Words On Wednesday

| Suzi Tench

Wednesday (3)

I have had lots of success with obtaining things second hand, either for free or for cheap from places like Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Ebay and have spent time perusing things for sale or free on local Facebook groups too (its a secret hobby of mine!) but I’m starting to see, more and more often, some things which, when selling an item, are big no-no’s.  Here are a few examples

  • “First to view will buy”.  Surely this is asking for a ton of people just coming to view then saying “nah, sorry, not really interested” and messing the seller around.
  • “Used but good condition”.  I have no problems with this statement if it is true but some of the items are so used they really should be taken to the skip.
  • “Might need a clean”.  Then looking at the accompanying photos and the item is disgustingly grubby.
  • “Pet and smoke-free home”.  All well and good when the attached pictures include a pet sitting in the background.
  • “A few scratches”.  Scratches?  It looks like it has been run over by a dumper truck!  (I was looking at mobile phones and it was clear the screen was totally smashed!)

While these things are big no-no’s they have taught me something when selling items online and here are some of my top-selling tips

  • Make sure the item is clean and in good condition – would you want to buy it?
  • Take clear photos of any damage or wear and tear.
  • Be honest – if you have pets or smoke then don’t advertise that it is from a smoke/pet free home.
  • Look at other similar items and price accordingly.
  • Take photos in natural light and include any accessories that you are selling with it.
  • Be clear and concise in your advert –  don’t waffle.
  • Respond to any messages about the item as soon as you are able.  There is nothing more frustrating for a prospective buyer to not get a response or get one that is late.

Have you ever sold or bought anything second-hand?  What have your experiences been like?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

16 thoughts on “Words On Wednesday”

  1. If I’m buying from eBay or amazon, I make sure that the product is new. But I HAVE bought one thing from kijiji (our gumtree – I know what that is!!) and it was my first electronic nail file. They didn’t say anything about how the claw mechanism is broken in it to change out the bits. Now I have my new file and I’m trying to sell it again on the same site but I have yet to have a serious offer. The add has been up for a month so I’m going to take it down and try a new one. I’m asking a little over what I expect to get for it but that’s cos most people will offer a lower price anyway

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    1. If I’m selling something I always ask for slightly more than I want and it makes people feel good when they make you an offer and you accept it! (Well, I always feel good when it happens to me as a buyer! Lol) I wouldn’t dream of selling something broken or anything without letting the seller know what was wrong with it xxx

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      3. Nopes lol I’m not even replying to messages any more. The ad will expire soon and I think I’m just gonna get rid of it. I’ve had so many replies wanting it and then they just drop communication. I’m over it

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