Facebook market place minefield

[GooglyEyeballs]

Asking if doing this would be unreasonable: -

I'm trying to give away, for free, a large 3-year-old corner sofa (which is a bit grubby but still has a few years left in it) on Facebook Market Place (providing the recipient collects). I've had a lot of messages, some of them a bit low-key rude (which I've ignored) and others saying they're definitely want it but once I ask them when they want to collect, they go silent (but I can see they've read my message).

The latest one, she said she wanted to pick it up tomorrow - that was first thing this morning. I said I could be available tomorrow and asked her what time she wanted to collect and 8+ hours later no reply. It's getting later into Friday and I don't really want to be told at 8pm tonight that she wants to come at whatever time she decides is good for her tomorrow... I think it's a teeny bit inconsiderate because I'm sat here not able to make plans tomorrow not knowing if she will even reply to me or not.

So WIBU to just close the advert and get rid of the sofa myself? I wanted to help someone out by giving it away as I've definitely been in the situation where I couldn't afford a new furniture and secondhand stuff was a godsend. But I'm trying to be responsive, helpful and polite (whilst trying to work a very busy job) and it's just become a hassle and I'm getting less and less comfortable with the notion of giving out my home address to someone who might just not turn up or not reply. I don't know if that would be a jerk thing to do to just vanish? I guess I'm looking for some validation!

YANBU

just chuck it or offer it to close friends/family

I agree, chuck it.

Unfortunately most people don't have a van, or at least the ones that would really appreciate a free sofa. Try British heart Foundation, they can collect if it's in good enough condition to sell. But if it's not worth selling by them then it's not worth anyone else sorting a van and collecting.

You’re not being unreasonable, FB marketplace is an absolute cesspit.

I was also going to suggest BHF as they are great at collecting when they say. Email them with some photos and they can tell you whether they’re interested.

Alternatively, list it again for a nominal amount (£20??) as I’ve found people are far more likely to actually come and collect something they perceive to be a bargain. I am aware how ridiculous that is, but it’s worked for me a few times.

@DogDaysNeverEnd @iratepirate BHF is a really good call, unfortunately they wouldnt take it as it doesnt have a fire safety sticker on it which is fair enough. So, either someone takes it, or it gets chopped up and gradually taken to the tip in my little car!

I was struggling to get rid of a huge sofa so put it on eBay for 99p and someone bought it immediately.

They turned up the next morning and ran off with it as if I was going to change my mind instead of them actually doing me a favour.

The guy insisted on me having the 99p too.

I use freecycle a lot for stuff like this - highly recommend. A lot less time wasters!

Ahh, that’s a shame. Perhaps try eBay like a pp just suggested.
I did that with an old sofa I’d had no luck with trying to get rid of on Freecycle, and had the same - someone bought it and turned up when they said they would! I’ve never experienced that with FB or Freecycle tbh.

I have a leather sofa and armchair on Facebook marketplace for free. It's also on eBay for 99p where it has 2 watchers. It's old but still has lots of wear left and as pp I thought it might help someone just starting out. Seems a real shame to just ditch it.

Yes always charge a small amount, free stuff attracts time wasters in my experience.
I got rid of a whole bathroom suite and someone carried it out of my house and paid me instead of me paying the council to collect it.

It's funny to think people might be more inclined to take it if I charge for it rather than give it away for free. Definitely a shame to chuck it, but it's got to the point now where it really needs to go so we can have the new ones delivered. I'd feel a bit guilty asking for money for it! It's not in bad condition, but it does have a few stain marks that would wash out and a big bum-squish dent where my husband used to sit and some bobbles on one corner that my cat keep trying to sneak in a cheeky claw scratch. Other than that though it is still looking alright. I think with some new foam and cushion stuffing, a wash and snip of the bobbles it could really look very nice but I just dont have the time to put that effort in. 10 years ago I would have seen it as an upcycling gold mine!

Facebook selling is shit…

I was selling a sofa was almost new at 11 months old (a friend gave me it when she had to suddenly moved back to France) and it wouldn’t fit in our new house.

so many time wasters can I deliver? No
will I hold it for a week? No
can I deliver it? No
On and on it went
people arranging collection then not turning up

was a nightmare…I gave myself a deadline if it wasn’t gone within a week I was going to arrange for the council to collect it and bin it

eventually went to a lovely lady who was so grateful and pleased took a lot of time wasters before her tho

I leave something like that out the front with a message free at x location to fb groups. Usually gone within 30 minutes.

Yep, put a price on it.
Also, I don't give up house number til they day, and have got a response that they are still coming.

So, I'll tell them I live at Burpy Lane, but not more. Makes it easier to move on when the ghost you!

I tend to find I get better quality responses if I list 'free' things for £5. If the person who collects it is nice then I say they can just have it. If they unreasonably mess me around then I charge. I like playing god.

Other than playing God , this is the exact approach I take as found no one wanted things that were listed for free!

Marketplace is a nightmare. I was selling / giving away a lot of stuff recently for my in laws and it drives you mad the cheek of people. In fairness when it comes to sofas you see some absolute rubbish people are trying to give away that really isn’t fit for anything more than the dump and it is fire safe just the labels are removed, then I find saying “free, first to collect can have” helps and then when people get in touch I make it clear others are interested.