Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I swear I'm being trolled . . .

52 replies

PrincessPain · 08/06/2020 17:16

We got a new sofa last week, we have our old one which we only had for a year, change of decor and want to get rid of it, I'm asking for half what I paid (but am happy to go quite a bit lower, but the offers are already quite cheeky so I've left haggle room).
Every day for the last week I've had some almost buy, ask for my address, haggle the price down 25%, ask questions about them, say they'll collect that day they're just arranging a van but will get back to me with a time within the hour. And then every single one never gets back to me, leaves my messages on unread.
I've had other people ask if they're still available, to which I've had to tell them its pending collection.
Had dozens of messages asking if I can deliver when my advert states collection only.
More people asking if it's still for sale but then never getting back to me once I say that it is.
I'm starting to think I'm being trolled!
How can so many people get to the same place in the sale and then just completely ignore all contact.
I'm completely flummoxed and while I've had time wasters before, these sofas seems to have really caught the attention of almost buyers.
🙄
Aibu to think selling is a complete pain in the arse?
Anybody at least for some humorous selling stories? Or some CF selljny stories to make me feel better?

OP posts:
CoquettishIngenue · 08/06/2020 17:29

Selling things is such a pain in the ass!

I was selling an iPhone for £180-£200 I think. Someone offered me £45 as I "wouldn't get more than £100 anyway". What kind of logic is that?!

I was also selling a TV for £20. When you turned it on there was a black strip across the screen that went after about 5 mins. I was very clear in my post snooty the issue, but thought someone might use it to make do.

Ended up selling it for more as people were desperate for it!

Keepyourginup · 08/06/2020 17:35

If It is Gumtree, people are so bloody annoying/rude/time wasters. Sick of the 'is it still available?' messages which just ignore my replies of 'yes it is'. I have often arranged collection times and they don't turn up - or even get in touch to say they are not coming. It's bad mannered and very rude....so I feel your pain!

LemonDrizzles · 08/06/2020 18:51

Have them PayPal you the money the day before collection.

PierceHawthornesSexDungeon · 08/06/2020 19:53

It's the norm. People have messed me around whenever I have sold anything online.

Sparklesocks · 08/06/2020 20:01

A lot of people are time wasters on those sites. I have no idea why, maybe they’re bored, maybe they do intend to buy but change their mind and can’t be arsed to tell you, maybe they like messing people about - who knows!

We gave away a large canvas print once. It was quite nice but we’d inherited it and it was too big for our new place. I listed it as free on gumtree because I couldn’t be arsed with time wasters and it still was a pain! The bloke who turned up was late, and then started trying to haggle (it was already free!! I think he’d forgotten which listing it was!!) and then starting to make noises about not being sure if he wanted it. So I said fine, we’ll let the next person know it was still available and went to open the front door to see him out - suddenly that kicked him into gear and he wanted it after all! Such a bizarre thing. I think sometimes it’s a weird power play.

Burplecutter · 08/06/2020 20:06

Don't turn the others away. Just reply in your messages that yes it's still available and its first come first served, you'll let them know if one of the others beats them to your front door, that usually spurs people on to follow it up.

PinkiOcelot · 08/06/2020 20:17

It really annoys me. Why do they do it? Do they get a kick out of it or something?
I had this just before lock down. Even messaged to say was on her way. Never arrived yet!

penguinsbegin · 08/06/2020 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

malmi · 08/06/2020 20:33

I just tell anyone who asks about it a few time slots that work and say it'll be first come first served, and you'll tell them if it sells in the meantime. Then you're not waiting for one person at a time. Whoever offers an acceptable price first takes it and you let the others know it's gone.

Boysnme · 08/06/2020 20:35

Have them PayPal you the money the day before collection

Do not do this. They will say they never received the goods and PayPal will refund them.

WhispersOfWickedness · 08/06/2020 20:37

@CoquettishIngenue I had trouble with an iPhone once too, I had someone offer a laptop instead as they didn't have money Confused

TokyoSushi · 08/06/2020 20:43

It so annoying, people want things cheap and want you to go to all the hassle of arranging for them to have it!

sleepismysuperpower1 · 08/06/2020 20:55

It is really annoying OP. what website/app are you using to sell it? I found facebook marketplace better than gumtree

PrincessPain · 08/06/2020 21:35

Facebook marketplace and shpock.
Listed on both.
I've had time wasters on both 😔

OP posts:
LemonDrizzles · 08/06/2020 22:10

Can't you just get them to send you an email stating they've collected the item before you hand it over?

PeonyTruffle · 08/06/2020 22:20

When I sold my sofa for peanuts on marketplace, it turned out v badly, the person that bought it actually turned out to be a nutjob and I had to get the police involved.

Never again 😂

AnnaSW1 · 08/06/2020 22:29

Oh god don't go with the terrible PayPal suggestion. Unless you want to lose your money!

malmi · 08/06/2020 22:56

No lemondrizzle, PayPal are not interested in any emails or other evidence you have other than online tracking showing the item was delivered. If you haven't got that, they will refund the buyer if they claim item not received. It's an easy scam.

Don't accept PayPal for items collected in person.

hippobump · 08/06/2020 23:06

Try eBay. You have to pay a fee but buyers are more serious.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 08/06/2020 23:43

@LemonDrizzles

Have them PayPal you the money the day before collection.

No one in their right mind will accept a PayPal payment for something that's being collected

Hingeandbracket · 08/06/2020 23:55

Everyone seems to think they are in an episode of The Apprentice now and seem to be in competition to get things for next to nothing, and get you to deliver etc.
It's amazing productivity isn't through the roof with all these proto-Sugars building up their business empires. Cunts.

PrimeraVez · 09/06/2020 13:31

Argh I feel your pain. I had a Boba baby carrier that I wanted to get rid of. It’s been used for 2 kids so it’s definitely showing wear and tear but it’s still definitely got some life left in it.

I posted on our community FB page and said it was outside my house and someone could help themselves to it. I had two separate women message me asking if it was still available and if so, could I take it indoors and they would come and collect it, they were so grateful blah blah.

Neither of them ever turned up or replied to future messages. In the end it went in the bin.

HUCKMUCK · 09/06/2020 13:33

I was selling a musical instrument. A man messaged, said he definitely wanted it, arrivednwi

HUCKMUCK · 09/06/2020 13:34

Oops!
Arrived within the hour, didn’t look at it but said he realised he didn’t have enough cash. Went off to the cash point and never came back!

CourtneyLurve · 09/06/2020 13:45

I was selling a nearly-new macbook. Interested buyer asked if he could collect same day, then proceeded to text me updates as he made his way to my flat:

"Leaving in 10"
"Just left"
"Halfway"
"Be there in 15"
"Around the corner"

Never showed up. He was either kidnapped, hit by a car or he gets some bizarre delight in duping people.