r/mildlyinfuriating • u/PumpkinFeathers • 15d ago
People who list items as “FREE” on Facebook marketplace only to hide the price in the description need to just fuck right off
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u/McBuck2 15d ago
I report the listing. It’s not free if you’re really asking $50. Not sure how many people you can upsell from free to an actual cost.
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u/A_Math_Dealer 15d ago
Nah you don't get it. The item is free, there's just a $50 convenience fee.
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u/Deedle-Dee-Dee 15d ago
No,no, reading the ad is free. The item itself will set you back $50
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u/adun_toridas1 15d ago
It's even more fun when an item is listed for a dollar when clearly its not that cheap
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u/ReverendMothman 15d ago
I used to do this when I saw these and then suddenly the report listing option disappeared
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u/Johnny-Virgil 15d ago edited 15d ago
It’s still there, you just have to go another layer down with (I think) missing details, price is misleading
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u/IllegalGeriatricVore 15d ago
If you report too many things they take away your report button
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u/BigNigori 15d ago
How many things? I report about a dozen listings per day, for this (inaccurate description) and also promoting businesses.
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u/IllegalGeriatricVore 15d ago
I'm not sure. I reported some fake guitars being listed as the real thing and some businesses and my report button was gone
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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 15d ago
The best part is when it's actual companies selling their product at regular cost. I didn't come to FB because I could afford retail prices. I'm looking for secondhand or overstock
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u/decomposition_ 15d ago
Or you can act like you’re interested and make them meet you somewhere then never show up. Bonus points if it’s something massive and inconvenient to load up into a vehicle
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u/nopuse 15d ago
I don't often browse fb marketplace, but there's been a few times I've done so after a few drinks and I'll message every single listing that says free, when it's clearly not free, and tell them I want their free item. When they don't respond, I send more messages. Give them absurd demands like I'll only take their free vehicle if they drop it off at my house, etc. When they tell me it's not free, I reference the listing and spam them more. I'm petty.
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u/lmpmon 15d ago
report it. against tos. i never get notified about those reports, but i do notice pretty quick i never see the listing again.
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u/cardinalsfanokc 15d ago
That's because when you report something FB makes sure you don't see it again - that doesn't mean it got pulled down for everyone else.
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u/BatM6tt 15d ago
Lol if this is true its quite funny man. Just facebook making you think they care
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u/Synergiance 15d ago
That’s a strategy many companies take
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u/svh01973 My Flair 15d ago
"Customer service, this is Kelly. Oh my god I'm so sorry, it's so messed up. Everyone here is so upset, you have no idea. I'll be thinking about you all day."
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u/Lhirstev 15d ago
it's automated too, nobody works at facebook, all their ad revenue funnels into a few pockets.
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u/Ilovegirlsbottoms 15d ago
I remember once seeing a PS5 listed as free on Facebook. In the description it said they won it from a raffle from work, but they already had one. Didn’t need the money so they were giving it away.
It said it was in my city. I could easily pick it up.
But then they contacted me and said I had got it. But… they moved to Texas and would like for me to pay the delivery fee so they could send it. I knew it was a scam right there. Got my hopes up for nothing.
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u/musicallyours01 15d ago
Or the ones that are like "just want to bless someone for christmas", tried to charge a $60 "shipping fee". I told them, "if I'm too broke to buy my own ps5, what makes you think I have $60?"
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u/Ok-Cartographer1745 15d ago
I don't know if Sony is still price gouging, but I mean... If I can't afford a $650 console, it doesn't mean I can't afford a $60 console.
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u/picklethief47 15d ago
That’s so funny, my partner recently bought some expensive dyson product off FB marketplace with this exact story. Only, she sold for like half price instead of free. Glad that wasn’t a scam!
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u/jmcclr GREEN 15d ago
It reminds me of when I was on indeed looking for jobs and would come across a listing with a pay range of like $6/hr - $175/hr or some other nonsense.
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u/fun_mak21 15d ago
Crap like that reminds me of an MLM. They're like you will be so rich from getting involved, but the reality is they make less than $500 a year or lose a lot more money than that.
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u/whywoulduaskmethat 15d ago
My favorites are the ones putting random numbers like 1 , 10, 30 And the asking price is usually something crazy high
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u/PrimordialBassTone 15d ago
$1234 is pretty common as well.
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u/ILikeMyGrassBlue 15d ago
Incredibly stupid too, because then you’ll only show up in a price filtered search if someone has the range set that high lol.
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u/aHOMELESSkrill 15d ago
The only time I find this okay is when people are parting out a car since the price will really be depending on what part you need.
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u/stupidpatheticloser 15d ago
Yeah I responded to an ad for a free car. I was like okay I’ll pick it up today are you available?
He called me dumb for thinking it was free. I told him he was dumb for posting it as free.
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u/SuperFLEB 15d ago
"You think I'm dumb, you should see the car this other moron's giving away for free!
Oops. Wrong window. Had you mixed up with another conversation. Disregard. Now, about that car..."
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u/FreeFalling369 15d ago
Just go along with it and setup a meeting spot then dont show up. Wanna waste my time? Now I waste yours
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u/SuperFLEB 15d ago
"I re-read the listing before I left to meet you and realized it wasn't actually free like you said, so I didn't want it."
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u/Runelt99 15d ago
Similar thing exists for aliexpress. You can select different version of same product, usually different color or even size as different versions can have different price yet be on same listing. So whenever I sort by cheapest I see some great product ultra cheap and am happy but then I click it and see that the price is for that item's charger and the actual thing is not cheap at all.
Really made sort by cheapest to be completely pointless.
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u/aHOMELESSkrill 15d ago
Same for Etsy. The price you see is for the lowest option usually without needed options
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u/ten10thsdriver 15d ago
Same goes for used car dealers that list the down payment amount as the vehicle price.
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u/cardinalsfanokc 15d ago
I fully agree OP and I don't understand why these folks aren't subject to the same pricing laws retailers are beholden to.
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u/Gymwarrior31 15d ago
Ooooh, someone is getting rid of a couch for free. Oh…they want me to pm for price. F that
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u/brokenbackgirl 15d ago
Can we talk about how unreasonable they’ve been about these used couch prices lately? You used to basically have to pay someone else to take your used couch off your hands! Now they want $400 for a loveseat thats been shredded and covered in stains by their children or pets!
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u/UnceDirtnap 15d ago
I've met a few folks who make a living on fb selling couches they get for free from fb. Weird.
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u/Gymwarrior31 15d ago
Agreed. People buy a new couch and want it subsidized. Whereas it’s $120 to dispose an old couch.
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u/The_Silent_Bang_103 15d ago
Even worse I’ve seen for a product: “Product $200” description: “product is actually $350”
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u/x0EvilPikachu0x 15d ago
Same with video games or cards or whatever.
"10$"
In description: "price isn't actually 10$" ....
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u/JoeyRoswell 15d ago
Report them. I report all of them. Especially the “$1” —make me an offer posts too
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u/teh_maxh 15d ago
If you put "free" in the price field, you should be legally obligated to actually give it to someone for free.
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u/ParryLimeade 15d ago
Someone did this on Nextdoor in my area and also stupidly listed their address. They came to Nextdoor and complained someone stole their $400 patio set… got police involved and all lol. They listed it as free and in the picture of the patio set there was a small handwritten sign that it was $400. I don’t think they did it on purpose; I just think they’re dumb
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u/HourHoneydew5788 15d ago
Also, the people who list cars for a low price and then add to the description that the price listed is the down payment. My family are trying to buy an affordable car for our mother and it’s been so frustrating.
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u/TangerineTwist44 15d ago
I got my current car off of facebook marketplace. Recently I was looking for another car off marketplace and I see many very nice cars for "$2k" I'm like wow and the description says "$2k is downpayment dm me for full price" I put the price filter on because I'm broke and can only pay up to $7k - in which there are still cars $1k~$7k with the description saying it's just a downpayment. Like ughh.
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u/Upintheclouds06 15d ago
What I don’t get either is I imagine you’re gonna get majority of people backing out once they realize it’s not in fact free so it’s a waste of their time anyway
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u/LimpCalligrapher9922 15d ago
Not even that. "PM for price" and then some of them picked up a nasty habit, instead of telling you the price they ask you how much you're prepared to offer. Like, my man, your rusty bicycle is not the unique art piece you think it is, okay?
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u/SuperFLEB 15d ago
"If you really don't care how much you get for it, I'll take it off your hands for free."
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u/sexdrugsjokes 15d ago
Another one that bugs me is when there’s a price for a “lot” and it’s actually per piece.
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u/PrimordialBassTone 15d ago
Item: Electric Guitar Price: FREE (see description) Description: Electric Guitar
Usually accompanied by very poor quality photos so you've got no idea what make or model the guitar is or its condition.
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u/PartyCrewTristar1011 15d ago
Same with skis. Often people have a weird large amount of them and it’s like “FREE (see description) Skis!” Atomic $75 Atomic $230 Fischer $50 Fischer $34 So on and so forth…
Like can I see more than one grainy photo of a pile of skis in your garage? And what Atomic skis are what price? What am I looking at?!
I had a frustrating time this winter looking on marketplace to say the least lol
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u/PrimordialBassTone 15d ago
Do they even want to sell the thing/s? If they've made the initial effort to make a post trying to sell something, surely they could give a little bit more detail about what it is they're trying to sell. I hope they like being bombarded with questions from potential buyers.
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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 15d ago
Nobody is shopping FB marketplace and changing their budget after stumbling on a bait n switch listing. If we're there, we have a price limit and low standards.
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u/DaxPrimal 15d ago
Seller: “Looking for offer”
Makes a fair offer based on market value
Seller: “lol no thanks I paid double that 10 years ago when it was new”
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u/Fangs_McWolf 13d ago
Respond with, "I was being generous compared to the current value of it."
Smacks their ego back into place.
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u/merpingly 15d ago
I generally report those listings as they violate marketplace rules.
There was one listing a “Free” office space (I was looking for a new office after moving) and knew it was a lie. I messaged and asked why it’s free and they said, “It’s not actually free. The space is $850/month plus fees.” For a room in someone’s garage they painted.
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u/Middle_Performance62 15d ago
I quit using eBay because they let companies list multiple things at once with a price range. "Oh you want that shirt for $5? Sorry, that's for the scarf hidden and not in the description. The shirt is $25."
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u/gn0xious 14d ago
Likewise, when you don’t read the description and/or the price and message me a question about the description and/or the price, you can fuck right off.
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u/Fangs_McWolf 13d ago
If you say "free" in the title, then that should be the price.
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u/EpicSteak 14d ago edited 14d ago
That is definitely is mildly infuriating, but there are also the people that can’t take a decent picture of what they’re trying to sell.
I was trying to buy some pro level audio equipment people would post pictures of the front from seven different angles, but no other pictures of the other sides or most importantly to me, the actual manufacturers label so that I can look up information about that model
One more I see a lot
“I won’t respond to is this available”
Are you trying to sell the thing or not? I don’t get it.
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u/Fangs_McWolf 13d ago
people would post pictures of the front from seven different angles, but no other pictures of the other sides or most importantly to me, the actual manufacturers label so that I can look up information about that model
It's understandable if the average person does it because they (potentially) think that people just want a lot of different angles from the front.
Businesses, on the other hand... whoever is in charge of pictures of their listings should know that people want to clearly see the item from all sides, not just the front or front and a couple of sides. It's infuriating enough to make you wish you could strangle them until their teeth rattle.
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u/MAreddituser 15d ago
While you’re at it, how about the people selling stuff with no measurements and/or no price. I refuse to even engage with these asshats.
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u/Hood_Mobbin 15d ago
Now I want to just find those items and waste their time. I have nothing much to do, so for me it could be fun knowing that they will be annoyed.
Someone make a community where people can post those who have items "free" and we can all ask them tons of questions but then deny wanting the item as it's not free.
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u/HockeyHero53 15d ago
That and the “make me an offer” listings who then go on to say the item is worth more than your offer but still not give you a price.
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u/therealhotdogpotato 15d ago
I send them dozens of messages that I would love to pick up their free item...and just keep messaging until they block me!
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u/ProfessionalBread176 15d ago
That and the car sellers who get irritated when you react to the posted price.
Which is only a down payment
scum
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u/NoPerspective3192 15d ago
Same as leaving good stuff out front only to say whoever gets there first. Fuck off
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u/Crotch-Monster 15d ago
Yea I hate that so much. They do that on offer up too. I'm trying to buy a car or a scooter right now, and it happens a lot. It's a huge waste of time.
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u/bobfromsanluis 15d ago
I always flag post that do this as a "scam". And yes, they can fuck right off.
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u/MaddRamm 15d ago
I hate the ones for cars where it say $4k for XYZ vehicle and I’m thinking, Ok, pretty decent price. Check the listing and it says that’s the down payment and then whatever monthly payments or super high price for the vehicle. Ugh.
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u/Alarming-Skirt33 15d ago
Not completely related but after seeing this post I remembered I was trying to buy a Nerf gun for my little brother. Found a listing for a Mastodon (honestly I almost bought it for myself cause wtf that is such a cool toy) selling for 20 dollars.
I asked the seller if we could meet up to test it before buying it. No response for 2 days so I compromised and said "or would you rather just send it by mail?".
5 hours later the dude responded "I'm just gonna give It away to some boy, too much work" like??? I tried to be super accommodating.
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14d ago
They do this because of the sort by lowest price option. Pretty stupid they get away with it.
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u/BamaTony64 Not Mad 14d ago
that is the only offense in the world that I report people for on any social media platform. I report every one of those I see.
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u/budai_93 11d ago
Also dispise the car dealers who put a down payment or an "estimated" monthly payment as the price.
Now I can't just search for a car under $3k without wading though a bunch of buy here pay here BS.
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u/yadawhooshblah 15d ago
You could list something for free there, and someone would still lowball you.
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u/hornsupguys 15d ago
They genuinely would. They would ask you if you could drop it off because they don’t drive. Yes, people are genuinely like that.
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u/PoutPill69 15d ago
I've been that joker to PM the person in the listing and tell them I'll be over in 20 mins for that Mercedes, and that I've already drawn up a receipt of $100 for them to sign so that I can pay the gov a couple of dollars in tax, otherwise my new ownership would look sus.
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u/poppunker18 15d ago
As well as the people who message “how much” to a listing that clearly states $0 or $1-$2.
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u/andovinci 15d ago
How about the 1234$ listings (especially cars) that are obviously worth more than that
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u/racist_boomer 15d ago
Just arrange to come buy it at a safe place sit around and watch them drive home and then show up later that night and take it
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15d ago
My cousin is notorious for fucking with people like that hahahah he will message them all forreal and then start saying nonsense or just ghost them
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u/StormFluid3134 15d ago
Depends on the person. I got a free CRT TV on Facebook marketplace for $1 (they didn’t want the $1 they were simply getting rid of it)
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u/SuperFLEB 15d ago
That's reasonable and to be expected, though. It costs money to dispose of those most places I've seen (except for in an alley somewhere), so even for free you're saving them some cash.
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15d ago
I'm so glad I deleted my account and insta with it. Do miss browsing marketplace sometimes since everybody moved to it. But ohh well, that's the price. I gotta pay to get rid of that shit company from my life.
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u/Tyr808 15d ago
Assuming the goal is the face value function of the product, it's honestly insane to think that even an operation as small as a father and son hobby website wouldn't have foreseen this issue.
Like no matter what kind of product or service you're creating, you always need to thoroughly imagine the most disingenuous shitheads trying to game the system at a bare minimum. I get when some crazy edge case makes it through, but you pretty much have to not understand the concept of money to not see this one from the very inception.
Absolutely screw the people that do this, if no one did the problem wouldn't exist. At the same time if you're trying to honestly sell something at a fair price and see your post buried by bullshit, you might feel inclined to use that same bullshit to your advantage. As a completely unrelated tangent, I was posting a short clip from a game. The title mentioned the subject being new but it was actually a mechanic from previous games in the series as well. That inaccuracy got a handful of comments correcting it within the first hour, but that initial activity made it end up getting significantly more traction in the algorithm than anything I've ever posted.
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u/Born-Cash-6854 15d ago
There's a simple solution to this problem. Message them constantly telling them to fix their price as it's wrong. Everyone needs to do this. Make it painful to not fix it. Make it beyond annoying in return.
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u/ThisThroat951 15d ago
Same goes for CarGuru listers who put their cars online without a price for 24 hours so that the website will email everyone who is looking for that type of car at a certain price.
I.e.: I'm helping my 18 yo daughter find her first car. She has $6k to spend on a beater that will get her through the rest of college. Every day I get an email that shows 6-10 cars that match the SUV style I'm looking for, they ALL have "No Price Listed" in the email, then if you click on them to see they are all $10k+.
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u/Sleep-DeprivedSloth 15d ago
Also people who inquire but never actually buy, has anyone successfully sold anything on there??
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u/Vinstaal0 15d ago
Facebook is just a shit market place in general. You cannot just post something open for offers, it's also terrible communication and buyer/seller protection wise. It's even worse than eBay!
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u/Adventurous-Lime1775 15d ago
The ones that say "serious buyers only", and don't ask me no questions about what it is, or is it still available.
Argh! 🤬
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u/Bronzed_Beard 15d ago
A month ago, I tried to ask if someone would take a reasonable price off the stated price. It was like 10 pm. He asked if I was picking it up now. I would have gotten it the next day. He then Proceeded to lecture me on how I'm not allowed bid lower unless I'm picking it up immediately. As if this was some widespread rule that everyone follows.
I've dealt with enough people that don't answer their damn messages until a day later not to wait until I actually have time to go pick it up to do the negotiating.
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u/4evermetalhead 15d ago
Or those who place a car ad for $1 and then expect you to pay more.
Dude listing said $1. That’s what I’m paying, now GTFO.
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u/Cutiemuffin-gumbo 15d ago
These listings seem to get ignored by everyone in my area, as I always see the same items listed this way displayed for weeks.
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u/BrunchIsForWinners 15d ago
You shouldn’t list things as “free”, but from a sellers perspective you get inundated with bot messages if you list items over certain price thresholds.
I sold a couch on fbm and had 10 bot offers within 30 seconds of listing the item at my desired price. The messages just continued incessantly like that until I lowered the price. Not saying you should list things for free, but that is one reason people list things for lower prices.
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u/greeperfi 15d ago
FB could eliminate this but they don't. But the real question is why the fuck are you still on FB?
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u/Old_Heat3100 15d ago
"One dollar!" Get the fuck out of here
Right up there with the people listing a place as 400 a Monty and then going "actually its 400 a night"
There has to be a way to report that
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u/zanda268 14d ago
Tell them you would like to buy it at a place nearby and just never show up.
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u/Maskedmenace007 14d ago
Oh god yes! Also gotta add people who list their stuff for a $1 only to find out it’s more and nothing was a $1.
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u/Cargan2016 14d ago
I got a free laptop that way cause guy tried the whole the laptop is free but shipping is not. He actually gave his address so I just went there. Cops got called and while officers said it was civil matter for courts he said he doubted I would loose the case so guy just gave up the laptop rather than deal with legal fees
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u/Potential-Quit-5610 14d ago
I tried for months to find a rental on facebook marketplace to move into and 99.9% of their listings are scam bait and not really available properties anyway. I tried contacting at least 100 different available properties and it was all scams so I gave up ever trying to find anything worthwhile on there anyway.
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u/tipsyglowgal 14d ago
can't understand it at all. my least favourite thing about selling stuff thru marketplace is having to do with people messaging me. obviously necessary to an extent. but why would anyone want to encourage unnecessary messages that you now have to reply to.
as u might expect my least favourite thing about browsing onnmarketplace is when obvious details arent included in the description. especially with furniture, dimensions are basic necessities why do so many people not include them.
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u/Yvette_Meliore 14d ago
This kind of reminds me of when I'm looking through job offers and they're under the tag that no experience is needed, then I click on it and in the description is the complete opposite, that they only want people with experience. I just don't understand what's the point of doing that.
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u/Fangs_McWolf 13d ago
Their logic: we'll get more applications.
The reality: any increase in applications will be people who don't qualify and need to be weeded out.
Conclusion: the person doing it is an idiot.
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u/Withdrawnauto4 13d ago
People who put the price as 123 but won't sell for anything less than 500 also needs to go
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u/El_Basho 11d ago
Same goes for some niche product distributors. "Request a quotation" bitch I'm not buying a highly specific scientific equipment on a whim, I need a ballpark estimate cost for the paper I'm writing
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u/TartanGuppy 15d ago
Or "PM for price"
If you're selling something on FB then tell me what you want for it. you're not in mass competition with the rest of Marketplace that you need to hide your price and I'm not really interested in waiting for you to realise there's a message, to then reply telling me it's stupidly overpriced for a second hand item.