Facebook Marketplace frustrations

[JerryVan]

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

You're correct! I'm seeing it all the time at work. I send important emails to customers and get little to no replies in return. After multiple prods and reminders, I'll finally get a response. Getting pretty sick of it. It will certainly hasten my retirement date. When I finally do "name the day", my thoughts are to explain in my "goodbye", that their apparent lack of interest in communications, meant for their own benefit, will have been a factor. E.O.R, (End Of Rant).

[epigramophone]

Many teenagers live their lives on the phone or on social media. If and when they obtain employment they will have to acquire communication skills such as talking to people face to face. It could be a steep learning curve.

[Morell1]

Well, I sent two polite follow-up messages to the seller of the item that interests me, and he continues to ghost me, despite the fact that I'm offering full price and am being specific about my plans to pick it up.

Four unresponsive sellers in a row.... I'm throwing in the towel. No more Facebook Marketplace for me. To me, at least, it seems like a broken system.

[Steve]

Many teenagers live their lives on the phone or on social media. If and when they obtain employment they will have to acquire communication skills such as talking to people face to face. It could be a steep learning curve.

Respectfully, I think you're a little out of date with that thinking! Many people today can get gainful employment, work from home and in time give up that employment for something else, all without ever having to meet their employer in person. I met a company representative yesterday who could not even name their employer.

It's those very "social media" skills that a lot of 21st Century employers want now because management itself is too old and out of touch to grasp where its intended market is hiding out. Like it or loathe it, the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.

[Granby]

Four unresponsive sellers in a row.... I'm throwing in the towel. No more Facebook Marketplace for me. To me, at least, it seems like a broken system.

Yeah, it is definitely disappointing. But, I may "tip my hand" but I think the better deals are at yard sales, off the grid, and not highly advertised estate sales at this point. I will give an example; I wanted to buy a curio cabinet last week to display some glassware/china. I messaged several sellers to only experience massive delays or no responses. I drove to my local antique shop yesterday and purchased one! I only paid about $40 dollars or so more than what I would have paid for a comparable one on Facebook. But, time is money! And, for those who are sentimental, it felt kind of good buying local from a "brick and mortar" antique shop....

As I get older, I value my time more and more.....

It may sound something like our parents or grandparents would say, "I don't have time to keep messing around....."

- Chris

[JerryVan]

Many teenagers live their lives on the phone or on social media. If and when they obtain employment they will have to acquire communication skills such as talking to people face to face. It could be a steep learning curve.

Respectfully, I think you're a little out of date with that thinking! Many people today can get gainful employment, work from home and in time give up that employment for something else, all without ever having to meet their employer in person. I met a company representative yesterday who could not even name their employer.

It's those very "social media" skills that a lot of 21st Century employers want now because management itself is too old and out of touch to grasp where its intended market is hiding out. Like it or loathe it, the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.

Learning how to communicate well with others, either face-to-face, on the phone, or in emails, will never be out of date. We have a young engineering intern in our office. He has no interpersonal skills that I can discern. Young people who are cashiers and baggers at our local grocery store are the same, (with one or two pleasant exceptions). Very few know how to reply to simple conversation. Not all gainful employment can be achieved by packing oneself away in a home office.

[poodling around]

Many teenagers live their lives on the phone or on social media. If and when they obtain employment they will have to acquire communication skills such as talking to people face to face. It could be a steep learning curve.

Respectfully, I think you're a little out of date with that thinking! Many people today can get gainful employment, work from home and in time give up that employment for something else, all without ever having to meet their employer in person. I met a company representative yesterday who could not even name their employer.

It's those very "social media" skills that a lot of 21st Century employers want now because management itself is too old and out of touch to grasp where its intended market is hiding out. Like it or loathe it, the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.

'the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.' .............. I think you have a good point here.

These days all that is needed to WFH is an automatic computer mouse mover and an AI app to create reports and email replies (with choices for 'tone', such as 'smile in your voice', 'authoritative', 'firm but fair', 'Shakspearean' etc).

This actually works. For example my employer thinks that they have employed the same person for the last three years when in actual fact they have employed three people and a dog. The dog was successfully promoted.

[Steve]

Many teenagers live their lives on the phone or on social media. If and when they obtain employment they will have to acquire communication skills such as talking to people face to face. It could be a steep learning curve.

Respectfully, I think you're a little out of date with that thinking! Many people today can get gainful employment, work from home and in time give up that employment for something else, all without ever having to meet their employer in person. I met a company representative yesterday who could not even name their employer.

It's those very "social media" skills that a lot of 21st Century employers want now because management itself is too old and out of touch to grasp where its intended market is hiding out. Like it or loathe it, the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.

'the corporate world has changed massively in the past 10 years.' .............. I think you have a good point here.

These days all that is needed to WFH is an automatic computer mouse mover and an AI app to create reports and email replies (with choices for 'tone', such as 'smile in your voice', 'authoritative', 'firm but fair', 'Shakspearean' etc).

This actually works. For example my employer thinks that they have employed the same person for the last three years when in actual fact they have employed three people and a dog. The dog was successfully promoted.

Thanks for the laugh. That's the one problem with dogs: they can be smarter than us and take advantage of a situation like that and bang goes your promotion while the dog is laughing its backside off!

Just for a joke a few years ago I applied for a job as a dog because the job description was so full of 21C nonsensical terms I couldn't actually work out what they were looking for. I produced a credible CV for a dog too.

Imagine my surprise when the dog application was shortlisted. However some aspects of the application confused them and they came back with questions. Clearly THEY were using robots to scan and select CVs instead of a human. I quit playing the game as I didn't think it was fair to send a real dog in wearing a suit and tie for interview.

[Morell1]

But, I may "tip my hand" but I think the better deals are at yard sales, off the grid, and not highly advertised estate sales at this point.

Sage advice! My problem is that reasonable antique stores and good yard sales are all but impossible to find around DC. The combination of wealth, a relatively transient population, and waning interest in old things has hollowed out the market for reasonably priced items. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are practically the only local options, save for occasional auctions that aren't always up my alley.

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I tried with a fifth Facebook seller yesterday morning--again, I offered full price and was specific about my ability to collect the item at their convenience. So far, more than 24 hours of silence. Maybe my luck will change, but I'm guessing that this seller, too, will confirm my dim view of the whole enterprise.

All the items I've offered to buy over the last two months remain "available" on marketplace, by the way.

[JerryVan]

I tried with a fifth Facebook seller yesterday morning--again, I offered full price and was specific about my ability to collect the item at their convenience.

Since this is probably well outside of the norm, it may be spooking the seller a bit. Maybe a softer approach?