Selling on Facebook Marketplace

[LeadFarmer]

I'm new to this, but I've bought one or two things on there recently. Always sent the seller a message asking if I can come over to view.

But I've just posted an item for sale for £35 and have found that folk message me with just an offer, no conversation, no discussion, just a figure. So instead of saying something like "I'm interested in this, would you accept £30" they instead just send a message simply saying "£30". One message simply said "£15". Obviously wanting to sell it on.

They can jog on, I find it quite rude, and won't be replying to them. If they were to ask to come and view it and then offer me £30 I'd probably take it.

Is this how it is on there? No conversation, no discussion, just a figure reflecting their initial offer?

Edited by LeadFarmer on Tuesday 23 June 18:16

[PositronicRay]

I've used FB market place, buying and selling. I prefer it to ebay, but phone screens hamper communication.

I find selling low value items such a chore I'd rather donate to charity if possible.

[paulguitar]

Yep, that's kind of how it is. I've had some success counter-offering but using a few more words, such as 'I'd be prepared to sell for £30'. Usually, they get a teeny bit more chatty.

[Newky Brown]

I,ve bought and sold a few things on there now. I find it quite good and if you just ignore the "£20" offers and chav text speak replies, you'll eventually filter out the bottom feeders.

[Oldandslow]

You've barely scratched the surface. Wait for gems like these.

£20 and you'll deliver it 100 miles?
Can you keep it (£5 item) until I get me money (giro)?
Will it (chester draws say) fit in XYZ model of small car?
and so on.

[Otispunkmeyer]

PositronicRay said:

I've used FB market place, buying and selling. I prefer it to ebay, but phone screens hamper communication.

I find selling low value items such a chore I'd rather donate to charity if possible.

Tell me about it. I put some stuff on there for free. Stuff I thought no one would want (old PC speakers, a iPod dock with the 30pin connector and a super cheap B&Q home brand hammer drill). I couldn't hardly respond to the first person for all the other people spamming my phone.


Problem seemed to be that I listed it, or at least I thought I listed it for the local area. But I had people from the bottom of Leicestershire getting in contact...and would I deliver it to them!

I'll put things up for a few quid next time

[Gary29]

If anyone has ever had the misfortune of being a seller at a car boot sale, well selling on FB is the online version.

tts rummaging in your boot at 5am before you've even stopped the engine are the same people that message '£30' on FB

I'd rather give it to charity or landfill than waste my time and effort with people like that.

[Spare tyre]

My father in law was selling a transit van somewhere for 10k

Within seconds of the ad going live he got phone calls “what’s your best price”

He’d put it up at 10, decided he’d take 9 if it felt right.

Instantly like a pillock on the phone he said his best price was 9k, which then is the starting price for these people.

Always the same sort of person calling and being rude, but I think it’s simply a numbers game, ring enough numbers and you’ll find someone who’s stupid

We changed the ad and I sold it on his behalf for 9.5k

[untakenname]

I sold an item that was otherwise going in the skip and had dozens of people express interest but 99% only said 'interested' and nothing else, ended up selling it to someone local who sent a well articulated question and also judging from their profile wasn't a reprobate.

[Hoofy]

Bear in mind that Facebook's front end encourages interaction like this. You can click buttons that send a response rather than having to type out a full sentence. That said, a gentleman would never stoop so low.

[Newky Brown]

Gary29 said:

If anyone has ever had the misfortune of being a seller at a car boot sale, well selling on FB is the online version.

tts rummaging in your boot at 5am before you've even stopped the engine are the same people that message '£30' on FB

I'd rather give it to charity or landfill than waste my time and effort with people like that.

Indeed. I've had the misfortune of doing 2 car boots and refuse to do another.

The last one we sold a load of my dad,s old tools. All quality stuff and in good condition. We labelled some in a box at 50p each. People were picking up 4 or 5 items, trying to stuff a £1 in your hand whilst walking away not even attempting to barter.

[Hoofy]

Newky Brown said:

Gary29 said:

If anyone has ever had the misfortune of being a seller at a car boot sale, well selling on FB is the online version.

tts rummaging in your boot at 5am before you've even stopped the engine are the same people that message '£30' on FB

I'd rather give it to charity or landfill than waste my time and effort with people like that.

Indeed. I've had the misfortune of doing 2 car boots and refuse to do another.

The last one we sold a load of my dad,s old tools. All quality stuff and in good condition. We labelled some in a box at 50p each. People were picking up 4 or 5 items, trying to stuff a £1 in your hand whilst walking away not even attempting to barter.

It sounds like it's the the same people who shop at Tesco when they bring out the 10p bargains!

[I-A]

As above, FB has these quick reply buttons - e.g. is this still available? Once clicked, you can then submit an offer.

It's as if FB discourages too much conversation. You can however edit the quick reply button and form a message.

[LeadFarmer]

Well I got a lot of response to my advert and and chose to ignore the retards who couldn’t bother to string a sentence together and decided to just reply to the first person who appeared normal. Sent her a reply and she came this morning and bought it. Nice lady.

I’ve more stuff to sell and I shall adopt the same approach, ignoring anyone I don’t want to interact with.

[anonymous-user]

Has anyone had much success buying cars through Facebook Marketplace? The reason I ask is that most sellers neglect what they think is unimportant information (Such as auto/manual, diesel/petrol, engine size, mileage, massive dent in the third picture) so it makes searching for cars an absolute chore.

As for selling things, a colleague at work sold a flat screen non HD television for £30 and then got a message saying it didn't work. Turns out the buyer was trying to connect it to his PS4 and couldn't get a picture through the HDMI socket. I suspect this is because the TV could not process the signal from the PS4, but i advised my work colleague to just give him his money back.

He gets the TV back which now stinks of cigarettes, plugged in an HDMI signal and it worked perfectly. I advised him to put his foot through the TV instead of selling it again.

[Ransoman]

I have had some success selling car parts but mostly because they don't know if the part will fit their car. I usually sell to the 3rd person that gets in touch.

The hardest recently was a brand new alternator for a grande punto. 3 different women got in touch, had a long conversation with each to confirm the part is correct, did the deal and just before money changed hands (I had not given bank or paypal details at this point) they would say "I will just check with my boyfriend/brother etc to confirm he can fit it" and I never hear from them again. Not even a courtesy note to say they don't want it anymore. I finally sold it after being listed for 2 years!

[cmvtec]

I've flogged one or two items via this platform. Works best for low value things. I sold a knackered "leather" bed frame that I was given when I moved in. I only put it on for £25. Mostly because I couldn't be arsed to cut it up to fit in my car.

I've never received so many messages in one day. People really do want your ste.

[martin mrt]

Joey Deacon said:

Has anyone had much success buying cars through Facebook Marketplace? The reason I ask is that most sellers neglect what they think is unimportant information (Such as auto/manual, diesel/petrol, engine size, mileage, massive dent in the third picture) so it makes searching for cars an absolute chore.

As for selling things, a colleague at work sold a flat screen non HD television for £30 and then got a message saying it didn't work. Turns out the buyer was trying to connect it to his PS4 and couldn't get a picture through the HDMI socket. I suspect this is because the TV could not process the signal from the PS4, but i advised my work colleague to just give him his money back.

He gets the TV back which now stinks of cigarettes, plugged in an HDMI signal and it worked perfectly. I advised him to put his foot through the TV instead of selling it again.

I have bought and sold a few cars on marketplace, and I’ve experienced moronic potential buyers AND sellers. It’s a minefield.

Everything I’ve sold has been advertised correctly, detailed descriptions and fairly priced. It’s Unusual if anything sits around for more than a few days. Sold a Mini on Monday that I was inundated with enquiries, it was advertised for less than 24hrs.

I’ve bought a few cars and vans, and I always ask a few questions and if viewing is a possibility in the initial message. When I have viewed and bought I sometimes find that I wasn’t the first to enquire, but as I’ve attempted to interact and act like a normal human it has given me preference over others.

There are some bargains to be had and I’ve made a good few quid over lockdown with some of them

[Rameez-Q]

Bought and sold a few things with no major issues.

I did sell a bike where the guy snapped the chain several days later and expected me to fork out half, i did purely of goodwill.

[dsgrnmcm]

FB Market place, is the new Ebay in terms of M&^g's. You just have to persevere, I just either ignore them, or pull their chain, if I get "What last price M8" for my 2011 immaculate 520d, with a full history and break down of ownership.

Pond life.