Meaning & use
sold as seen
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrasebusinesslegal
Offered for sale in its present condition, with no promise that it works or is free of faults.
Grammar: Used after a noun or as a label on a notice: goods sold as seen are not returnable.
Patterns
- something is sold as seen
- buy something sold as seen
The notice on the wall said all cars were sold as seen, so we checked everything carefully.
Because the laptop was sold as seen, the shop refused to repair the cracked screen for free.
Second-hand furniture sold as seen is usually much cheaper than anything with a guarantee.
adjectivebefore a nounbusinesslegal
Describing an item or deal where the buyer accepts it exactly as it is at the moment of purchase.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a sold-as-seen basis, a sold-as-seen sale.
Patterns
- a sold-as-seen sale
- on a sold-as-seen basis
They agreed to buy the boat on a sold-as-seen basis to keep the price down.
A sold-as-seen sale means you cannot later complain about scratches or worn parts.
Common combinations
- sold as seen, no refunds
- The sign read 'sold as seen, no refunds', so we tested the machine before paying.
- buy something sold as seen
- If you buy a bike sold as seen, take a friend who knows about bikes.
- sold as seen on the receipt
- The words 'sold as seen' were printed right at the bottom of the receipt.
- sold as seen and without warranty
- The contract said the engine was sold as seen and without warranty.
- sold as seen, buyer beware
- Old tools at that market are sold as seen, buyer beware.
Synonyms and how they differ
- as is
- American and very common in general use; it means the same thing but sounds less formal than the legal phrase 'sold as seen'.
- without warranty
- Focuses on the lack of a guarantee rather than on the condition of the goods.
- no returns
- Talks about the shop's policy on taking things back, not about the item's condition.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: sold as seen or sold as is? sold as seen or sold out?
sold as seen vs sold as is
This is the American-style version of the same idea; British notices more often say 'sold as seen'.
sold as seen vs sold out
Means all the items have been sold and none are left, which is completely different.
Practice
A shop writes 'Sold as seen' on a second-hand camera. What does this tell the buyer?
Choose one answer.
'Sold as seen' means the buyer accepts the item as it is, with no promise about its condition. Option 3 is wrong because such sales normally exclude refunds, and option 4 confuses the phrase with how a product is pictured.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sold as seen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.