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Facebook/Marketplace Communication skills.
fallacy:
Why in 2023 with 15 years of texting/tweeting/commenting are people so flippin bad at communication over a messaging app? It's like why are you all so stupid… why can't any of you figure out how to communicate so the seller actually wants to reply back. When I sold stuff on craigslist I basically just ignored most of the text and dealt with the people that would just call me directly. There were a few people that I communicated over text because they figured it out. Facebook Marketplace does not give you a place for your number… I guess I could put it in the description but I dont think half of the people read it, they ask me questions I already put in the description.
“Is it Still available?” WTF? Maybe I could accept it if I felt it was like a knock on the door to see if anyone was home, but if I reply to it saying yes it is still available and you say nothing back you are a moron.
Why do you think the first message you should send a seller is to offer them half as much?
Stop writing stupid little things that make no sense. After I said it was available he wrote back “where is it at?”
If you are interested in something on Facebook/Marketplace you need to write to the seller with intent. The seller needs to know that you are very interested, that you have the money and you are willing to come look at the item as soon as possible. If you have a question you can also ask it at this time as well. If you have too many questions because the seller did not give a lot of pictures/ detail or it looks like he was trying to hide things just move on.
I wanted to buy a 3080 Graphics card. I saw one on marketplace that looked clean for $600 and he said the price was firm! I wanted a used 3080 for $500 so I had to think how I could get him to lower the price. I need intent on the purchase, I need to confirm I have the money and I just need to be passive\non confrontational about the price change. So I wrote this to him.
“Hello I have been looking for a used 3080 for $500. I can come by tomorrow after 1:00 with $500 cash if interested. If not, no problem let me know if you change your mind.”
Few more messages later I am handing him my $500 for his card.
Gilrock:
I've only tried to buy a couple things on Craigslist and had a similar bad experience. I found a local Asteroids for sale for I believe $900 that was listed as in working condition. Photos looked good and I wanted it. The only way to contact was through Craiglist messaging. I message on Wednesday and say I'm interested in the Asteroids machine is it still available? He says yes but I can't show it until I get to my shop on Saturday. I said great I've got a truck and I'll come get it anytime you're available. I hear nothing back so Friday afternoon I message and said I've got the money and my truck when and where do I show up tomorrow? I get no reply. I'm trying not to be a bother so I wait till about noon on Saturday and message and say I still want this machine if you let me know where to show up. I get no reply until noon on Sunday I get a message that says do you still want the Asteroids? I reply in 2 minutes saying "Yes, I can come right now, what's your address?". I get no reply so after an hour I message "I need the address". After 2 hours he replies and says "Sorry the other guy showed up and took it". I'm ---smurfing--- pissed I was never told there was "another guy" and I was ready to get the damn thing on Wed. and was ready to give $1,000. So sellers can be just as bad.
Mike A:
I buy stuff all of the time on Craigslist and Facebook.
Zero problems. Everyone has been great.
Gilrock:
--- Quote from: Mike A on April 06, 2023, 11:03:46 am ---I buy stuff all of the time on Craigslist and Facebook.
Zero problems. Everyone has been great.
--- End quote ---
Statements like that always need a "yet" at the end...lol.
RandyT:
--- Quote from: fallacy on April 05, 2023, 08:13:54 pm ---“Is it Still available?” WTF? Maybe I could accept it if I felt it was like a knock on the door to see if anyone was home, but if I reply to it saying yes it is still available and you say nothing back you are a moron.
--- End quote ---
It probably doesn't help that FB suggests this as the first question. But there are two sides to all of this, buyer's interests and sellers interests (obviously).
I have responded to ads in the past where there is no response from the seller, or the reply is "oh, that was sold last week." So instead of starting out cold with the haggle, it makes sense to see first if the item is actually still available, or if the seller is even responsive enough to bother to reply. A lack of further response from the potential buyer simply shows someone who is shopping, and needed to know if your item is "in the running" amongst others being considered. So I guess it didn't win out, or the buyer found other priorities.
--- Quote ---Why do you think the first message you should send a seller is to offer them half as much?
--- End quote ---
While I don't do this, choosing more often than not to consider the market value with a personal value factored in, sellers will overprice something fully expecting to get close to their actual price after the negotiating. Potential buyers who aren't oblivious to the way things work, know this and the amount they offer usually reflects their willingness to "walk away". If the seller can't sell at his/her ask, and has been trying for some time, they may eventually sell for what is offered. If the buyer has offered the most they are willing to pay, they go away after the refusal. It's literally "Haggle 101"
--- Quote ---Stop writing stupid little things that make no sense. After I said it was available he wrote back “where is it at?”
--- End quote ---
While perhaps poorly worded, location is a factor in the final price. If you need to drive 6 hours in a fuel-guzzling pickup truck to get the item, or worse, need to rent one or call in a favor, it may no longer be a "good deal" or even be worth the final price.
--- Quote ---If you are interested in something on Facebook/Marketplace you need to write to the seller with intent. The seller needs to know that you are very interested, that you have the money and you are willing to come look at the item as soon as possible. If you have a question you can also ask it at this time as well. If you have too many questions because the seller did not give a lot of pictures/ detail or it looks like he was trying to hide things just move on.
--- End quote ---
Actually, you as the seller have something which has no value until the buyer transfers that value to you in exchange for it. This puts you at a disadvantage, which means that unless the item you possess is as rare as hen's teeth, and people are fighting for the opportunity to own it, you just need to "suck it up" until you find someone who thinks the item is worth as much as you do. As for not trying to get more information, there are a lot of nice deals posted by lazy sellers being left on the table by lazy potential buyers. I've purchased a few things which were in near perfect condition, from listings with low prices and poor pictures, which would have scared away those who were less inquisitive.
--- Quote ---“Hello I have been looking for a used 3080 for $500. I can come by tomorrow after 1:00 with $500 cash if interested. If not, no problem let me know if you change your mind.”
Few more messages later I am handing him my $500 for his card.
--- End quote ---
That's a great way to do things if you are ready to make the deal. Some buyers, however, will purchase only if they are comfortable with the seller, based on their own criteria and terms. FWIW, simple transactions like that can leave you bleeding in a parking lot without your wallet. If you don't need to work the seller a bit to get your price, there's a good chance he doesn't have anything to sell you. And if the seller doesn't have time to answer your questions, they are probably just wasting peoples time and are not really motivated to sell at all. As for "firm" prices, my experience has shown that there is no such thing with private sales, and when those "firm" prices are higher than they should be, the seller ends up taking the item to their grave.
But YMMV :lol
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