They Hate Me on Facebook Marketplace, But I Never Get Scammed

I constantly have old gear and knicknacks to get rid of, and Facebook Marketplace is ideal to get some cash back fast. However, it can be a scammer's haven, espcially if you're desperate to sell or don't stop to think. So far, touch wood, I've avoided being scammed, but only by being steadfast on some fundamental rules.

Facebook Marketplace Is My Favorite Place To Sell

Before Facebook Marketplace, I listed items all over the place on various sites. This is obviously a chore, but it was the only way to maximize the odds of selling my stuff quickly. Facebook Marketplace's massive advantage is in the sheer number of people who use Facebook. It might be a bit of a meme that mainly older folks use this platform, but maybe that's a good thing when it comes to finding people with disposable income.

I also happily pay for Facebook ads for my more expensive listings, and in my experience, this really helps. It's worth paying $5 to sell a $500 item quickly, and Facebook Marketplace makes it much less of a chore to set up an ad than other services I've used in the past. Ever since I realized how quickly and easily I can sell stuff here, I haven't bothered listing things anywhere else.

I Never Ship Anything

vectorfusionart/Shutterstock.com

My first ironclad rule is that I never ship anything. I will only sell something in-person. One of the best things about Facebook Marketplace is that you can specify how far away people can be from your location, and I generally set it to within an hour's drive of my address.

When someone contacts me insisting that I ship something to them, I just politely decline. Not only is shipping part of many scams, even in legitimate situations, it's risky and frankly expensive in many cases. So it's an in-person sale or no sale.

Cash or Nothing

Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock.com

It's so easy these days to use services like PayPal or Venmo to send money to people, but I will always demand cash until the day cash itself is abolished. There are far too many ways that scammers can use electronic payment systems to spoof or later reverse payments. Since I don't know who they are or where they live, I have no recourse if a payment is reversed or disputed. Cash, once it's in my hands, is much harder to pilfer.

You Found It Cheaper? Go Buy That

I generally include about 10% leeway in my listed prices so that the hagglers can get some satisfaction while I get the amount I wanted in the first place. However, there are certain buyers who will agree to a price with you, arrange to come make the purchase, and then shortly before let you know they've found the same thing cheaper elsewhere.

However, if you lower your price they'll still buy yours. This is such a silly tactic, that I have a hard time believing it ever works, but every time someone's tried this on me, I have called their bluff and still sold at my original price.

I Can Wait, Can You?

Whether it's a scammer or just a hard negotiator, my most powerful self-imposed rule is to be patient. Scammers want to rush you so you don't think critically, and buyers looking to rip you off are easy to ignore. Let your listing sit, refresh it when needed, but don't sell under terms or at a price that doesn't sit right with you.

As long as you've priced your item fairly compared to other sellers, you will eventually get it sold. If you're actually desperate, then take the initiative to price it in such a way that yours will go first, but if you're not in a true hurry then it's time for diamond hands, as the crypto fans like to say.