I swear I'm being trolled . . .

[PrincessPain]

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?

I actually think people asking for hundreds and hundreds of pounds for a second hand sofa that they need removing, have a bit of a cheek.

They wants someone to pay to hire a van, lug it on there and leave a nice empty space for their new couch to arrive.

The people buying such a huge item are also doing you a favour so, please don't act like it's you doing them a favour for a knockdown price.

It's a mutually agreeable exchange. Unfortunately for the seller, this needs to be at a hugely knocked down price for anybody to show a reliable interest.

It completely depends what you are selling! Part of the point of the threat is about being people messing sellers around - responding (in good faith) to messages and waiting in for someone that never turns up - that is just bad manners from the buyer!

I’m offering stuff up for free and still get this bullshit.

No please, no thanks, just messages like ‘too far’.

@LockdownLump

I actually think people asking for hundreds and hundreds of pounds for a second hand sofa that they need removing, have a bit of a cheek.

They wants someone to pay to hire a van, lug it on there and leave a nice empty space for their new couch to arrive.

The people buying such a huge item are also doing you a favour so, please don't act like it's you doing them a favour for a knockdown price.

It's a mutually agreeable exchange. Unfortunately for the seller, this needs to be at a hugely knocked down price for anybody to show a reliable interest.

So OP should give it away for next to nothing then?

When I was clearing my late mum’s flat I offered her washing machine free to anyone. This was on my work sales board. We had had the gas turned off in her flat so there was no heating and I sat for an hour in the cold, in February, waiting for someone to come who never showed. In the end it went to a nice young couple with a baby who were really grateful, so it eventually went to a good home!

Such a throwaway society we live in when people decide to sell/throw a perfectly good sofa because they have changed their colour scheme.

Try selling a horse! You can't even get on with other things in the house while you wait for someone to not arrive! You stand around like a ninny in a field (and it's ALWAYS raining).

@Northernsoullover

Such a throwaway society we live in when people decide to sell/throw a perfectly good sofa because they have changed their colour scheme.

Where did she say she was throwing it away? You could say OP is doing a service, by enabling someone else to buy an affordable sofa

That's normal behaviour, you aren't being trolled.

Freecycle is worse. Some clowns message me saying 'I MIGHT be interested.' I'm giving it to you for free. Either you're interested or you aren't. I messaged them back saying 'let me know when you decide'. So annoying.

@CourtneyLurve

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.

Did you go and check the corner for signs of an accident?

What about the ones who say they want it then expect you to deliver!

I stopped putting things on freecycle because of this. And I'm not talking about crap stuff either! I thought it would be a good thing to pass things along to people for free. I couldn't believe the gall of some people. Never again.

I've paid Paypal for items I collected, just paid it there and then when I got there via the app on my phone!

People are a nightmare though - I'm really careful to only message on Gumtree etc if I genuinely want something, and I always offer to pay a deposit via paypal.

Unfortunately for the seller, this needs to be at a hugely knocked down price for anybody to show a reliable interest.
Bollocks - price is irrelevant to reliability as shown by all the tales of flaky cunts when they are getting something for fucking free.
Some people are just rude dickheads.

I've paid Paypal for items I collected, just paid it there and then when I got there via the app on my phone!

Paypal for collection items is a risk for sellers. Paypal will only reject a claim that a buyer has no received their item if the seller has a valid tracking number. You can't get a tracking number on a collection so if the buyer claims they didn't get the item, Paypal will refund and you (seller) have no item and no money.

I've paid Paypal for items I collected, just paid it there and then when I got there via the app on my phone!

Do you understand the difference between being the buyer and the seller? Because no-one is saying it is not possible they are saying it is not a good idea. The buyer can claim the money back and there is nothing the seller can do about it.

Unfortunately it is like this with online selling - in fact doing ANYTHING online. Worst experience I've had was advertising a property for rent. 50% of viewings arranged were No Shows. I had four viewings planned for a single day once, and not one of the four turned up.

A couple of them messaged later asking to rearrange - abso-fucking-lutely not you prick, I just drove across London in traffic to meet you at the time YOU ASKED FOR and you left me sitting there like a mug. Blocked every single one of them without a backwards glance.

Advertising the property on FB marketplace was the worst idea ever. I had a steady stream of enquiries from people that clearly had not read the advert AT ALL. Even some people were shocked when I told them the location - they wanted something in a completely different area, many miles away. So why are you responding to this advert? I can't pick the house up and move it!!!!!!!!!!

With selling items online, i think some people want to run the clock down - say they will take an item, stall as long as possible so that you tell others that it is gone, then haggle the price down. Those people can also fuck off.

I accept PayPal for collected items but I my if they pay via the friends and family option. No fees and the payment can't be recalled

*only if they pay

Same happened to me a couple of days ago on a selling site OP. I put up a couple of things on and a guy got back saying I’ll have one of them. I’ll come get on Thursday night.

Then tried getting the price down etc and said they definitely want it and they would come when they finish work.....and they didn’t.

He messaged back the next morning saying they’ll come get it Friday definitely and they’re sorry their messages weren’t working....and low and behold they didn’t turn up on Friday either at said time

I just find people and time wasters so buzzard. Letting folk hang about waiting for nothing- so wired

Bizarre*

@Boysnme

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.

As long as they pay via the family and friends option so that you don't get charged any fees, then they can't claim that they didn't receive.

I feel you OP - I couldn't even give my sofa away for free!

The worst was some woman who arranged a van, time to collect etc and THEN decided to ask if it was a sofa bed and declined because she wanted a sofa bed. As if the AD wasn't completely clear it was a sofa

I wouldn't throw it away, it's in pretty good condition and I would have dropped the price more, but why drop it when people are interested?
I bought a second hand sofa to replace it which is more child friendly to keep clean (and doesn't have Scatter cushions that the DC remove 1385 times a day).
Buyer turned up last night and took it away for the agreed price. They were nice people and I'm glad it's got a new home.
I don't think asking a certain price for something makes me a CF, people didn't want to pay that price and haggled, which I accepted. People messing me around is the issue.
If other people are in a position to sell something lower, go for it. I knew how much I wanted for it, someone paid it, they have a new (to them) affordable sofa, I bought a new (to me) affordable sofa, isn't that why buying and selling sites exist?

I think you’ve just had bad luck OP! With it being a sofa and the size of it etc , perhaps they get cold feet but I bet it’s annoying as hell.

We’ve sold items on gumtree before and it’s been fine, then other times we’ve had complete time wasters who try to barter you down with stupid offers when they know they are already getting a good deal or they suddenly go quiet on you after saying how much they want something!

Depop is the worse, the amount of low ballers is ridiculous - they want items for next to nothing and when you message them to meet in the middle, they don’t reply!!

I've just given away a filing cabinet clearly wooden and clearly free I had loads of people ask for it I put it outside they were on there way never showed up so I said its available again someone else was on there way never showed then it was round three! I promised it to a third person who came and got it while I was waiting I had a hugely aggressive man inbox me and demand it saying dont DARE give it to ANYONE ELSE he WANTED IT he was going to pay me for it too surprisingly due to the threatening tone I ignored him and let the other people collect it