I'm trying to sell something on Facebook Marketplace.
How come so many people begin chats about an item and agree a time to meet and then don't show up and then don't even respond? How do you deal with these people?
I should be able to give rankings to people based on their poor behaviour to warn others.
You could always use ebay which is based on feedback/ ratings
10% fees
Now upto 20% for low priced items and if your feedback is less then 95%
13.4% fees now
If they want to meet at 7pm i'll ask them to message me at 6pm to say they're still interested and then i give them address. This eliminates a lot of time wasters. Also if they want to hold it for the next day or after I'll ask for a small deposit paid electronically. If they say no then it's on to the next person. Each potential buyer get's an hour to respond or its onto the next person. Less time if it's priced to sell.
It's on you to not get too stressed about it. Dealing with tyre kickers has been a part of selling things since day dot.
While I wish I could give a 1 star review to everyone who didn't show up to a meeting, ghosted me after a date, didn't call me back when they said they would or forgot to pass on a message, it's easiest to just move on.
ghosted me after a date
What would the ideal reply be: we're not a good match, or I'm not interested?
Personally encountered more time wasters on FB Marketplace than Gumtree for personal meetups; don't know why, even when posting the same thing on the two platforms.
You can give a rating
Go to More options>Report Buyer>Didn't show up
It seems people do not value your time and arrange to meetup to noshow
This is great. Thanks.
I highly doubt it had any impact of their rating. Ive reported numerous sellers for not showing, not marking things sold ,etc. Doubt it has any bearing on their marketplace account.
As a seller - give the potential buyers (who have said they want to pick up on X day around Y time) my number and say when you're on your way to <suburb> then text me and I'll send the pick up address.
Then it's up to them. I go about my day. The if they do text then at least they are more serious and that is when I confirm address . I have only 1 out of 30 people not show up.
Tips that I have learnt.
1. Definitely work to your schedule, but if you can adjust yours without to much trouble do so.
2. Advise them to retext say 1hr/ hr&half prior to actually coming on the day. Then give actual address. If they ask for address prior to day, say suburb and any close by landmark to give them an idea where you are located.
3.Allow say extra hour from set date. I know as a buyer I've been stuck in road blocks or traffic congestion or Google maps has taken me up the garden path.
4.As a buyer definitely make sure seller is going to be there, hence why you should text and wait for seller reply on day.
5.Have your phone charged and fb messages on, so you don't miss any texts.
6.Ask for small deposit if they want you to hold and your willing to wait for pickup. Say 10% direct deposit to bank account.
7.No shows move on to next buyer. Fortunately I haven't had and bad seller experiences only as a buyer. I turned up and rang the door and texted nothing. Got some story, but didn't believe it and just moved on.
8.If the buyer hasn't got the curtesy to get back to you to let you know they don't want item. Just rate them as the other poster mentioned if you could be bothered.
How do you deal with these people?
You get used to the tyre kickers.
I send them a followup reminder message and if they don't reply I just block and forget them.
You need to work out your own system for weeding out time wasters.
You may be shocked to learn that writing: “no time wasters” in a ad is about as useful as an inflatable dartboard.
Personally i only ever give one word replies to “is this still available”
And if i get another generic reply after that they are dead to me.
If they actually ask a reasonable normal question they get a bit more time from me. If they actually are responding quickly they will get more info and a time and rough location to meet.
No address is given till they are ready to come. If it is not asap i tell them they need to txt/call me for the address when the time comes.
Following this little system, I can’t recall ever having a no show selling on scumtree or market place.
(I also stalk check their accounts to make my judgements how reliable they look before giving out my address)
Legit. FB is trash when trying to sell something and not have time wasters.
I have just as much trouble with FB sellers not responding. If you put something up for sale, maybe check for messages at least once a day? And update the listing if you sell the item!
Hey mate is this still available?
Final price?
I'll trade you $1000 worth of tattoos
You take itune gift cards?
Don't take it personally.
Are you asking for too much, or giving sth away for free?
Bikies
What is your last price?
Free shipping and it's a deal
I have sold many items on fb! Mostly no issue at all. But to get it right i have multiple texts back and forth and most of the time I only give them my subdivision so they can get an idea of necessary travel, I have them message me when they are leaving (always confirms seriousness) then I give actual address. Never do I think I’ve sold till someone arrives. 1st come pay gets item.
You need to develope thick skin if you want to regularly sell on FB and scumtree to learn to deal with non-responders, non-showers, lowballers & the odd troll.
I usually try to sell stuff on my local area Facebook noticeboard and don’t list it to market place. This way buyers are usually local and it is easier to organise pick up.
The only time I ever had problems was when I listed some stuff for free. Oh. My. God. Never doing that again. Greedy, selfish, demanding, a-holes fighting over free stuff which wasn’t even all that good (which is why it was free…)
We have a local gift of giving/ buy nothing group and everyone's pretty civilised, though not everything will find a taker on there and sometimes need to resort to Marketplace.
Good thing about free is it gets put out the front on day of pick up and dont have to wait around.
Modern online marketplaces like Gumtree, Facebook, etc. have made it too easy to browse listings and contact sellers.
This allows potential buyers (I'm guilty of this) to express interest in buying items without any commitment.
You'll get used to it over time, and learn who is genuinely interested compared to tyre-kickers that are just window shopping.
Maybe so, but if I change my mind it's just as easy to send another message and let the seller know I'm not going to pick up anymore or not interested.
When they don't pick up and you message to ask if they still want it (I guess some people could genuinely forget if it's a next day pick up) and get no reply that sh!ts me..
I use to be able to access M.P. without an active FB account. Can't access it anymore without logging in
That is typical of many websites now. Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc They all want you at least logged in, and then they want you to download and use the app version.
Indians at the worse on Facebook marketplace.
I have yet to come across any reasonable negotiation from them and all are time wasters.
Oh not sure you can go the gross generalization like that. Anyway, how do you know they are Indian? Just by appearance?
Could be Pakistani? Bangladeshi?
Count yourself lucky that you're even getting past the default "Is this still available?" question most people ask on those sites! That you're getting to a time and date being scheduled is some really good progress.
There's lots of time wasters on facebook and gumtree. Organise meetings based on your schedule, not their's, so you don't have to reschedule your plans to wait for people. Don't hold it for someone because they might not even show up (as you know). And then sell it on a 'first come, first served' basis. Whoever pays in full first gets it.