Example scenario · illustrative, not a real seller
Your example buyer changes a daylight pickup to a late-night meeting and asks you to use a payment link. You have not promised that arrangement. Pause and reset the plan instead of letting the drive make the decision for you.
What you’ll get
- Agree the location and inspection conditions before travelling.
- Recognize reasons to stop a handover.
- Separate payment evidence from a screenshot or message.
Resolve the meeting while you still have a choice
Meta's public Marketplace guidance recommends precautions for in-person meetings, including public, well-lit locations and sharing a plan. These are risk-reduction steps, not a guarantee that a transaction or location is safe.
Agree the item, amount, inspection opportunity and meeting window in advance. Keep communication within the supported platform. Do not let a buyer's urgency replace your own ability to verify the arrangement.
Large items need a different boundary
A sofa may not be portable to a public meeting point. Consider whether the pickup can be arranged without disclosing unnecessary household details or letting strangers enter private living areas. Have help where appropriate and decline if the arrangement cannot be made responsibly.
State access constraints before a buyer travels: stairs, vehicle access and whether loading assistance is available. Do not promise lifting help you cannot safely provide. Keep children and bystanders out of the loading area.
Worked example: the pickup costs 45 active minutes
Suppose your chosen meeting needs 30 minutes of round-trip travel and 15 minutes for inspection and handover. That is 45 active minutes before any delay. If a location change adds another 20 minutes, the commitment is now 65, not still 45.
These are planning inputs, not a safety score or a forecast of how a meeting will go. Use them to decide whether the arrangement is worthwhile without treating time already spent as a reason to accept a new risk.
Verify without surrendering control
Open the real payment or order account through your usual route. A screenshot, emailed confirmation or unfamiliar link is not independent confirmation. Never provide a verification code or send money merely to unlock a supposed payment.
You can stop a handover you have started. If the details no longer match the agreement or the situation is unsafe, leave when you can do so safely and use the platform's reporting tools where appropriate.
Worked example · hypothetical, not a real seller
Keep the example in view
| Chosen handover workload | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Round-trip travel | 30 |
| Inspection and agreed handover | 15 |
| Active time committed | 45 |
Before the next transaction
With JavaScript and browser storage, only checked-step IDs can stay on this device. No buyer details or amounts are saved.
Practical questions
Does a public meeting guarantee safety?
No. It is one precaution, not a guarantee. Do not proceed if the location, behavior or circumstances feel unsafe; contact local emergency services if there is immediate danger.
Must I accept a last-minute location or payment change?
No. Pause, verify and agree any change before travelling or releasing the item. Avoid following unexpected payment links or sharing verification codes.
Do this next · one concrete move