Facebook Marketplace Hacks
I recently saw a question posed on Twitter: “What is one thing you didn’t know was expensive until you were an adult?” The responses were so true and hilarious that I posed the same question to my Instragam followers in my stories. My followers answered things like: tires, insurance, groceries, rent, etc. but the most common response was furniture, appliances and home decor. I can definitely relate to the sticker shock I experienced when I had to furnish my first apartment. I was so excited about getting to decorate and furnish to my heart’s content until I found out that quality rugs can be $100 and up. Most of my furniture in my first solo apartment was furnished through gifts (s/o to my mom for my awesome dresser), sales at Target and Wayfair, or bought deeply discounted after the High Point Furniture Market (perks of your parents living in the furniture capital of the world).
Chris and I now live in our first place together (eeeeek). Our new place is a townhome and while we were able to use most of the furniture we already had, we did have to buy a few things. You know ya girl is always searching for a good deal so...enter Facebook Marketplace. We ended up buying our dining room table, dining room chairs, and washer and dryer off of Facebook Marketplace.
You can check my Instagram story highlights for pictures and videos on my FB Marketplace finds but while you’re here I wanted to give you my best tips and tricks for buying used on FB Marketplace, Offer Up and other sites.
Compare the price
I found our dining room table base originally at Pier One and I was obsessed with it. I wasn’t, however, obsessed with how the base, the glass table top + the extra shipping costs would run us close to $350. The type of chairs we bought would be an additional $400 so we would be looking at around $750 for our dining room set. Instead we paid roughly $225. We paid $100 for the entire table, $75 for four chairs and then $50 to have the chairs cleaned (more on that later).
If you can, you’ll want to get information on the brand so that you can see whether or not you’re getting a good deal. You can try to negotiate to get a better deal but keep in mind that when someone says the price is firm, they oftentimes mean that and it might be considered rude to ask them to lower it, unless you find out that the product is damaged.
Be Ye Ready
The first few times I inquired about products on FB Marketplace I was beat out by other buyers because I didn’t respond fast enough. That’s when I made the decision to download the Facebook messenger app on my phone. This allowed to me to keep up conversations with sellers in real time, instead of just when I was able to log in to Facebook on my laptop.
Once your offer on a product has been accepted you need to be ready in the coming days to have the product picked up or delivered. Provide the seller with a few options for dates and times that work for you to get the product so they know you are serious. Sometimes this can also help you negotiate the price. Because we were able to pick up the chairs from the woman the same day she posted them she cut the price from $100 to $75. The lesson here? If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.
Calculate ALL the costs
There are hidden costs in buying used that aren’t always apparent when you’re in awe of how cheap you’re getting the product. You will need to calculate these costs to see if you are really going to be saving that much. Here are a few hidden costs to consider:
Gas: Driving too far can eat up the savings.
Renting/Borrowing a truck: If you’re making larger purchases you want to keep this in mind if you don’t own/have access to a truck. We were lucky enough to have friends in the area who had trucks and for some gas money and a six pack we were able to use their vehicles. If they weren’t able to assist us we had already calculated the cost of renting a truck from Home Depot or U-Haul.
Movers: Again, we were lucky enough to have friends that helped us for a fraction of the cost of movers but that might not always be the case.
Cleaning: Will this item need to be professionally cleaned or can you hose it down/throw it in the washing machine? Our dining room chairs needed to be professionally cleaned and we were able to get them cleaned for $50. The guy came to our house on move in day and cleaned them outside, it was fabulous. They’re not spotless because they came from a household with children but they look a heck of a lot better.
Late Night Lurk
Just like you’ve learned the best time to post on Instagram to get the most likes on your pics, you’ll need to learn the best times to search for items on FB Marketplace. I was told by a colleague that late evenings are some of the best times to find things because those who have been working all day have finally settled in and had time to post. She was right.
I’ve also found that weekends are a great time to look because people tend to have more free time to post and respond to messages. I found our washer and dryer on a Saturday night while I was babysitting. If you have time to check during your lunch break at work, you can catch the stay at home moms who are posting during their child’s nap time.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions
You are allowed to ask questions about the product. After all, this is something that you are spending your hard earned money on, regardless of how discounted the product is.
Ask questions like: why the seller is getting rid of the product, have they had any issues with the product, do they have children or pets that could have interfered with the product, does anyone in their home smoke, etc. Inspect the online pictures carefully to see if the home environment looks clean (this is a major key).
Buying used can be tricky but it can also save you a ton of money and it’s environmentally responsible. I hope you find these tips and tricks helpful when you are looking to buy used on Facebook Marketplace.
Stay sassy,
Stephanie
