Blocket: How Swedes Buy and Sell Second-Hand Online

Swedes furnish flats, buy bikes and sell off whole households online. Here is how Blocket, Tradera and Facebook Marketplace actually work, what protects you and what doesn’t, and how to buy without Swish.

When you need this

You’ve just arrived for a semester and need a desk, a lamp and a bike by Monday. A seller on Blocket wants you to Swish the money before they post the item. You’re selling your sofa before you leave, and a “buyer” sends you a link so you can “receive the payment”. Or something you bought from a private person turned out broken, and you want to know where you stand.

The three marketplaces

Blocket labels every ad as coming from a private person (privatperson) or a company (företag). Its terms say this matters because consumer-protection law does not apply to purchases from private persons, and a company is not allowed to advertise as a private person.

Who is selling decides your rights

This is the rule that shapes everything else. Buy from a private person and the general sale of goods act, köplagen, applies. It is not mandatory, so the seller can agree other terms with you, and there is no legal right to change your mind: no ångerrätt (withdrawal right), no exchange, no open purchase.

You are not without rights, though. Even when an item is sold i befintligt skick (as is), you can still claim a fault if it is worse than described or than the price justified. Buy from a business instead and the consumer sales act applies to second-hand goods too, which gives you much stronger protection.

One thing that does not help against a private seller is ARN, the national consumer disputes board: it does not hear disputes between private persons (see ARN consumer disputes). For the full picture on returns, see returns: öppet köp vs ångerrätt.

Why Swish is the risk

Most private deals in Sweden are settled with Swish, the mobile payment app linked to a Swedish bank account and BankID. That’s exactly the problem when something goes wrong: when you approve a Swish payment, the money moves straight from your bank account to the recipient’s, and there is no way to undo it, even if you paid the wrong person.

Your bank’s duty to refund covers unauthorised payments, where someone else used your Swish without permission. Then the main rule is that the bank compensates you, though you can carry up to 12,000 kronor yourself if you were grossly negligent. A payment you approved yourself to a fake seller is a different matter. Konsumentverket notes that the Supreme Court ruling that has helped many bank-fraud victims does not cover Swish payments, and points to ARN instead.

The rule that follows: Swish is fine face to face, after you’ve seen the item. It is the wrong tool for paying a stranger for something that will be posted.

Blocket’s buyer protection: Frakt med köpskydd

Changed in 2025: Blocket’s shipping service was rebuilt in 2025. It is now run by Vend Marketplaces AB with the payment firm Adyen and PostNord, and both buyer and seller need a Vend account. Guides describing Blocketpaketet or pay-at-pick-up describe the old system.

Here is how a protected Blocket purchase runs under the terms in force since 25 June 2026:

1. You pay the item price plus shipping and protection. Adyen holds the money; the seller doesn’t get it yet.
2. The seller ships within seven working days to a PostNord service point.
3. You collect within seven working days, with ID matching the name on the label. A passport is valid ID at PostNord service points (see receiving packages in Sweden).
4. You have 24 hours after collecting to pause payment if the item differs significantly from the ad. If you do nothing, it counts as approved and the seller is paid.
5. If you pause, you and the seller have ten days to agree. After that, Blocket decides, based only on the ad, the messages in Blocket’s chat and any video sent to its customer service.

The protection covers an item that differs significantly from the ad or the seller’s promises, not a change of mind. An upheld claim refunds the item price, not the shipping or protection fee. A parcel that is damaged or lost in transit is covered by transport insurance up to 5,000 kronor plus shipping, and a parcel that hasn’t arrived within 30 days counts as lost. Compatibility is your job: if a part doesn’t fit your device and you didn’t check before buying, that’s not a fault.

Tradera’s buyer protection

Tradera runs the checkout itself. Its buyer protection refunds you if the item is not delivered or differs markedly from the description, up to a maximum of 50,000 kronor.

• Mandatory on shipped orders from private sellers of 200 kronor or more. A buyer in Sweden can skip it under 200 kronor, when collecting in person, or when buying from a Swedish company.
• Always mandatory for buyers living outside Sweden, and whenever you pay with Klarna.
• Open a case within 30 days of paying (120 days with Klarna) via “Anmäl problem med köp” in your purchases.
• Not covered: property, most vehicles, event tickets, gift cards and custom-made items.

The protection fee is not refunded if you get your money back, because you used the service.

Buying without Swish

A tourist or brand-new arrival usually can’t get Swish, because it needs a Swedish bank account and BankID (see Swish for tourists and BankID for visitors). You can still buy:

Blocket may also ask users to verify themselves with BankID, so a visitor may find some features closed. For bargains you can carry home, a loppis (flea market) is often simpler; see loppis and second-hand shopping.

The scams to know

The police’s advice on advertisement fraud (annonsbedrägeri) boils down to a few rules:

• Don’t pay a private seller in advance. If possible, meet the seller and get the item handed over to you.
• Check the Swish recipient name matches the person you’ve been talking to.
• Be wary of pressure to finish the deal quickly, and of prices that look too low.
• As a seller, never click a link from an interested buyer.
• Never use BankID or give out card details at someone else’s request.
• Never pay a “shipping” or “insurance” fee to a carrier or courier in order to get paid.

The seller-side trick is worth spelling out. A “buyer” says they want to deposit the payment on your card and asks for the card details, then asks you to confirm in BankID. What you are actually approving is a different payment, from you to them. SEB also warns sellers against accepting a cheque from an unknown buyer abroad.

Warning: a screenshot is not a payment. A real Swish lands directly in your account, so check your own bank app before you hand over the item.

If you’ve been defrauded, call your bank first, so it can check whether the transaction can be stopped. Save the ad, messages and receipts, then report to the police on 114 14 (+46 77 114 14 00 from a foreign mobile). For the phone and BankID variants, see phone and BankID scams.

Selling as a resident

Once you’re registered in Sweden, with Swish and BankID, you’ll probably sell too. Selling your own used things occasionally is taxed only on profit above 50,000 kronor a year, and most things sell for less than you paid. Under EU rules, marketplaces report sellers who sold goods for more than 2,000 euros or more than 30 times in a year to Skatteverket. Reporting doesn’t change the tax rules, and regular selling must be declared whatever the amount.

If you’re a resident, a Swish limit per seven days, set in your bank app, caps what a fraudster can take. Keep every promise and “as is” condition in the platform’s own chat, because that’s what Blocket looks at in a dispute.

Practical information

FAQ

Can I return something I bought on Blocket?

Not because you changed your mind. Most Blocket sellers are private persons, and buying from a private person gives no withdrawal right, no exchange and no open purchase. You can still claim a real fault, such as an item worse than described. With Blocket’s Frakt med köpskydd you must pause payment within 24 hours of collecting the parcel.

Is it safe to pay by Swish on Blocket or Facebook Marketplace?

Only face to face, after you have seen the item. A Swish payment goes straight to the recipient’s account and cannot be undone, even if you paid the wrong person. The police advise against paying private sellers in advance and to check the recipient’s name in Swish. For posted items, use Blocket’s or Tradera’s own checkout.

Can tourists buy on Blocket without Swish?

Yes, with some limits. You can buy in person and pay cash if the seller agrees, so say so in your first message. Blocket’s shipping needs a Vend account and goes to a PostNord service point in Sweden, where a passport is valid ID. Tradera accepts foreign cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Trustly.

How does Blocket’s buyer protection work?

With Frakt med köpskydd or Köp Nu, you pay the item, shipping and protection into an account held by Adyen. The seller ships within seven working days, you collect within seven working days, then you have 24 hours to pause payment if the item differs significantly from the ad. Otherwise the seller is paid.

A buyer sent me a link to receive payment. Is it a scam?

Almost certainly. The police say never to click a link from an interested buyer, never to pay for shipping or insurance to get paid, and never to use BankID or give card details at someone’s request. Blocket and Tradera handle payment inside their own checkout, not through links a buyer sends.

Do I pay tax when I sell my things on Blocket or Tradera?

Usually not. Selling your own used belongings occasionally is taxed only on profit above 50,000 kronor a year, and most things sell below what you paid. Platforms report sellers with more than 30 sales or over 2,000 euros a year to Skatteverket. Regular selling must be declared whatever the amount.

Related guides

• Loppis and second-hand shopping — buying in person at flea markets and charity shops
• Swish for tourists — why it stays closed to visitors and what to use instead
• Pickpockets and tourist scams — the other tricks aimed at visitors
• Returns: öppet köp vs ångerrätt — your rights when you buy from a shop instead
• Exchange students: the first two weeks — setting up your room and accounts on arrival

Facts verified 2026-10-14. Sources: Blocket and Tradera terms, Polismyndigheten, Konsumentverket, Konsumenternas Bank- och finansbyrå, Skatteverket, SEB, Swedbank, PostNord and Sveriges riksdag (Köplag 1990:931) — full register in this topic’s source file. This is general information, not legal advice. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.