How to Inspect Marketplace Furniture Before You Pay

Inspect Before the Money Leaves

The moment you hand over the cash, the sale is final. A Marketplace purchase inspected on the seller's floor is the purchase that doesn't surprise you. Here's the checklist.

Check Every Drawer and Door

Open every drawer fully, push it back, and feel for sticking, sagging, or broken runners. Open every door and check the hinges. A drawer that sticks in the store sticks in your apartment.

Look at the Back and Bottom

Sellers photograph the front. Flip the piece (or look behind it) and check the back panel, the underside, and the legs. Water damage, mold, and broken braces hide on the side you can't see in the listing.

Test the Joints

Grab a corner and try to twist the piece. A solid dresser resists; a loose one racks. Wobble means the joints are loose or the cam locks are stripped — a sign of age or a bad prior assembly.

Smell It

Upholstered furniture can hold pet and smoke smells that don't show in photos. Put your nose near the cushions and the frame. A smell doesn't come out.

Check for Bedbugs

Look in the seams of upholstered furniture and the joints of wood pieces for dark specks (droppings) or shed skins. A bedbug-infested couch costs you thousands in extermination — pass on any suspect piece.

Ask Why They're Selling

"Moving" is a fine reason. "Doesn't fit" is fine. "Just don't use it" is fine. A vague answer or "it's been in storage" is a flag.

Confirm It Matches the Listing

Measure it. A "queen headboard" listed at 60 inches that's actually 64 won't fit your frame. Bring a tape measure.

The Pro Can Inspect for You

If you're not at the pickup, our pro sends photos of any damage before you pay the seller. A vetted third party is the best insurance against a "like new" listing that isn't.

Book a Marketplace pickup with inspection in NYC — photos before you pay.