When buying a pre-owned lens directly from a seller you meet through online classifieds such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Kijiji, you're giving up the peace of mind offered by store refunds and manufacturer warranties in exchange for a lower price. Such trades involve items sold as-is using cash-only (or cash-like) transactions. It's your responsibility to confirm that the seller's description of the lens is accurate because if you discover a problem after the sale is complete, you almost certainly have no recourse.

In this video, I discuss what you should check when inspecting a pre-owned lens that you're buying in-person.