It's not exactly surprising that almost everyone in Latvia has used ss.lv at some point. You want to buy or sell something - you go to ss. That's just how it is.
But after years of using it, I wish someone had told me a few things upfront. Not because ss.lv is completely terrible - just because there are things nobody talks about until they get burned themselves.
1. Your listing can vanish and nobody will explain why
You fill everything in properly. Description, photos, contact information. Maybe you even pay for the listing. And then one day you open your account and the listing just isn't there anymore.
You write to support - silence. Or you get a reply along the lines of "terms of service violated" with zero indication of what exactly was wrong. The money, of course, doesn't come back.
And this isn't rare. On sūdzības.lv (a Latvian consumer complaints portal), ss.lv has racked up over 450 complaints. Their trust rating there is 2 percent. Out of a hundred. A huge chunk of those complaints are exactly about this - deleted listings, no explanation, and good luck getting a refund.
2. Money in your account doesn't mean you can use it
This one is a small thing that can really ruin your day. You deposit money into your ss.lv account, say 10 euros. Posting a listing costs about 2 euros. Seems logical - the money is there, post the listing, what's the problem?
But no. The system demands you deposit more. Even if your balance is seven times more than needed. And the money that's already sitting there? Getting it back - well, good luck with that.
There's no "withdraw balance" button. There's also no clear explanation for why existing funds can't be used. Just - pay more.
3. If you posted your listing elsewhere too, they could block your account
This sounds exaggerated, but it actually happened. In March 2026, Latvia's Competition Council fined ss.lv 186,780 euros. The reason? Between 2020 and 2021, ss.lv deliberately blocked accounts and deleted listings of users who also posted on a competing portal called pp.lv.
And this wasn't some system glitch. The investigation uncovered internal correspondence confirming it was done intentionally. Car dealers and real estate agents were the main targets.
Now, after the fine, they most likely aren't doing it anymore. But the fact that the biggest classifieds portal in the country punished users for daring to use something else - well, that says something about the attitude.
4. To contact a buyer or seller - call or send an email
It's 2026. We send messages, we use chats, we order food with a single tap. But on ss.lv? Your options are calling or sending an email. There's no chat.
Calling a stranger about a used phone or a washing machine - a lot of people just don't want to do that. And email? It works, but realistically - who sends emails about classifieds in 2026? You send a question and wait an hour, two, maybe a day until someone notices it between the spam. You might not get a reply at all.
You just want to ask "is this still available?" and get an answer right away. That's simply faster - for both buyer and seller.
And on the flip side - as a seller, you're giving your number and email to absolutely everyone. Anyone who opens your listing. How nice.
Other portals have had chat for years. It's not rocket science. But ss.lv doesn't have it, and judging by appearances - nothing suggests it's coming anytime soon.
5. There are at least five free portals you probably don't know about
People often assume ss.lv is the only real option. And honestly - a couple of years ago that was almost true. But things have changed.
Reklama.lv, pp.lv, mm.lv, Facebook Marketplace, AdSnap - all of them let you post listings for free. Each with its own strengths and weaknesses, and we've written about them in more detail here.
And your listing isn't tied to one portal. You can post the same listing on three or four portals at once. Takes a few extra minutes, but the reach is completely different.
I don't think ss.lv needs to be destroyed or that it's completely useless. They have the biggest audience, and for a lot of people it's still the first stop. That's a fact.
But pretending there are no problems? No. There are problems. And they're worth knowing about before you deposit money and hope for the best.