weird text from lady on facebook marketplace. Now I don't know if I was U?

[Sneezecakesmama]

I couldn't find my umbrella so decided on buying one off FB marketplace.
Found a nice Joules one for £15 and asked to buy it.
At 09.12 am had the conversation via messenger and agreed to buy. She said it would be on the doorstep and put the money through the letterbox. Fine by me.
I asked what time was convenient and she replied no later than 12.15 as she was going out and gave me the address. I said I would be there at 12.
At 11am I found my umbrella (DH had it) so messaged her at 11.12 am to apologise and say I didn't need it after all, but thank you very much.
She replied
Is this a joke I have changed my plans plus taken item off eBay!!!?
I am fuming reported and informed police as you have our address plus our plans!! Very odd

It was literally 2 hours so why take it off eBay? She hadn't changed her plans and why that level of aggression?

Was I really being as unreasonable as she says? Genuinely confused!

[cabingirl]

@TableFlowerss

**She's not phoning the police about the loss of a £15 sale.

It's the potential for burglars to know your address plus that you are going to be out of the house at a certain time.

More common when the item for sale is pricey and valuable as the burglar will assume the house has other valuables too**

*@cabingirl*

But even if OP bought it as arranged, she’d still know that the woman was out? buying it the item doesn’t make the OP forget what she’s been told….

I know - the seller is being a bit irrational because if she's that worried about scammers she shouldn't arrange home visits at all. But based on her message to the OP that was what she was referring to when mentioning the police.

[brushandmop]

its the address thing which would be make me anxious. had lots of people in the past pull out of sames after being given my address. now i only give the address when they are in my suburb. once they text they can have the street and number.

it's not fair to mess people around on marketplace.

[TableFlowerss]

I know - the seller is being a bit irrational because if she's that worried about scammers she shouldn't arrange home visits at all. But based on her message to the OP that was what she was referring to when mentioning the police



I agree.

[turnabouttime]

you were going to drive an hour to buy a 2nd hand umbrella???

[MrsSkylerWhite]

Would be a bit miffed, but police? Fruitcake

[Sneezecakesmama]

@LynetteScavo

She took it if FB, waited in for you, probably turned down others who asked to buy it through FB and now has to resist it. You also know she'll be out so can burgle her house.

I can see why she's annoyed. Personally I wouldn't have responded to you. I don't waste any more time on time wasters.

She didn't wait in. She said she was home and going out by 12.15. I was the first person to buy it as it had been on there a week, so she didn't have a queue of people, and I let her know within 2 hours I'd changed my mind. Irritating yes, but I did let her know, which is better than some people.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"But even if OP bought it as arranged, she’d still know that the woman was out? buying it the item doesn’t make the OP forget what she’s been told…."

No, but a burglar might pretend to want to buy it to get the address. I don't think it's that likely, but some people worry about this. Someone who actually does buy the umbrella has a legitimate reason for having your address, someone who may never have wanted it, doesn't.

[Magicalwoodlands]

It’s a bit weird the way some people on here seem to think agreeing to buy something on FB marketplace is akin to signing a contract in the blood of your first born.

It is a bit annoying.

That is it. Annoying, irritating, worthy of an eye roll and a FFS and on a really bad day a disgruntled message back, but not all this.

It’s a shame for the seller if she is nervous but it is perfectly reasonable to change your mind about buying something!

[Blondeshavemorefun]

£15 for a second hand brolly 😱😱😱

I got caught out in the rain the other day. £1 for a brolly from Poundland !!!

But yes Yabvu

You said you wanted brolly. She took listing down. You gave 45m notice of not wanting it

She was a bit ott

[AlwaysLatte]

The police do take very seriously this scenario. Woman arranges to collect an umbrella. Shortly afterwards woman apologises - she's found her own and doesn't need it. Expect plain clothed policemen to batter down your door imminently.

[Sneezecakesmama]

@AlwaysLatte

The police do take very seriously this scenario. Woman arranges to collect an umbrella. Shortly afterwards woman apologises - she's found her own and doesn't need it. Expect plain clothed policemen to batter down your door imminently.

Yes, they've been round, battered my door down, cuffed me and only released me after I accepted a caution for wanton breach of an umbrella contract.

[FreshFancyFrogglette]

Yabu. Sorry, £15 is electric and food for a few days, or a trip to the cinema. I've been in that position where a sale on market place was the difference between feeding my daughter, or her being able to go out with friends. If I'd have been let down it would have been a huge fucker.

If the umbrella had still been on, then she may have found an alternative buyer.

It isn't good etiquette to reserve something, if there is a chance that you might not want it. Hence she took it off as soon as a sale was agreed. I know that you weren't intentionally letting her down, and it's not the worst thing ever, but surely you understand why she is upset about it?

[Pumperthepumper]

She’s daft to say she’d phone the police but I don’t sell on Facebook any more for exactly this. It’s too creepy giving out your address to total strangers, especially when they come up with some excuse not to buy it.

[Viviennemary]

But person inside might be wfh. So said policeman will need reinforcements to gain entry.

[TableFlowerss]

@Gwenhwyfar

"But even if OP bought it as arranged, she’d still know that the woman was out? buying it the item doesn’t make the OP forget what she’s been told…."

No, but a burglar might pretend to want to buy it to get the address. I don't think it's that likely, but some people worry about this. Someone who actually does buy the umbrella has a legitimate reason for having your address, someone who may never have wanted it, doesn't.

Yeah I agree but equally some burglars might buy the item as planned, peek through the door, get a feel for it then still rob them.

If someone is worried about being burgled then having people collect from their home is not the greatest idea

[Doris86]

I’m confused. Why did she need to change her plans and stay in, when you’d arranged to pick it up from the doorstep and post cash through the door?

[Bluntness100]

Indeed. You would have been prepared to drive for an hour until your own one was found, when you could have probably got one 5 mins down the road . So you seem.To be using your ethics to condone poor behaviour

I tend to agree with this, you were willing to drive a two hour round trip to get a nice brolly, so were not so worried about your carbon footprint then,

[Doris86]

I think it was very decent of the OP to message the seller to say she’d changed her mind. In my experience most Facebook buyers don’t even bother doing that. They say they are coming and then you never see or hear from them again.

[RudestLittleMadam]

Yeah I’m sure the police will be straight round yours

I understand why she’s annoyed. But her reaction is a tad extreme.

[Dixiechickonhols]

I’d be livid at you - people messing around like this are why I cba selling on market place. She offered it for sale, you accepted you should have turned up for it with money. Kept it as a spare, sold it or given it to charity.
She’s telling you what hassle you’ve caused her. Of course she’s removed from eBay if she’d listed on free list day now got to wait for another offer before listing. If she’s newish to market place then she’s worried you are a scammer as decent people don’t agree to buy them not turn up.

[AlwaysLatte]

Yes, they've been round, battered my door down, cuffed me and only released me after I accepted a caution for wanton breach of an umbrella contract.

[PuppyMonkey]

We need a picture of this amazing umbrella.

For future ref, OP, the pound shops sell perfectly acceptable brollies, go and invest in a dozen and you’ll never be caught short like this again.

[PinkiOcelot]

LOL at reducing your carbon footprint!! 🤣🤣 What an excuse!!

[Ilovesandwiches]

She was definitely over the top but I can see why she was frustrated at you

[PiousPenelope]

YABU

Seller was right. You're rude, and I can understand her thoughts on you scamming her.