Showtools connects people. The deal is yours to keep safe.
We're a marketplace, not a middleman. We don't hold your money, handle the gear, or sit in on the handover — which keeps Showtools simple and free to use, and means a few sensible habits are what keep you safe. Here's how to trade well.
Showtools is a platform that connects buyers and sellers — that's all we are. We're not part of the trade: we don't touch the gear, the money, or the handover, and the deal is entirely between you and the other party.
Know who you're dealing with
Open the seller's profile before you commit. Look at their other listings, how long they've been around, and any ratings or history. A brand-new account with one expensive item and no track record isn't proof of anything wrong — but it's a reason to ask more questions.
Talk to them properly. A quick video call where they show you the gear powered on, with the serial number visible, tells you more than any number of messages. If someone won't get on a call or keeps dodging simple questions, take the hint.
Inspect it before you pay
Wherever you can, see the gear in person and powered up before any money changes hands. Check that the serial numbers match the listing, run the body or lens through its paces, and look for the wear a working piece of kit actually shows.
Provenance is the whole point of Showtools — shot-count, service history, the story of where a piece has been. Use it. Ask for it if it's not there, and be wary of a seller who can't tell you anything about a camera they supposedly own.
Pay in a way you can trace
Never send money for kit you haven't verified. Pay by a method that leaves a record and gives you some protection, and get a receipt with both names, the item, the serial and the price.
Be very wary of anyone who wants payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a bank transfer to a name that doesn't match theirs. A “deposit” to hold an item you haven't seen is one of the oldest tricks there is.
Meeting up
Meet in daylight, in a public place or a real business premises — a rental house, a studio, an office. Bring someone if you can, and tell a mate where you're going and when you expect to be back.
Carrying a lot of value in either direction? Think about how you'd rather do that. And trust your gut: if something feels off when you get there, you're allowed to walk away.
Red flags
Any one of these on its own is worth a pause. Two or more, and you should probably walk.
- A price well below everything else, with a reason you're meant to feel lucky about.
- Pressure to decide now — another buyer is supposedly waiting.
- Won't meet, won't do a video call, or won't show the serial number.
- Only wants to pay, or be paid, by untraceable methods.
- Pushes to take the deal off Showtools before you know anything about them.
- A story that keeps changing, or details that don't line up with the listing.
Report anything that isn't right
If a listing or a member looks wrong — a likely scam, a stolen-gear red flag, someone behaving badly — report it to us. We review what's flagged and we can take a listing down or remove an account.
Be clear on what we can and can't do, though: we're not a party to your deal, we don't hold the money, and we can't claw a payment back or settle a dispute between two people. That's exactly why the checks above matter — they're your real protection, not us.
Trade smart, look after yourself, and enjoy the kit.