I blame my Facebook Marketplace addiction on the fact that I work alone, from home. Plus, I am always on the hunt for cool stuff. In my defense, as addictions go, it beats crack, it’s fairly harmless, and it’s often fruitful, informative, and entertaining. Also, I sell unwanted stuff to support my habit of buying Facebook Marketplace inventory.
The reason I blame my work situation for my Facebook Marketplace addiction is that some days, when I’ve been at the computer for hours, or have been working on something that requires great concentration, all that solitary time in one place gets to me. I suddenly have the overwhelming urge to get out of the house before I jump out of my skin. Sometimes I’ll just take a walk. But other times I click onto Facebook Marketplace and scroll around to see if there’s something interesting for sale.
Often, when it comes to Facebook Marketplace, what I purchase is incidental, because what I’m really craving is an opportunity to get away from my computer, and visit various parts of the county, sometimes to neighborhoods I never knew existed. I once drove 40 miles for a small, pewter $10 bird, and even further for a pair of vintage bookends.
I also love thrift-shopping, but in a way Facebook Marketplace acts as a targeted online thrift shop full of all kinds of strange and wonderful items.
I’m a collector of various things, such as vintage white dishes and old silver and silver-plated serving pieces. I may be in denial, but I tell myself that the difference between me and a hoarder is I curate my collections.
Even so, my home is a modest size. To avoid being overrun with Facebook Marketplace treasures, I have a box in my office where I collect things from my house that I’ll either sell on Facebook Marketplace or donate soon to the Salvation Army. I put any money earned from my Facebook Marketplace sales in a canister that I’ve used for years, just for future Facebook Marketplace purchases. When I find something I want to buy from Facebook Marketplace, I remove money from the same canister. It’s literally my own little give-and-take revolving canister financial system where I almost feel as if I’m getting stuff for free, because I’m never dipping into money from my purse or bank, or anywhere else, except the canister.
In the beginning
When Facebook Marketplace was in its infancy, my first purchase was a pair of apple trees. The seller said he lived not far from Palo Cedro, which turned out to be a much longer drive beyond Shingletown. My fault. I should have clarified his exact location, which is what I do now. I bought the trees, but since then I’ve become a Facebook Marketplace expert of sorts, both as a buyer and a seller.
Today, I’ll pass along some of what I’ve learned.
I’ve noticed a few interesting aspects about Facebook Marketplace interactions. For example, there’s a sort of inexplicable truth-serum aspect of Facebook Marketplace where sometimes total strangers — both the buyers and sellers — open up about all kinds of personal details. Often the details pertain strictly to the Facebook Marketplace items, but other times the conversations have nothing to do with the sale. I’ve heard about divorces, estrangements, affairs, illnesses, family troubles, work issues, baby showers, remodeling, housing problems, life as a single person, or life as an unhappily married person. I’ve never figured out what it is about the FBM exchange that causes these in-depth disclosures and conversations. I don’t know if it’s a female thing – since many Facebook Marketplace participants are women, or if men deal with this, too.
Facebook Marketplace is a great human equalizer. I once went to a McMansion neighborhood to purchase a set of vintage Irish lace and linen napkins that belonged to the woman’s grandmother. Never used. For $10. It blew my mind that someone who lived in such a grand, and obviously pricey home would bother with a $10 sale.
And I once met a man from Burney in the Lowe’s parking lot to purchase a set of 1930s twin bed frames that belonged to his wife’s aunt. The man’s truck was dotted with various decals and stickers that instantly indicated that we were politically light years apart. If memory serves, he was missing a leg. We had a great conversation about life in general. He had no clue about my work or my politics, and I didn’t ask about his.
Many times, after communicating in a few messages to clarify a sale as a buyer or a seller, I have an image in mind of what the person will be like. I’m almost always wrong. I don’t know what it says about me that people are almost always much nicer and more likeable than I expect.
This may sound strange, but in a way, I prefer dealing with Facebook Marketplace strangers. It’s why, when I post a listing, I use the setting that blocks Facebook friends from seeing the post. When I’m escaping from my office to purchase something, I want to make it quick so I can return to work, not turn the purchases into a social outing.
I utilize some tricks to improve my FBM experience. First, if I’m buying, when I arrive I ask the seller what else they’re selling. I’ve acquired some of my favorite things this way, like this awesome old metal Night Owl Cafe sign. It was sitting in the dirt propped against a porch at the home where I’d arrived to purchase a small turtle-shaped soap dish. When I asked the woman if the sign was for sale (after all, it was sitting in the dirt), she shrugged and said sure, for 5 bucks. Sold!
The same was true recently when I paid $10 for three hand weights, and as I left I noticed a chimenea sitting in the mud in the front yard, covered in cobwebs and dirt. I hadn’t planned on buying a chimenea, and I certainly wasn’t looking for one, but I liked the way it looked, so I asked the man if it was for sale. He said yes, for $20. I wrapped it in plastic and took it home where I immediately washed it and disposed of three black widow spiders. Now, the chimenea sits on my front porch and is my favorite Facebook Marketplace purchase so far this year.
That reminds me; because I treat my small car like a truck for hauling all kinds of stuff, I always keep lots of plastic and blankets available, just in case.
Doni’s little car can hold a lot!
So many kinds of Facebook Marketplace ads
Sometimes I find such great deals — even free or nearly free merchandise — that I have no doubt that I could furnish an entire home for less than $1,000; furniture, dishes, appliances, curtains, the works.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads contain laugh-out-loud humor.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads feature misspellings not worth mentioning, because the messages are discernable. Besides, you must admit that a hot tube and three vintage bowels sound fascinating.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads contain a combination of humor, and irony.
Some Facebook Marketplace items are so expensive that they really should be sold elsewhere.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads beg so many questions, such as exactly what kind of project did the the man never get around to for a septic tank (other than as a septic tank), and should someone call the authorities? And what if a deceased person was 6′ 7″, just a bit too tall for a 6′ 6″ handmade wooden casket?
Some Facebook Marketplace ads are so cluttered that it’s difficult to identify the sale item from everything else in the photo.
Some Facebook Marketplace ad titles inspire multiple interpretations.
Some Facebook Marketplace ad photos are so off-putting that they defy understanding of how sellers could expect to entice buyers.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads contain interesting, yet bizarre medical items.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads offer items that surely must have been placed on a dare, or in one case, taken from a crime scene.
Some Facebook Marketplace ads contain items that look intriguing, despite their messy photos.
Some Facebook Marketplace items are just adorable, and darn tempting.
Some Facebook Marketplace items are less chic, and more shabby.
Some Facebook Marketplace items rate high on the ick meter.
Some Facebook Marketplace items fall into the, “gotta give them credit for trying” category. (Seriously? This chair rents for $50?)
Some Facebook Marketplace ads beg one question: Why?
Creative writing
When selling, you’re competing with many people trying to sell their things, so your post should stand out among the rest. Take photos in the best possible light, with as few additional distractions as possible. Write a headline that fully describes the item, but be honest. On FBM many sellers will incorrectly toss around misleading terms like vintage, or antique, when they’re neither. The same is true with the term Mid-Century Modern (MCM). As a rule of thumb, “vintage” items are younger than most people realize; at least 20 years old, but less than 100. Using that classification, I have vintage bedding, vintage kitchen utensils, and even vintage clothes, all of which I bought new at some point.
Suddenly, I feel so damn old.
Antiques, on the other hand, must be more than 100 years old. Mid-Century Modern items are from approximately 1945 to 1969, but not everything made during that time frame is considered Mid-Century Modern. In addition to an item’s Mid-Century Modern’s age, the style is dictated by color, and a streamlined, minimalist design. Arts and Crafts items range from about 1880 to 1920, Craftsman style from the early to mid 1900s, while the Art Deco era ran from 1919 to 1939. If you’re not sure about your item’s age, Google it.
I hate to admit it, but I’m often swayed by a headline that contains adjectives, like beautiful lamp, or cute project piece, or pretty vintage tablecloth. I also appreciate short explanations and blatant honesty in an ad, similar to our gentleman who was going to do something crafty with a septic tank. In these instances, I’ll see a solid little dresser and can relate to the seller who says something like, “I had great plans for this adorable little dresser, but never finished it.”
After you’ve written your headline, and selected a price, and uploaded photos, make sure you anticipate questions, such as an item’s dimensions and age. Remember that metal turtle-shaped soap dish I bought the day I also found the Night Owl Cafe sign? The way the photo was taken, I thought it was a turtle-shaped tray, so I was in for quite the surprise when I encountered something that was more like 7 inches long, rather than 17 inches. The seller had listed the dimensions. I just somehow missed them in the description.
Porch pick-ups, a fine option
There are times when buyers’ and sellers’ schedules don’t align and cannot meet in person. In those times, porch pickups are an option. The way it works is that the item is left on the porch for a pick-up, and the good-faith money is left under a door mat. This only works when you’ve determined that the buyer/seller is trustworthy. And I’ve never done a porch pick-up for anything more than about $20. If you’re the seller, agree to place the item somewhere on your porch, such as on a chair or near a potted plant. Take a photo of the item outside, and send it to the buyer. Ask for them to leave the money under the doormat, and thank them. This works when you’re the buyer, too. Ask the seller if it’s OK if they leave the item somewhere on the front porch, and assure them you’ll leave the money in an envelope under the door map. I’ve never been burned by a porch pick-up.
Seller beware
After you’ve checked out a prospective buyer’s profile and believe they’re trustworthy, proceed with allowing them to pick up your item at your home or office. This only works with smaller items that can fit in your vehicle. If possible, arrange pick-up times for when someone can be there with you.
Early in my Facebook Marketplace years, I’d occasionally ask a trusted male neighbor (hi, Tom!) to come over, sit on the couch, and read a magazine so he’d be visible when a guy came into my home to buy an item. It’s an unfortunate reality that sometimes having a man on the premises offers women one more level of safety and perceived security.
The safety issues aren’t a new topic. Periodically something pops up on social media that jokes about the potential dangers of Facebook Marketplace exchanges with strangers.
There’s some truth to that image, as often a woman will be the one communicating about buying an item, but she will send a man — father, brother, husband, boyfriend, son — to pick it up. Sometimes a guy will show up with the money, and say he’s on an errand for his wife, yet he has no clue what he’s picking up. It’s such a prevalent thing that I’d suggest couples include it in their wedding vows.
“Do you vow, Bob, to willingly and cheerfully fetch your wife’s Facebook Marketplace purchases, no matter the distance to drive, the size of the item, or the cost, without complaint or question?”
I do.
Seriously, though, if a prospective buyer contacts you about purchasing something that you’ve posted on Facebook Marketplace, watch out for red flags. Do they ask for your phone number, or ask you to text them? Don’t do it. Stick to communicating via the Facebook Marketplace platform. Likewise, don’t provide an address until it’s confirmed they’re buying the item, and even then, if a prospective buyer is picking your item up at your residence or office, ask them to message you when they’re on their way and only then you’ll provide an address. Don’t engage with someone who initiates a lot of back- and-forth conversations, or asks for special favors, or starts giving sob stories about why you should give them the item for free, or telling you they live in another state, or just anything that sets off alarm bells. Stop communicating. Report them to Facebook if it gets really weird. Block them.
In your ad, use terms like as-is, and FCFS (first come first served), and “no holds”. Sometimes a prospective buyer will ask for an item to be held, so you hold it for them, yet they never arrive to buy it. In the meantime, you’re fending off prospective buyers and you could lose the sale completely. Of course, there are exceptions, and you may feel like you can trust the person to keep their word, and hopefully, you’re correct. In my book, cash is king. I never accept checks. Never. And although you, as a trustworthy buyer, can use payment apps, like Venmo, don’t allow buyers to use them, to avoid any scammer issues.
Buyer beware
Speaking of scammers, Facebook Marketplace, like life, contains a range of good people, as well as scammers, cheaters and liars. Check out the strangers before agreeing to meet them. Before messaging a buyer about an item you want to purchase, click on their profile and see their ratings. This feature is similar to online dating platforms, or Airbnb sites, where customers can leave ratings. Read the ratings. Click to see what else they’ve sold. If the seller looks solid, then proceed with your inquiry. Take a good look at the name, and even look them up on Facebook to see if you know them, or have heard of them. I once saw an interesting item for sale on FBM and I nearly left a message for the seller about meeting up so I could buy it until I realized she’d been involved in my July 2023 assault. Close call.
Notice that Facebook Marketplace offers a stock message ready for the clicking: “Hello, is this still available?”
As easy as it would be to use that message — because after all, it’s right there, ready for the using — don’t. Savvy Facebook Marketplace sellers are sometimes suspicious of the stock message, as they think it might be a bot, or a scammer. Also, many seasoned sellers are prickly about a potential buyer asking if the item is available, and will even write on their posts, “Don’t ask if it’s available. If it’s still posted it’s available.”
Instead, write your own friendly personalized message, something like, “I am very interested in this blue desk. When are some good times for me to come look at it?”
Then, you wait. As with any interactions with strangers, some people will reply quickly, and others will blow off your inquiry and never answer.
Before you contact a seller about purchasing an item, make sure you have all the information. Ideally, the seller will provide complete details in the ad, such as the dimensions, material, its age, and its condition. Bonus points for providing information not requested, such as if the item is from a smoke-free and/or pet-free home. This is especially true for furniture or any fabric items. Obviously, this is true for things like couches, but wood furniture can hold onto cigarette smoke forever, and it can be almost impossible to remove.
Where are they located?
First, if you see something you like on FBM, look closely and make sure the item is local, and that it’s not listed as a “sponsored” item. Those sponsored items pop up as if they’re local sellers, when often they’re pushing some national corporate company, like Temu, Amazon, or even Home Depot. If the location sounds remote, or you have even the tiniest of weird feelings about the seller, ask if you could meet in some public location, such as a store’s parking lot, or outside a public building, or even in front of the Redding Police Department, where there are a few parking places expressly for these situations. I’ve done pick-ups outside post offices, banks, stores, and gas stations. In front of Trader Joe’s is a favorite meeting place, because it’s small enough for people to spot one another. Conversely, meeting at a Home Depot or Lowe’s parking lot, for example, can be more problematic because of the size of the parking lots, which could result in not finding the person, or worse, meeting up with someone in such a vast place that if something felt off, you’re not left standing in a remote corner of a parking lot beside a stranger’s car, ala Ted Bundy.
If you agree to go to their home, ask for specific directions and identifying landmarks. Sometimes GPS gets things wrong, especially if the location is in a new development. If the area is somewhat remote, then have someone join you for the ride.
If you’re buying something, message the person and let them know you’re on the way, and approximately what time you expect to arrive. When you reach the destination, message the person and let them know you’ve just pulled up. This isn’t a rule, but it’s something most Facebook Marketplace buyers do. I know I appreciate it as a seller. If possible, ask for the item to be brought outside, so you aren’t going inside a stranger’s home. If you know in advance that it’s an item that is inside a home, then bring someone to accompany you.
After you successfully complete a Facebook Marketplace exchange, Facebook will send a prompt for you to rate the person. Answer the questions honestly. If you give a good review then it helps promote good sellers. If you leave a negative review, it’s a cautionary rating for people to watch out for.
So, there you go. You now know pretty much everything I know about Facebook Marketplace, a great way to buy and sell things in the middle of our flailing economy. Good luck!
OK, I’ve been at this computer long enough. It’s time for me to take a break and check out what’s new on Facebook Marketplace. I think I’ll take a second look at that cute little farmers market food trike.
How about you? What’s been your Facebook Marketplace experience? Feel free to share your tips.
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