To think people really are CFers when it comes to second hand items?

[TheIckabog]

I am selling an item on a local selling page. It cost me £280 which included the main item plus some extras. The item is in ‘as new’ condition, all original box etc, in fact I think I only used it a handful of times. These items don’t come up very often as they are expensive but they are desirable.

Anyway, I’ve had lots of interest in this item and have had at least four people agree to purchase it, right down to arranging to meet up. Each one of them have then said they won’t take it unless I lower the price! Someone wanted to pay £80 and said they could get it for £200 new. When I refused to lower the price I got a load of abuse!

AIBU to think this is CF-ery to the highest degree? I’m not about to practically give it away and it’s unlikely that they would be able to get this item in such a excellent condition for any less.

I sell a lot second hand on local pages so I know about pricing items at a reasonable price to sell however I think that given it was £280 new and I’m asking £150 it’s a bit cheeky to then try and undercut by another £70!

I was selling something and the person who
phoned up wanted it for half the price plus he'd give me a dozen eggs !

[quote Chicchicchicchiclana]@honeygirlz - she was a cheeky fucker because she advertised on a local FB page for local people (if that doesn't sound too Royston Vasey). She should have put it on her own neighbourhood page, Marketplace, Gumtree or E-bay. Like I said, driving 10 miles where I live can easily be a 2 hour round trip. I guess it's different in London.[/quote]
I’m afraid it does sound Royston Vasey!

Surely it was a good thing for your neighbourhood as it gave you all the opportunity to buy the item?

I don't know @WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll it was the first and last time I used it to sell anything on.
It was around 6 years ago.
I don't understand some people's mentality.

A friend always arranges to meet buyers in a supermarket car park. Apparently the CF buyers never show when they have to go there. We assume that it's because either a) it's more difficult to be threatening/abusive if there are likely to be other people around and/or b) they don't like not knowing where you live

@ImNotBusyImLazy

My biggest peeve is people who respond to my Facebook Marketplace ads with interest, we exchange multiple messages about condition of the item, perhaps some price negotiation, etc. Then we start to arrange a pick up date and they ask where I am located (although I always put the postcode in the ad, very clearly). Then I give them (again) the postcode or address, and they say, "Oh, sorry, that is too far".

I thought that was just me. I put things on FB with my village which is tiny, about 2miles sq. People do all of the above for me to including pulling out when I give my postcode. I think some most read the advert, click the address but enquire anyway hoping you will drop off.

Normally the charity shop is between me and them, so if it's under £10 and just needs a new home ( not going to landfill) then it's easier for me as the charity shop is available all day and wont be out when I drive over.

I use a recycling page and put stuff up for free on fb,(esp now charity shops are limiting donations) and that always attracts time wasters and CFs. There is one person in our town who literally says yes pls to anything that I post free but half the time they don't collect, or pm later to say they dont want it!

I gave something away once that was brand new but not working as it should. I had returned to the shop but they would not refund. I clearly posted that I could not get it to fully work hence giving it away. The lady who took it messaged me the next day to say she couldn't get it to work!

I'm selling odd bundles of my kids clothes and sending them out tracked on Ebay. It stops the faff but even then, I have one per ten bundles saying didnt turn up, until I send them the delivery proof.

I dont get the investment in living for 5 kids tops that cost you next to nothing.

I think it depends where you sell.

I sell on eBay and haven't really had this. List everything for a decent amount as buy it now which seems to attract a better standard of buyer. Decline offers if they are too low.

The great thing is, that I've got some wonderful bargains myself by making decent offers and turning up when I say I will. It does work both ways.

I still remember the time I sold my aga. The guy was getting it for a steal (£100). When I said I wanted him to pay for a gas man to disconnect properly he said I had to pay the £30 and when I refused he was so abusive that I cancelled the whole sale. I know I was probably being overly cautious but my house, my rules. Anyway, a couple of weeks later when the kitchen fitter came, he was CORGI registered and removed it at no extra charge and we sold it for £200 to another lady. That guy really missed out on a bargain 😂

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Four times I listed it due to someone I the dying seconds of the auction bidding stupid money, think 5k etc and losing me the sale.

Didn't eBay used to have a mechanism whereby the second-highest bidder could be offered another chance to buy if the 'winner' turns out to be a liar or if it's a child playing or something? Does that not still exist? it did before, didn't it?

It's worse than that. If you're the second highest bidder and the highest bidder drops out, you become the highest and have to honour your bid.

I've come a cropper a couple of times as when bidding got too high, I dropped out and bid on something else, only to be informed I on the first auction.

*i won the first

I’ve also found that people massively over estimate how much their items are worth (hard to say if that’s the case with you op without knowing the item) but For example people selling tatty bobbled stained toddler sized T-shirt’s that they got from George at Asda for £4 selling and wanting to sell it for £3 is ridiculous and I’ve seen a lot of that going on!

Our local free site has had to have loads of seemingly silly rules because of the number of complaints the admin got.
No demanding, rude people with no manners don't get, no secret PMing (because it's often one person grabbing up everything), no re-selling, no requests for delivery, (after all it's free!), no offers of money and no requests of money. It's for people to donate their stuff to people who need it.

There was a massive kick off a while back. Despite the rules being widely advertised all over the page, A man had been asking for every item he could by PM. Then playing the "disabled and don't drive" card to get it delivered for free. It transpired he was selling everything on and making a killing. The site members were furious.

A kind donator had given him a table and chairs, kitchen utensils, books and full set of new drinking glasses. He claimed he couldn't drive. When they arrived he moved his car (?) so they could bring the stuff in and refused to help. Then the woman caught him selling her glasses and other stuff the following week at a car boot sale. With his car. That he didn't have and couldn't drive.

When admin asked the members who had given to Mr XX, it turned out this guy had had three tables and chairs in a month and most everything else from baby clothes and essentials to a telescope. Cheeky bastard. All delivered too.

I was on one of the free sites the other day to offer a couple of lamps I not longer need and I was gobsmacked at all the 'wanted' ads. I clicked on a few and for example one person wanted 39 items to include 'wanted working large wall mounted tv must be X brand' 'wanted large wall mounted tv bracket to fit X brand' 'wanted Kitchen Aid mixer must be Safron Yellow, good working condition and must include X number of accessories' 'wanted Xbox and Xbox games. See list.' 'wanted toys for my children. Must be new. Ages 3, 5, 6, 7,9 and 12.' 'wanted New clothes size X' 'wanted items for my wedding. See list.' 'wanted Books. See list.'
It goes on and on and on and all usually followed by 'I'm desperate!!! My children and I are all disabled, I can't drive so you'll need to deliver. God Bless you!' Or 'I'm a student I desperately need furniture, cooking items, a bycicle, kitchen appliances, rugs, bedding, clothes and school supplies to make me feel at home. No transport so would need delivered.' Or 'I'm getting a new puppy/kitten/rabbit/horse and need all the bedding, food, toys, treats, cages, leads, and any other items needed for X type animal. Need ASAP as collecting animal tomorrow.'

Or the 'I'm looking for a friend who desperately needs a motorcycle. Please phone me on XXXXXXXXXXX.' Or 'I have a hobby and collect X, Y and Z (list of expensive items). I will collect whatever you have.' One person was asking for a caravan in 'new condition'. One person was asking for a boat 'to take my kids down the river'. One person was asking 'for my group' and had 27 ads for expensive things this 'group' 'desperately' needed.

Maybe it's just me. I don't know why these things bother me but I find these type of sites are full of CFs. I didn't list the lamps. I took them to the charity shop instead.

Buying and selling on FB marketplace is dangerous. Around a quarter of buyers and sellers I've dealt with on there have had to rush their kid to A&E 5 minutes before they were due to turn up or when I was going to collect. They're dropping like flies!

@honeygirlz, I'm supposed to be working and I don't really want to spend my morning arguing the toss. If you think people in my neighbourhood (whose FB rules include that you must live in the postcode mentioned in the group name or in the immediate adjoining postcodes) are lucky to have been given the chance to buy some perfectly ordinary second hand Ikea furniture an hour's drive away then I will agree with you just to make it stop.

@Chicchicchicchiclana they weren't CFs. Nice drip feeding!

Yes, please make it stop now.

@Swooningmonkey

I’ve had a nightmare with Ebay recently. I’ve never understood why people bid on things that they don’t have any intention of actually buying. I sold high value pair of trainers barely used, first winner was out bidding everyone but then didn’t pay. Relisted then sold them. Two weeks later buyer says they’re faulty. Sends me pictures of the sole hanging off and a massive tear in the back of the shoe. Now I have to go through the returns process and issue a refund on shoes that have clearly been worn for nearly three weeks, then deliberately damaged to claim the refund.

I would phone Ebay to discuss this before you do anything. You have your photos of the item you sold.

I'd be inclined to brazen it out and tell then you'll be checking them on return for your hidden symbol so that you're sure they've returned the right pair.

They don't need to know there is no hidden symbol. If they're trying bait and switch/or are chancers sending you back their old pair and keep your pair it may put them off.

I used to do this when I sold ceramics on Ebay. Put a symbol with a pen that can only be seen under UV light because people like to replace their broken ornaments, preferably free.

Drip feeding? eh?

A friend always arranges to meet buyers in a supermarket car park. Apparently the CF buyers never show when they have to go there. We assume that it's because either a) it's more difficult to be threatening/abusive if there are likely to be other people around and/or b) they don't like not knowing where you live

Not always.
I wanted to buy a jacket off shpock, I asked for the man's address, he sent me the address of a random petrol station and could only do 8pm that night. It was December, it would have been dark and I'd be in an unknown area and meeting a stranger.
I wasn't being weird when I refused!
Also, when people don't want to give their address i assume the item is faulty/shit and don't want the option of me trying to return it.

@nevermorelenore

Buying and selling on FB marketplace is dangerous. Around a quarter of buyers and sellers I've dealt with on there have had to rush their kid to A&E 5 minutes before they were due to turn up or when I was going to collect. They're dropping like flies!

Bloody hell @nevermorelenore i never realised listing on FB could be so damaging to the health of my loved ones.

I shall avoid it like the plague, thanks for the heads up

I still remember the time I sold my aga. The guy was getting it for a steal (£100). When I said I wanted him to pay for a gas man to disconnect properly he said I had to pay the £30 and when I refused he was so abusive that I cancelled the whole sale. I know I was probably being overly cautious but my house, my rules. Anyway, a couple of weeks later when the kitchen fitter came, he was CORGI registered and removed it at no extra charge and we sold it for £200 to another lady. That guy really missed out on a bargain

I'm not sure I agree on this one, tbh. By all means include the cost of disconnection in the price you ask - as with offering 'free' postage, you want to make sure that the whole deal and amount you'll be left with is acceptable to you; but I don't think the would-be buyer was at all unreasonable in expecting the stated/agreed price to be the full amount he could pay you in exchange for turning up, loading the item straight into his vehicle and then taking it away. You were the one who benefited from having it disconnected in your own house, enabling you to get money for it and be in a position to have a new one connected. Like in the recent threasd about moving house, you can't expect the people buying your house to load up the van with your possessions to enable them to move their own in.

I have sold a couple of things on eBay that have a pretty fixed second hand price, they come up frequently and go for about half the price they are when new. You wouldn’t believe the cheeky fuckers trying to bounce me into selling them things for less than the going rate (‘I need it by the weekend, please please can I buy it from you now for £20’ etc). It’s so tedious.

It's worse than that. If you're the second highest bidder and the highest bidder drops out, you become the highest and have to honour your bid.

I've come a cropper a couple of times as when bidding got too high, I dropped out and bid on something else, only to be informed I on the first auction.

That is disgraceful - it should definitely be a second-chance offer (maybe for a limited time). As soon as you've been told 'you didn't win this item', any obligation to buy should be gone. You wouldn't call a restaurant to see about booking, be told that they're all booked up and then have them call you back half an hour later (when you've found another available one) demanding that you complete the booking. Ask if you're still interetsed, by all means, but you can't turn somebody away and then expect to still keep their tender to purchase open.

It's annoying enough when I want to buy X item on eBay, look at 20 very similar options, buy the one I settle on through eBay and then get bombarded by their algorithms with 'you looked at this - make the seller an offer now and make it yours!'. I know it's just a robot, but still very irritating when it assumes you want to buy all of the potential options you looked at for the same thing.

'I have a hobby and collect X, Y and Z (list of expensive items). I will collect whatever you have.'

That's a fantastic idea - I think I'll urge people to help me by giving me free items towards my hobby. I collect small colourful numbered prints of portraits of the Queen and I'm aiming to eventually gather the complete set of issued serial numbers

You wouldn’t believe the cheeky fuckers trying to bounce me into selling them things for less than the going rate (‘I need it by the weekend, please please can I buy it from you now for £20’ etc). It’s so tedious.

Oh, exactly. If you need something urgently, you often have to pay a premium price to secure one in time - not score a bargan because of your lack of planning or impetuosity.

Does anybody ever succeed when they offer people 10% or less of the price they've advertised something at? As has been said, if you think something is overpriced, ignore it and keep looking for one at a price that you are willing to pay. Maybe see if they'll accept 10%, even 20% less, but not 90% less. It's just wasting everybody's time.