Facebook Marketplace frustrations

[Morell1]

Has anyone had much success with Facebook Marketplace? Since making some successful purchases a couple of years ago, I've found that most sellers simply don't respond to messages.

My messages always politely indicate my sincere interest, my location, and my willingness to pay full price. I always read descriptions carefully and don't ask for shipping or delivery. In two cases, I've asked for dimensions of larger items. The items are always "available," if I'm to believe the listings.

In the past couple of months, I've been ignored by four sellers in a row and am almost ready to give up on in the platform. Is this standard? I'm finding it worse than Craigslist--and that's saying something!

[chrisg]

Well, I can give you the flip side. I have sold a few phonographs on Facebook. I list them through a friend's account because I like to see the snakes come out. Collectors I know have tried to rip off the seller. I listed a mint Victor III FOR 900.00 and a known Collector sent an offer. "$100.00 final offer" it sold full price within 2 hours
Then there was a berliner horn I had. Once they found out my name they said. "Oh you know what it's worth, I can't get it cheap.

People say I want it consider it sold then never show up. Or they say sold ( for asking price) then want to lowball when they show up.

Or then the "what's the least you'll take for it" guy. before they have even seen it
I sell on ebay or local antique or phonograph shows

[epigramophone]

I purchased my Edison Opera from a well known West Country dealer who has since retired. I am told that he saw it on Facebook Marketplace and bought it unseen, then travelling a considerable distance to collect it. Needless to say, he did not divulge what he had paid for it.
I suspect that many sellers of specialist items on Facebook have little knowledge of their value. For all it's faults, eBay allows sellers to research prices by checking the "Sold" listings, although many sellers clearly do no research at all.

[Morell1]

I can commiserate with sellers' awful experiences! I've sold on eBay and Craigslist and faced deadbeat bidders, no-shows, and people who start bargaining on price as soon as I've held the item and told other people with interest that a sale was pending.

That's why I'm careful to let sellers know that I'm truly interested in an item, that I will pay full price, and that I will make myself available to pay and pick up in their schedule. I think a lot of sellers don't bother to update their items after they sell, and they don't bother to let buyers know that items are no longer available.

Good deals are certainly available. If everyone behaved better, it would be a much more pleasant experience.

[Morell1]

I can commiserate with sellers' awful experiences! I've sold on eBay and Craigslist and faced deadbeat bidders, no-shows, and people who start bargaining on price as soon as I've held the item and told other people with interest that a sale was pending.

That's why I'm careful to let sellers know that I'm truly interested in an item, that I will pay full price, and that I will make myself available to pay and pick up in their schedule. I think a lot of sellers don't bother to update their items after they sell, and they don't bother to let buyers know that items are no longer available.

Good deals are certainly available. If everyone behaved better, it would be a much more pleasant experience.

[Morell1]

Sorry for multiple posts. Not sure why that happened, and I can't seem to delete the duplicates.

[AmberolaAndy]

My frustrations are not being able to drive myself to the location of a good deal.

[Granby]

I have noticed an increase in sellers not responding to inquiries over the past few weeks.... This has happened to me on several different occasions and I don't remember it being this bad before.... Odd! Dealing with buyers and sellers on Craigslist and Facebook has always been a bit of a challenge... But, I have noticed things have been getting stranger lately. If the item is sold, the seller really should just take the 5 seconds and delete the advertisement or mark it sold. Simply ignoring messages isn't cool.

I don't think this is just an issue with buying and selling antique phonographs, though. I think dealing with the "public" is getting tough based on what I am hearing from colleagues in the customer service sector... I'll leave it there....

- Chris

[grampaphone]

I have had some success with both buying and selling on Marketplace. There is an option to look at SOLD items there as well. When you search for something, say 'phonograph' and get the results, there is a FILTER on the left side that has several options. AVAILIBILITY is an option and allows for SOLD.

When I see an item I am interested in I then check out the seller's other items to get a sense of whether the seller is true. Sellers with dozens of unrelated items (shoes, antiques, baby items, furniture, phonograph, electronics, games, etc.) may the real but I don't trust them to actually have the item at hand. Then I check the profile to see if they are local and real. A profile created some time back and has never had activity seems like something I want to stay away from. Plus, when they only offer the BUY It NOW choice, they may not be real, especially when it is a ridiculously good price. I have been burnt that way before but since I used Paypal to complete the purchase, I got a full refund from Paypal.

I generally like LOCAL only. And when I am selling and get contacted, I check out their profile before I respond as well. The platform is great but it has gotten so full of hustlers and scammers, plus the usual buyers and sellers who are just difficult to work with. Hardly anyone uses Craigslist anymore.

[epigramophone]

Hardly anyone uses Craigslist anymore.

Until I joined this forum I had never heard of Craigslist. It has a very small presence in the UK.
Because I never have and never will enter the sewer which is social media, Facebook marketplace is off limits for me.