Useful answers. Clear sources.

What the guides are for

The Sift Marketplace team writes for people buying used items and browsing local marketplaces. A page should help you complete a task: narrow a search, compare costs, identify an item, prepare an inspection or arrange collection.

Sift appears where it helps with that task. A useful guide should still answer your question if you choose not to install the extension.

Sources that answer the actual question

We prefer the source responsible for the information: a platform’s help centre for its features, a manufacturer’s manual for a specific product, a regulator for a recall, or the original publisher for a statistic.

Links appear beside relevant claims or in the page’s source list. Country, product generation and reporting period matter. A statement about one model or region should not quietly become a claim about every product or buyer.

Illustrations and examples

Our diagrams and illustrated listings explain an inspection, a buying decision or a Sift feature. They are examples, not evidence that we purchased or tested the pictured item.

Worked prices and scenarios are labelled when they are illustrative. User-entered calculator results describe the inputs and assumptions supplied. They are not valuations, market forecasts or guaranteed savings.

Comparisons and buying checks

Comparisons explain their criteria and link supporting information. Sift is our product, and we identify that relationship where it is relevant.

An inspection checklist helps organise what to examine. It does not authenticate an item or replace specialist inspection where the condition cannot be established through ordinary buyer checks.

Dates and corrections

Articles show a substantive update date at the bottom. A layout or wording-style change alone does not mean the underlying facts have been reviewed again.

Platforms, products and policies change. If a page appears out of date or you find an error, email [email protected] with the page link and the point to check. Include an original source when available.

Who writes here

The byline Sift Marketplace team identifies the organisation responsible for these pages. Our About page explains the product and the buyer problems it focuses on.

For a concise, quotable product description and original artwork, use the press resources. Product illustrations are labelled examples, not customer results.