Woman Sells Her Car to a Stranger. So She Meets Him In the Walmart Parking Lot

"Yeah dont do that again."

Single Woman Selling Car

Photo by: AdobeStock

Nina Hernandez

By: Nina Hernandez

Sep 9, 2025 at 9:00pm ET

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A single woman decides to sell her car to a stranger in a Walmart parking lot. Is she right that this is the safest way to privately sell a vehicle?

TiKTok user Cherry (@cherryontop03166) posted a video with her car-selling strategy on July 17. “POV: You’re a single girl selling her car to an online stranger, so you sit on a curb outside Walmart for safety while he test drives it,” she writes in an on-screen caption.

Viewers React to the Car Selling Strategy

In the comments section, viewers questioned whether this is really such a great strategy. Some indicated they think letting the prospective buyer take the car for a spin solo is risky behavior. Luckily for Cherry, it appears to have worked out fine.

One commenter joked, “(3 Hours Later) He must really like the car.”

A second viewer said, “Omg. Women need guy friends or fathers.”

A third person said, “Did you make sure you had cab or Uber money with you?”

Someone finally asked, “Did he come back?” Cherry responded in the affirmative. So, all’s well that ends well.

Another woman said Cherry is right to prioritize her safety over physical possessions. “That is no lie,” she wrote. “I did [a meetup] at an old work site, met the guy with his kids and wife. He started texting and stalking. I got a concealed carry permit a week later.”

Someone else offered a potentially safer alternative than sitting at Walmart. “Some police stations have specific parking spots marked for ‘internet sales’ or something similar that are camera monitored,” they wrote. “Whoever has front desk duty is watching that camera.”

How to Sell a Car Safely

So what is the safest way to sell a car online? Kelly Blue Book advises taking your time screening potential buyers and only meeting with people who seem serious. Don’t meet anyone who raises any red flags. When it comes to test drives, it’s best to go with a friend or family member and meet in a public place. Shopping malls are one option listed.

A man looking for advice to help his girlfriend posed this question on a Reddit thread posted to r/sandiego four years ago. In response, commenters suggested meeting at a bank or auto shop, bringing a counterfeit detector pen, and getting a mechanic’s inspection before accepting any lowball offers.

What do you think?

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Comments

According to CarGurus, you should always accompany a prospective buyer on a test drive. Of course, in this instance, Cherry didn’t have anyone else with her, and she didn’t feel comfortable getting into her car with a stranger (which is reasonable). However, you can do something like take a photo of the person’s ID. Then, at least, if the person doesn’t come back, you’ll have a solid lead for the police.

Motor1 reached out to Cherry via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. It also contacted Walmart via online contact form.

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