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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Facebook Marketplace CF?

29 replies

gingertom11 · 24/06/2020 20:50

This drives me mad and I just don't understand why people do it, unless there's been a miscommunication somewhere..! Listed an item on FB this morning - great condition and great price. Within 10/15 mins 3 people had messaged wanting it. I obviously gave first refusal to the first person to message, who said they wanted it and could they collect tonight, they finished work at 6. All agreed and ok - gave address for collection and marked item sold. Think you know where this is going... it's now approaching 9pm and they haven't turned up or messaged. I messaged an hour ago asking if they knew what time they'd be collecting - they've been active on messenger (active now in fact) but not replied. I'm now wondering if because they didn't specifically say a time but just said tonight and that they finish work at 6 - I guess aibu to assume by that it means they'd be coming from work? Do I relist item? Give more time? I'm rubbish with this sort of thing.

OP posts:
Needbettername · 24/06/2020 20:51

I hate this! Message again saying if not collected by 930pm then offering to nect person .

HMJCMUM · 24/06/2020 20:54

@gingertom11 Just message and say 'Hi I am assuming you no longer want the item as you have not turned up or replied so I will be selling to the next person, thanks'

I always ask the person to message me half an hour before they are coming and give the address then, there are so many messers you don't want to keep giving your address out xx

Original poster
gingertom11 · 24/06/2020 20:57

[quote HMJCMUM]@gingertom11 Just message and say 'Hi I am assuming you no longer want the item as you have not turned up or replied so I will be selling to the next person, thanks'

I always ask the person to message me half an hour before they are coming and give the address then, there are so many messers you don't want to keep giving your address out xx[/quote]
Thanks for your replies and for spurring me on to message her again. Obviously you've got to be pretty ruthless when it comes to fb selling as people just take the piss..!

OP posts:
Notupforit · 24/06/2020 20:59

Don't make anything as sold until it's been collected. Always set a deadline for collection so if they don't come, you can just move on to the next person.

Original poster
gingertom11 · 24/06/2020 21:07

Thanks for everyone's advice! Definitely picking up some tips if I sell anything else in future. Sent the message suggested above and surprise surprise had a reply within seconds with sob story, very apologetic and could I hold it until tomorrow. I've asked for specific time tomorrow and if it's not collected by then I will be moving on.

OP posts:
GeorgiaGirl52 · 24/06/2020 21:28

That's how I got my Shih Tzu puppy. Saw it advertised and called seller. She said it had been promised to another person, but that person was supposed to collect at 9am and had not showed. It was now noon. I said I could be there by 6pm with cash. I left immediately for the three hour drive and got there on time. Got my puppy. Seller said the first buyer had called and said she "overslept" and would arrive at 5:30pm. When told it was already promised to another person she cursed and threatened seller. Then she demanded another puppy from the litter. (Seller said "no".)

BarrytheFatcat · 24/06/2020 21:29

Oh god I had this when I was selling a pushchair my DD had grown out of.

Loads of no shows and asking if I could deliver when the ad clearly said collection only!

Even the person who actually came to collect and buy it tried to haggle the price down coz the wheels were a bit scuffed!

It was so much hassle in the end I'd rather give stuff away to charity now.

Learntoloveyourself · 24/06/2020 21:41

I sold the entire contents of a four bedrooms house on Facebook. I found what worked best was to list the item at the weekend, early and make it clear it will be sold to the first person who comes to collect it. Really spurred people on and it only took two weekends to get rid of virtually everything. The rest of the items I advertised free, collect off drive at xxx address. Two hours later it was all gone!

gumball37 · 24/06/2020 21:52

I once had a guy ask me to hold an item for him for an hour because it would take him that long to bicycle to me... I didn't think he'd show... But he did. You really never know!

I also had a friend tell me she was selling an air conditioner for $50 and I told her I'd take it and get it from her at her yard sale the next day. Well... She sold it to someone else because they offered $75... Didn't even contact me. Her husband said "take the higher price" but if they had told me they wanted 75 I'd have paid it🙄. I've never really trusted her since and haven't talked to her now in months. 🤷

AnnieMaul · 24/06/2020 22:12

I've had this happen so many times that I always specifically state in my listings that I will not hold at all- first to collect gets it.

This often means that things I want out of the way are gone within the hour.

Otherwise it seems to be a never ending loop of "I definitely want it, but can't collect until Sunday" Sunday comes, don't show up and you're back to square one.

The only time I make an exception now is if they pay in advance.

EnterNight · 24/06/2020 22:49

I now only give a postcode and tell them to message for full address when they leave.

RomaineCalm · 24/06/2020 22:59

I learned the hard way.

Offered to drop off an item as it was on my way home from work. Got there at the agreed time to find no one there. Messaged and got a very apologetic response that the car had broken down on the way home, could I drop in the next day instead?

Arrived the next day, no one there, messaged again and they were 'held up at the supermarket'. Sent me a photo of a trolley Hmm.

When I messaged to say that I had made two wasted trips and would sell to someone else I got a stroppy message back saying that I wasn't being very understanding!

Gulabjamoon · 24/06/2020 23:01

More of a slacker than a CF.

elessar · 24/06/2020 23:03

@GeorgiaGirl52

That's how I got my Shih Tzu puppy. Saw it advertised and called seller. She said it had been promised to another person, but that person was supposed to collect at 9am and had not showed. It was now noon. I said I could be there by 6pm with cash. I left immediately for the three hour drive and got there on time. Got my puppy. Seller said the first buyer had called and said she "overslept" and would arrive at 5:30pm. When told it was already promised to another person she cursed and threatened seller. Then she demanded another puppy from the litter. (Seller said "no".)
I mean to be honest that sounds like a pretty irresponsible breeder. Proper breeders as supposed to do checks on the people they're selling to, not just go for a 'whoever turns up with the cash first' approach Hmm
PatchworkElmer · 25/06/2020 05:17

You can now report people who don’t turn up etc- I have started doing that. And leaving a bad rating for them when they don’t arrive.

It’s really, really frustrating. If I want something gone desperately I put ‘priority given to those who can collect soonest’ on the listing. I also don’t mark as sold until it’s actually gone.

Paranoidmarvin · 25/06/2020 05:46

My gripe the other day was the amount of people who don’t read. I changed it to pending. I also changed it to pending in the description box. I then had another ten people ask for it. Why can’t people read fgs

Ickabog · 25/06/2020 07:30

@Paranoidmarvin

My gripe the other day was the amount of people who don’t read. I changed it to pending. I also changed it to pending in the description box. I then had another ten people ask for it. Why can’t people read fgs
Oh God same here. For some reason those who don't read, annoy me more than those who don't turn up.

If you specify collection only

101 people then message saying "i'll buy and pay postage costs". Hmm

thebear1 · 25/06/2020 07:43

Off topic but hate the thought of animals being traded in this way. I think it should be banned.

LudaMusser · 25/06/2020 07:50

First come, first serve

Don't take people's word that they'll turn up and turn others away. You'll end up not selling the item

Paranoidmarvin · 25/06/2020 08:05

@thebear1 this 10000000%

Daisyhut · 25/06/2020 08:08

I listed a baby item for free on FB And got 3 no shows and another who asked for more pictures before they considered taking it!!!

BluntAndToThePoint80 · 25/06/2020 08:15

I’ve found marketplace to be full of time wasters. So many people who ask for stuff to be held, then change their minds, or don’t bother turning up or replying.

I go now with first to collect, wins. Agree also with not handing out your address.

theemmadilemma · 25/06/2020 08:19

@elessar And ideally match the puppy to the buyer based on the knowledge of the buyer and their family/home etc.

allfalldown47 · 25/06/2020 08:21

@GeorgiaGirl52 you got your puppy from Facebook marketplace?Confused

Op, you can mark an item as 'pending' although I just leave stuff up for sale until someone has actually showed up!

Brendabigbaps · 25/06/2020 09:13

If anyone wants you to hold an item for them it’s payment upfront

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