Where have all the sales gone?

[shassaz-atic]

Quote from The Guardian::

theguardian.com

Move over eBay, FaceBay is just one of the new ways to sell unwanted stuff

Facebook's community page, Twitter, apps … there are lots of ways to turn your second-hand goods into ready cash

[ozrock44]

Interesting subject.  The reality is that social media based buy-swap-n-sell groups are prevalent in my area.

There are positives and negatives when selling items through these groups. 

There are often moderators in these groups, however they are volunteers and their expertise and availability varies.  So when it comes to closing a sale, you are basically on your own.  A great deal of trust is involved.  With good will on both sides, an item can change hands without too much trouble.  On the other hand, the scope for disaster is quite large.  Payment disputes, no-show buyers, time-wasters and anonymous pests are all part of the landscape.

I sell very low cost items and give things away via facebook.  When it comes to quality items, I still prefer to use a service like eBay with the builtin formalities and protections that it offers.

[cassie135]

I like the local Facebook buy/sell.

In the last 2 days I've sold 3 items, made $150 and no fees.

Both buyers came when they said they would and I had no dramas.

Would definately do it again.

[sprinklespowerpuff]

That's the sort of thing I worry about with these set-ups. OK for cheap, readily accessible items perhaps but for anything vintage, unusual, more valuable jewellery and the like, I would imagine has the potential to be a trap for the unwary seller. Seems to me to be only a bit more upscale than the local markets. A bit too hotch-potch for my liking. Not enough structure and safeguards. 

[kopenhagen5]

I tend to agree puff.

But for some it seems to work.

I think having some different options is good, select the more suited sites for the relevant items.

I am only a hobby seller but ebay for me is a step up from lets say the tree, as the quality of buyers on ebay is far better.

When I list on the tree, I get all sorts of strange questions and offers, less structure and care from customers.

I don't do facebook and don't think I ever will. 

[sprinklespowerpuff]

Yes Kopenhagen, same as you - don't do Facebook at all. Or Twaddle (Twitter) for that matter. Gumtree is a huge pain you know where. Only good for furniture and such but even then as you said you get some strange ones sometimes. For a woman seller alone on the property for instance, well, you wouldn't want to know these days. The worst of course is the huge number of absolute time -wasters /tyre kickers who ring up wanting your item for virtually nothing and even then don't show at the specified time or at all.