Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Trying to sell anything is impossible

143 replies

Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 14:16

I am doing a big clear out that includes clothes, furniture, all in great condition. Clothes and trainers barely worn, asking very little (around £1 per item) on Facebook marketplace and local pages, no one is interested....piece of furniture, a few years old but absolutely solid, no rips , tears or stains. It would be around £2k new, asking for a little over £100 , no one is interested and only person commenting is saying she knows of a place that MIGHT take it if I don't find a buyer, they'd want it delivered too as I know for a fact they don't collect because I have donated stuff to them before. I've seen other people doing this to countless other sellers, trying to get some money for their items but instead they get asked to donate to this or that. We KNOW that there are tons of places asking stuff for free. There are also tons of people asking things for free and even those waste your time as no shows. Is it too hard to understand that if I am listing for sale is because I want some.mo eye for it? Rant over 😂 at this point I would honestly rather taking it to the skip than suffer more time wasters.

OP posts:
AprilBunny · 16/04/2025 16:30

Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 14:16

I am doing a big clear out that includes clothes, furniture, all in great condition. Clothes and trainers barely worn, asking very little (around £1 per item) on Facebook marketplace and local pages, no one is interested....piece of furniture, a few years old but absolutely solid, no rips , tears or stains. It would be around £2k new, asking for a little over £100 , no one is interested and only person commenting is saying she knows of a place that MIGHT take it if I don't find a buyer, they'd want it delivered too as I know for a fact they don't collect because I have donated stuff to them before. I've seen other people doing this to countless other sellers, trying to get some money for their items but instead they get asked to donate to this or that. We KNOW that there are tons of places asking stuff for free. There are also tons of people asking things for free and even those waste your time as no shows. Is it too hard to understand that if I am listing for sale is because I want some.mo eye for it? Rant over 😂 at this point I would honestly rather taking it to the skip than suffer more time wasters.

If It’s a sofa then I find they often sell for £50 or free.

Itsawildworld85 · 16/04/2025 16:30

I absolutely agree with u! Whilst I've listed clothes on vinted this week I cannot believe the hassle tbh. It's absolutely crazy and people try and haggle for 50p off! For example just listed a top bnwt and im selling for £2 (despite it being £14 new) and lots people are watching it...but someone wanted it for £1.50? I could not haggle 50p?? Anyway...Then the packing and taking it down town...everyone wants stuff for £1.......I'm thinking king of giving all the clothes to charity if they don't go by Fri it's just not worth the hassle!

JustSawJohnny · 16/04/2025 16:29

Vinted for the win.

Waterlilysunset · 16/04/2025 16:28

Any kids clothes I put on Vinted sell within 1 -2 days. And baby equipment

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 16/04/2025 16:26

I contacted BHF about my parents furniture ( including a new TD and a large drum WM that was under 3 yo) the literature stated theg wouldn't take the TD - fire risk - but they never replied to my email . So a bit of a no stater there.

I took electricals to Curry's to recycle - mainly used but working
Any decent clothes to Charity Shop
Anything less so to recycling fabrics

I haven't sold on eBay but I have bought some clothes ( mainly eveningwear)

mathanxiety · 16/04/2025 16:24

Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 16:17

See that makes zero sense to me. A new one delivered will still be a lot more expensive than a used one delivered (you can easily arrange a van to deliver second hand items for £30-£40)

Show quote history

Some people don't drive, or they do t have the sort of driving record or credit score to allow them to hire a van. Some people would be trying to move a heavy piece of furniture on their own, or they might have a bad back or they are pregnant or they have some other physical problem that would make schlepping a chest of drawers extremely difficult, even if getting their hands on a van wouldn't be an issue.

whatdidkatydo · 16/04/2025 16:23

Oh I agree! And the amount that can’t read or simply don’t understand the words COLLECTION ONLY.

Had 3 this week!

Cottagecheeseisnotcheese · 16/04/2025 16:23

Why don't you ring your local auction house and take furniture there for them to sell, some don't take everything beds don't sell and won't take upholstered furniture without fire certificates. They might want photos obviously they deduct commission but it's better than nothing

IHaveBeenAroundTheBlock · 16/04/2025 16:22

I never had any issues with selling stuff online. If you put a reasonable price, people will oblige.

mathanxiety · 16/04/2025 16:21

YABU to expect that Marketplace would be a good platform to sell clothes.

Try Vinted or eBay.

YABU too to consider dumping decent quality items. Donate to a charity shop if you have no luck selling, or find your local women's shelter and see if they would be willing to accept clean and nice quality items.

SeventeenClovesOfGarlic · 16/04/2025 16:21

It's not easy, or that price where I live.

Original poster
Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 16:17

ramonaqueenbee · 16/04/2025 16:12

Agree that for the furniture it will be about delivery. I'm in the market for a chest of drawers and would love a good condition second hand piece, but have no way to collect it. So am saving up for one that will be delivered.

For getting rid of furniture, we use the British Heart Foundation, who collect. For clothes, we fill the charity shop bags that get posted through the door or the big bins outside Tesco. Like others, I consider it a donation to charity and haven't the time to go through selling on vinted etc

Lots of options other than the tip.

See that makes zero sense to me. A new one delivered will still be a lot more expensive than a used one delivered (you can easily arrange a van to deliver second hand items for £30-£40)

OP posts:
Original poster
Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 16:16

UrinalCake · 16/04/2025 15:45

Yup.

You might want to get some money for your piece of furniture, but it doesn't follow that this is a realistic goal through FB.

I'd probably try and exhaust the supply of charities who might take it before going to the hassle of getting it to a tip though. Unless you have easy access to a van and muscle in which case ignore!

Show quote history

We have a big car and my husband definitely strong to lift pretty much anything 😂

OP posts:
ramonaqueenbee · 16/04/2025 16:12

Agree that for the furniture it will be about delivery. I'm in the market for a chest of drawers and would love a good condition second hand piece, but have no way to collect it. So am saving up for one that will be delivered.

For getting rid of furniture, we use the British Heart Foundation, who collect. For clothes, we fill the charity shop bags that get posted through the door or the big bins outside Tesco. Like others, I consider it a donation to charity and haven't the time to go through selling on vinted etc

Lots of options other than the tip.

Original poster
Lifeofthepartay · 16/04/2025 16:08

Pesk17 · 16/04/2025 14:35

Do you need these one pounds for this and that? I just consider it my donation to charity. If I give away a bag of stuff that either a charity shop or I could sell for twenty quid then great, I've donated £20. And I no longer have the bag in my head or any of its contents raking up headspace.

Tbh the money couldn't hurt at the moment. We have our mortgage rate expiring this year and trying to save as much as possible to do a big payment before our interest rate more than doubles. We donate to some causes regularly though church and the kids school.

OP posts:
GraySILK · 16/04/2025 16:01

Well I bought something online, paid what she asked (didn’t barter or anything) as I liked the look of it and a week later heard nothing about delivery etc…

…so I text to ask if she’d sent item, for her to reply saying she was away but back tomorrow and never heard another peep. WTF is the point in that! 😳

My money wasn’t released so I didn’t lose out financially but time wasters also come as sellers too 😂

AprilBunny · 16/04/2025 15:59

I’ve sold a lot of furniture, garden furniture, books, TV’s and phones on Facebook Marketplace very easily.

I do state very clearly the buyer needs big enough transport to collect and not to other trying to buy it they can’t collect it promptly.

Newgirls · 16/04/2025 15:56

As above! I am looking on fb for a sofa but it’s not easy to collect. If you put in a delivery option you’ll get more interest

SeventeenClovesOfGarlic · 16/04/2025 15:54

I've seen some nice tables and sofas on FB marketplace but to find a man with a van who has a second man for heavy lifting (who actually shows up) it tends to cost me about £100 at least, if not double, so I'd rather just stick with my own sofa.
If the seller would deliver, someone would take it.

EmeraldRoulette · 16/04/2025 15:51

@Lifeofthepartay British Heart Foundation have furniture shops and will collect from you. They will look at it to see if it's sellable though. It might save you a trip to the tip.

UrinalCake · 16/04/2025 15:45

SeventeenClovesOfGarlic · 16/04/2025 15:07

Clothes won't sell on Marketplace, and for furniture it's rare that anyone will want to find and pay someone with a van to carry and transport the furniture.

Easier to buy from a website and have it delivered to their door.

Yup.

You might want to get some money for your piece of furniture, but it doesn't follow that this is a realistic goal through FB.

I'd probably try and exhaust the supply of charities who might take it before going to the hassle of getting it to a tip though. Unless you have easy access to a van and muscle in which case ignore!

Hellohelga · 16/04/2025 15:34

Use EBay - far more buyers. I’ve sold quite a bit there.

pearbottomjeans · 16/04/2025 15:33

I’ve literally put stuff outside free today and most of it’s still there - because everyone is trying to get rid of stuff so don’t want my rejects 🤷‍♀️

Facebook is more hassle than it’s worth and I’ve started only giving stuff away delivery only - I will drop it off to you when it suits me and leave it on your doorstep, too many people not showing up to collect, nightmare.

Charity shops are often full.

Vinted is good for toys (made £500 so far since this time last year), baby carriers etc, but had a few bots buying and reselling which pisses me off as I want my treasured baby things to go on to a nice home.

So tip it is! Luckily ours (like most?) is a recycling center.

CiaoMeow · 16/04/2025 15:30

peppermintcrumble · 16/04/2025 15:02

I can’t be doing with the hassle - I just donate things to charity shops instead.

Edited

Same.

Savingadime · 16/04/2025 15:26

We are hoping to move this summer so I’ve started big clear outs. Shoes, clothes, bags and anything dog related has gone on Vinted (I’ve sold almost everything). Everything else is being taken to a car boot sale! Cannot be bothered for the stress 😂