Dealing with people on Facebook Marketplace driving me nuts!

When it's going to be touch and go - which is clearly the case as that's why they're asking if it will fit - it's beyond ludicrous to think that a stranger will know the dimensions of YOUR car better than you do! It's like going to a restaurant and asking the waitress if you like fish!

I never understand the mind machinations that make somebody think that, because they need/want something badly/urgently, that's a valid justification as to why you should give them a hefty discount on it!

If anything, You'd expect somebody to offer MORE than the asking price, if you will agree to reserving it for them and accommodating them coming to get it immediately!

I had similar - I actually drove a Honda Jazz at the time and said I didn't think it would fit in my car. Then he turned up in a Ford Fiesta! Not only that, but he had 2 large children's car seats in the back and seemed surprised that he'd have to remove them.
I ended up delivering it to him in my husband's larger car and charged him £10 for the bother.

I think people's thought processes are often the same as little children who want to make extra pocket money by selling lemonade, without any thought to their parents having paid for the lemonade in the first place, providing the cups and associated costs in facilitating it, then tidying up afterwards.

They see something being offered for free and see profit for them in reselling it, so they swoop; or if it's being sold, they ask for/demand a big chunk off the price, so that they can charge the same price as you were asking and make that difference as a decent profit.

However, they don't seem to factor in the obvious effort required in them getting the item from the seller and then to their new buyer. They genuinely feel entitled to have you running around to deliver it, then they almost certainly insist on their buyer collecting it from them - and they're aggrieved thst they should have to put in any effort themselves to get the money in their account.

To be honest, I'm surprised with some of them that they don't just ask you to find a buyer, you to arrange the sale and collection/delivery, and just transfer them some money afterwards!

Actually, there are people out there who will list things that are available on Amazon for a higher price on eBay, then if somebody buys it from them on eBay, they just order it from Amazon to be sent straight to them and pocket the difference!

I sold my old 4 berth touring caravan. Very old but excellent condition - fully dry, solid underneath, dated decor /curtains of course but I'd tarted it up with a new carpet, cushions and covers.

Advertised for £1300 and I was willing to negotiate down as far as £850 if needed.

One bloke almost immediately came up offering £1300 by bank transfer right now if I took it off the market and waited a month for him to come look at it then if he didn't want it I could refund him.

Told him no, cash only and after viewing only, no holding. Well, the barrage of abuse I got - accusing me of being a scammer, the caravan didn't exist, or if it did exist was clearly riddled with rot, who did I think I was to say no to him and more.... Blocked obv and very glad I didn't meet him in person!

Sold 2 days later to a lovely couple who were very excited about it.

Isn't it bizarre that they never suggest 'just' giving you £40 instead?! If you agree to buy something from a private seller for a specific amount, and then you don't turn up able to pay them that specific amount, why is that their problem? They aren't a shop with a till full of change!!

British Heart foundation will take furniture etc

I can’t be bothered either giving away or selling household stuff on any public site. I get it collected by the council if it’s big or it goes to the dump. Giveaways just attract chancers. Selling stuff encourages whingers and obsessives and is never worth it in the long run, with all the agg.

And TBH I bet 95% of free and a high proportion of paid collections end up being thrown away soon after by the new owner anyway.

Obviously it’s different on private friendship groups, new mums groups and that sort of thing.

The people who are angriest about you allegedly scamming them or ripping them off are usually projecting - because that's exactly what they are planning to do to you, so they're judging you by their own (non-existent) standards.

It's like the cheating partners who suddenly start accusing you out of nowhere of having an affair and obsessing about it as though it's an accepted fact that you've effectively admitted to - because that's what they are up to.

I'm glad you managed to find a genuine buyer in the end.

We have ended up selling lots of small things on vinted. It’s pretty low effort if you have a drop off point nearby. Must be a huge pain if you don’t though.

I was selling a large flight case and advertised it using inches for the measurements. Had a message from a man insisting that it must be centimetres (ie I'd put 60" instead of 60cms).
Messaged him back saying no, definitely inches. Him, no you're wrong.
So I sent him a picture of me lying in it.
He called me a time wasting midget 😅

Another time I advertised a small cabinet, got lots of messages from people wanting it, one lady said she'd come immediately so sold it to her.
Next day one of the others who'd messaged came back to me, sent me several ranty messages when I said it had gone with the trump card "I'm disabled ". So am I love, don't mean I'm hanging on to stuff in case you want it.

Saw something advertised, someone had already asked for it. I politely posted that if first lady changed mind, could I have it please. Cue first lady PMing me a nasty message about she was first, called me nasty selfish bitch.
Next day she randomly PMd me, asking where I was. Replied "on my sofa, in my front room ". Her reply "I don't drive, can't afford the bus fair, would I go collect the item, pay for it and deliver it to her". Umm that'll be a no.

I’m sorry but I’m dying at “time wasting midget” 😂

I wonder if a sizeable proportion of the people who are active on Marketplace and FreeCycle may be drug addicts - unable to think, rationalise, organise themselves or communicate effectively... but they just know that they need money for their next hit and this may be a source for them to get free or cheap stuff that they can sell on for drug money, so that's what attracts them.

Of course, many of them are just utterly stupid, completely entitled or both!

I'm open-mouthed bewildered by the ones who seem to genuinely believe that, as long as they come up with a good enough reason (or beg enough) as to why they should get something that they know has already been collected by somebody else - often before they even came on the scene to express interest - they can still have a good chance of getting it! I get that it's disappointing to have missed out on something; but that's just life, and you have to deal with it and move on.

recently had a sort out re my ex leaving and moving mainly craft items but collectables etc the following were common moans;
it says a pound will you take orders?
do you deliver?
have you more pictures?

drives me nuts

Your buyer is wrong..many of the ladies I know are not turned on by turned up collar. It looks chavi.

This person sounds a bit weird

can you post it? no i am housebound cannot get to post office
could you keep a week/month as i do not get paid til then? no i cannot

Ive just been in the same position - Im also new to my area, had a mare with folks saying they would turn up and then ghosting. In the end I posted on a local group asking what I could do? I got some great recommendations of local charities who needed furniture and would pick up. Like you I just wanted it to go to a good home and not landfill . Good luck