Facebook trading sites

[Deleted]

Has your community started being overrun with Facebook trading sites?  There are at least four in my area.  People post stuff for sale with pictures . . . sort of like Craigslist, but a little more exclusive and a little more expensive.  You can go to al.com to find out more if you are interested in the concept.  You have to be approved, but they do look at proximity so almost none of you guys would qualify for membership.

I just wondered if this is a national phenomenon?

[constanz22]

YES! I am in a fairly rural area and there are TONS, probably close to 100 in my general area. I discovered them about a year and a half ago. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I have sold so much excess "stuff" and if I can keep up with posting stuff regularly, can also have a nice little income stream. I was averaging about $100 a week in sales. I've bought lots of great stuff too.

[constanz22]

Anyone can start a group. I actually just recently started a group with another woman. We have only been up and running for 2-3 weeks and have over 300 members already! The couple largest groups in this area have between 4,000-5,000 members. I think they are hotter in some areas than others. I have frequently recommended them to others on this board and others I frequent and some people say they don't have them in their area.

[Deleted]

I've got some china that I want to list and maybe DH's car that we are selling.

It is just such a new concept for me.  They happened overnight here.

[constanz22]

Yeah, they are really big here. Some are general (buy/sell most anything) to more specialized (kids and babies, auto, etc.). There is a bit of a learning curve, but you will get the hang of it pretty easily once you spend some time on them. You will probably find many more than you think you have. If you search "your town" or "your county" plus any term for yard sale, online yard sale, garage sale, rummage sale, virtual yard sale, etc., etc., etc. you will find several, I'm sure. Once you join a couple, FB now shows "related groups" along the right of the page, so watch there for others you may be interested in. And I'd be happy to give you any specific info or tips!

[Deleted]

Thanks, Constanz!  I may be in touch for those tips.  Right now I'm just trying not to be tempted.  Lol.

[constanz22]

It is super addictive. I will warn you right now! LOL . Sometimes I have to make a pact with myself and ask someone to hold me to it, selling only, no buying!! I have found some great things at great prices though!

[Deleted]

And I've found some not-so-great things at not-so-great prices.

Ironically, when our now 11-year-old dryer is starting to overheat (just found that out 15 minutes ago, let it cool down, and it is finishing the load), someone is selling their 15-year-old dryer for $100.  Really?  Dryers aren't that expensive to start off with.  Lol.  I've noticed stuff is way overpriced for the most part except for furniture.  People are selling Polo-type (not Polo brand) shirts for $12.  Really? 

Of course, these trading sites are in the more expensive parts of our city so that influences it.  They don't really shop garage sales.

I am trying to ignore the buying aspect, but I have lots of stuff to sell.  Maybe I will have some luck!

[constanz22]

Yes, you will definitely find some stuff way overpriced, but I also tend to overprice my things a bit because almost EVERYONE will ask you to take less. That way, I get close to what I want, have room to bargain, and they feel like they got a deal too psychology 101!

I recently bought a newer washing machine (newer than mine) for $65. They delivered it to me cuz I had previously bought something from the woman. I gave them an extra $15 for bringing it to me, and I turned around and sold mine for $50!

[TheOtherMe]

My DN introduced me to these local sites when she couldn't figure out how to upload a photo of something she was selling.  She said it did sell.  

So far, I've just been reading and getting ideas for selling.  I thought people were asking too much for a lot of things, but within a matter of minutes people are offering less.  I think the strategy is to list high and just hope to get it sold.  

I did see one today where somebody offered $10 for a $200 item and got told no way.  $10 would be an insult to me also.

[kimber45]

We have a bunch of them here too that dh checks regularly

[Deleted]

I don't know, WrongSide.  A friend sent me an email after a friend sent her one, etc.

Ours are listed as City Trading.  Take the name of any nearby community and replace the word city.  Ours is by communities, not the big city where we live.  Since I live "over the mountain," there are about five communities over the mountain.  We actually have six trading communities, though, because one of them is Over the Mountain Traders.

Notice that they used a variation of "trading" for that one.

[constanz22]

Jul 8, 2013 13:14:27 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

How can I check to see if my area has a fb trading sight? What should I put in my search?

My earlier post gives a whole bunch of different word combinations to try. Start there. I think terms are probably pretty regional cuz I've not seen any here with "trading" in the name like Susanna. Ours are all online yard sale, rummage sale, virtual yard sale, buy and sell, etc, etc.

[Deleted]

Wrongside, I will say that I have now made it so these don't feed into my FB feed.  I don't need that many temptations to buy.  The prices are usually higher than Craigslist, and it is multiplied more than you can imagine.

You literally have to be on 24/7 to be up in line to buy something.  I do feel sorry for sellers, too, though, because it is first come/first posting "interested."  That person has 24 hours to decide whether to buy or pass.  So everything I see has multiple people saying "interested."

The prices, as I have said before, seem much higher except on stuff like entertainment centers.  Lol.   I read somewhere that you can barely give these away because people want big hd tvs.  I already had an entertainment center that I am keeping.  I have lots of grandchildren so I am happy to close the doors on the electronic distraction that doesn't enjoy fingerprints.

[kgb18]

We have one. I was a member for awhile. I left the group. First of all, it was a lot of people selling junk. I made arrangements to sell some maternity clothes with a girl. She picked the time and place we were to meet. I showed. She didn't. She didn't answer her cell or respond to my voicemail or text.

And what mostly irritated me was that they had so many rules, and then they would enforce them for some people and not others, and then people would get angry and start fighting via the site with the administrators or fighting with one another. It was ridiculous.

All in all, it wasn't worth it.

[Deleted]

Wow!  These sites have really exploded around here.  And, yes, like KGB18 said, there is some petty infighting.  One, for example, said she thought it was supposed to be limited to just their ultra rich community . . . as if they wouldn't want to sell to the rest of us.    Another complained because one was looking for a dog walking job (perfectly allowable).

My major problem is that there is too much to look at and too much that I might want.  I bought three things today (my first three things).  I bought a booster seat since we only have one (lots of grandkids on the way) for $8.  I bought a table lamp that I think will work in my guest bedroom for $15 (fairly close to the cost of a decent shade).  And I bought a framed/with mat Sports Illustrated cover from last year when Alabama won the championship.  I have lots of that framed stuff in the basement, and I paid more than that to frame what I do have. 

But still it's like being constantly bombarded by "Buy, buy, buy!"  And I "want, want, want!"  I talked with a friend about that tonight.

I am sure these are coming to Facebook near you.  They have exploded here.  There must be 20 of them.  I belong to 5, and that is about 2 too many.

[Deleted]

I was on one for like five minutes. It was just too much. 

I have friends who have tried to sell through facebook. They say the people not showing, or keeping putting off meeting, or showing but with less money than agreed, is a common issue.

[Deleted]

Jul 19, 2013 22:41:44 GMT -5 oped said:

I was on one for like five minutes. It was just too much. 

I have friends who have tried to sell through facebook. They say the people not showing, or keeping putting off meeting, or showing but with less money than agreed, is a common issue.

Well, I had the seller not show today after I drove 20 minutes to meet her.  I waited 20 minutes and drove home.  There's an hour gone from my life. 

[constanz22]

Wow, I guess I've been really lucky. I've sold (and bought) hundreds of items in the year and a half I've been doing it and can count on one hand the no-shows I've had. Once you are on them for awhile, you learn quickly who the "good" buyers and sellers are and who to stay away from.

I would never drive 20 minutes for anything. People need to meet me at MY convenience. I'm pretty flexible in that I live in one area, work in another, and travel a decent sized area most days at work. It's pretty rare that someone can't meet me somewhere during my regular travel.