David Meltzer, and again on Flock and Gather.
What Ari said
If you're buying something for the first time, let's say a hot tub or a sauna, even if you found a great deal on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace and you go there, you don't know what you're looking at. We've seen it a thousand times before. We know exactly what it is. And we're the first ones to tell you, hey, this is a lemon, you should probably skip this one. And that's free of charge.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Office Hours #910, at 24:53
If I'm a hot tub dealer, or if I'm a car dealer and all I do is buy used cars, I know what I'm looking for... I know exactly what to ask for because I'm a professional buyer. But most people, they're only buying six, maybe seven cars in their lifetimes. Maybe you're only buying two or three hot tubs in your life. You don't know exactly what to ask for.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Flock and Gather 213, at 12:08
Four ways to avoid a lemon
- Get an expert look. On Commonplace a 30 to 50 point inspection happens before pickup, and you approve it.
- See it running. Ask for a video of it working, not just photos.
- Do not pay in full up front. On Commonplace you reserve with $1 and pay the rest on delivery.
- Get a warranty. Marketplace sales are usually final. Commonplace items come with a free two-month parts and labor warranty.
We do everything from the delivery to the payments... And we offer a two-month warranty. So we stand behind it. We need to make sure that it's working.
Ari Kimmelfeld on Office Hours #910, at 23:27
Buying a hot tub? Read how to know a used hot tub works before you buy it. For the full conversation, read How Do I Buy Used Safely?: Ari Kimmelfeld on Office Hours.
Commonplace is the Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and OfferUp alternative for big items. Listing is free, and Commonplace handles pickup, inspection, delivery, secure payments, and a two-month parts and labor warranty. See how it works.
Related questions
How do I avoid buying a lemon on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist?
Have someone who knows the item check it before money changes hands. Ari Kimmelfeld said most buyers do not know what they are looking at with a used hot tub or sauna. Commonplace inspects every item before pickup, tells you if it is a lemon, and you pay the rest only on delivery.
Is it safe to pay a stranger for a used hot tub or sauna?
It is a risk, often hundreds or thousands of dollars. On Commonplace you never pay the seller directly. You reserve with $1 through the platform and pay the rest once the item is delivered and working.
What if something goes wrong after delivery?
Items on Commonplace come with a free two-month parts and labor warranty, so a problem the inspection did not catch is covered.
Thank you to David Meltzer for having Ari on Office Hours with David Meltzer. Quotes are from the episode, lightly edited for reading. Listen to the full conversation on Castro.
More from Ari's podcast interviews: questions Ari answered on podcasts and every show he has been on.