Ask early. These are fast lots and the answers take seconds, but not on a sudden-death timer that never moves.
The questions
"Can you boot it?" Thirty seconds of a game running answers more than any description. Non-answer: "It was working last time I tried."
"Can you show the spine?" Region, platform and edition print there, and a disc your console will not read is useless to you.
"What is in the case?" Manual, inserts, the original disc rather than a loose one. Ask for it open to the camera.
"Does it save?" For older cartridges this is the battery question. "I have not tested it" is a fine answer; silence is not.
"Can you tilt the disc into the light?" Scratches that matter show that way. So does disc rot.
For sealed items: "Where did it come from, and how long have you had it?" A seal is a description, not a certificate. Nobody authenticates a sealed item over a call.
What protection covers
A game sold as working that does not boot, a region not as described, missing items that were listed: seven days from delivery.
Questions people ask
Can I ask for a test mid-show?
Yes. Sellers with a console on the bench expect it.
Is a loose cartridge worth bidding on?
At loose prices, often. Problems start when loose is called complete.
What about a console?
Ask what is included — every missing cable is money you will spend.
More: buying games, describing condition.