Selling on FB Marketplace

[RedskyThisNight]

I had a bit of a clear out over Christmas and have put quite a few things up for sale on FB marketplace. I have used it before but not for a while and now I remember why. Can people please explain what these behaviours mean?

• Person messages "Is this still available?" I reply "yes". no further response.

• person messages "will you reduce the price if I buy 3 of your items?". I reply "yes" and name a price. person replies with a thumbs up. No further response.

Person messages "I only want half of a set, will you reduce the price". I reply "No; I won't be able to sell the other half on its own." Person replies "what will you take for half the set?". I reply stating the full price. Person replies "I'll give you half of that".

Person messages "will you post?". I reply "no, sorry". Person replies "I will pay the postage, if that will change your mind?"

... and does anyone have any other tips of other, better places to sell stuff (I do realise January is probably not the best time of year; I wasn't necessarily expecting to sell anything straightaway.)

I have had the same experience and a couple of complete time wasters whom I have waited in for and not shown up. Really annoys me as they now have the address so it is a bit unsettling.

Person messages "Is this still available?" I reply "yes". no further response

If you are interested in something FB prompts this message. They may not be seriously considering buying it but thought if they expressed interest then it would be saved somewhere for them to look again later. May not have meant to actually contact you.

person messages "will you reduce the price if I buy 3 of your items?". I reply "yes" and name a price. person replies with a thumbs up. No further response

Testing the water, but may have found item cheaper elsewhere.

Person messages "I only want half of a set, will you reduce the price". I reply "No; I won't be able to sell the other half on its own." Person replies "what will you take for half the set?". I reply stating the full price. Person replies "I'll give you half of that"

Person clearly doesn't understand that you aren't a shop who can order back in the second half of the item and sell as a whole. Basically thinking only of their own needs rather than yours. Not uncommon. Just clearly not thinking logically.

Person messages "will you post?". I reply "no, sorry". Person replies "I will pay the postage, if that will change your mind?

Quite often the only reason people won't post is because of the cost so this is quite reasonable to ask.

Spell out everything in the description. Say No Offers, Sold As Seen, No Postage, Collection Only etc

Even then they'll still ask. They always will

Or the ‘can you deliver because I’m a single mum’

Erm, no. I’m giving away a double bed for free. I’m not going to buy a van especially to deliver it to you.

In my experience selling on Facebook is effective for bulky low value items but you might do better on eBay especially if you get a special offer for listings.
I have sold a lot on Facebook, I expect it to take ages, for people not to read the description, always price your discount in.

People just wants stuff for nothing these days some people message when they are not even interesting in buying . I find spock is a good site xx

@AnxiousHeffalump

Or the ‘can you deliver because I’m a single mum’

Erm, no. I’m giving away a double bed for free. I’m not going to buy a van especially to deliver it to you.

It's a shame you see it like that, I've had kind answers when I've asked and sometimes people have been happy to deliver to me. Some people have a van for work or want to get rid of the item quickly, or they just want to help someone out!

@TraceyLacey I stated collection only…

Try NextDoor.

@TraceyLacey if it’s stated collection only why would you ask for it to be delivered?

If you do ask for it to be delivered I think it’s horrible to say you are a single mum/disabled/whatever sob story etc as it’s manipulative.

Sell everything on Ebay but do your listings as Buy It Now with immediate payment required. Or, if you want to try Facebook again, join some brand-specific or item-specific groups. For example, there are Facebook groups that are for Boden clothes. I know posting stuff can be a faff, but it does seem to be the general/local buy and sell groups that create this much stress.

Same issues with ebay. My husband put a tennis racket and bag up for sale, clearly stating collection only and location, got a bid and the day before it ended got a message that they had misread location. We told them they could retract bid but they didn't. They were saved by someone who bid more in the final minutes. Turns out that person was expecting it to be posted. We have messaged to say collection only as advertised and now not replying. We have followed up several times now. They paid though so no idea what to do. Too big to send by hermes etc according to sizes hence collection only.
More effort than it's worth.!

I’ve had the experience where the seller asked to deliver to me - fair enough perhaps she doesn’t want strangers at her home - the same seller let me down 3 times running regarding delivery - first time I understood- second and third was just rudeness/ignorance on her part. Result is I bought something else.

Strangely a friend of mine texted a few days later and mentioned something similar- turns out it was the same seller. Let my friend down for first delivery time - arranged a second - showed up 2 hours late with no explanation. My friend refused to purchase the item - seller livid and screaming at her about wasting time - the irony!

When I’m in a Mood(which is quite often) I will tell the potential buyer that if I wanted to post the item I would have stuck it on eBay for eBay prices. I get very annoyed at that one - especially for a free item. It’s free because I want someone to come and collect it asap. If I wanted it sat around for months I would stick it on eBay.