My first blog post about my obsession with Facebook Marketplace was written a few years ago now, and I’m happy to report that it’s still my go-to shopping destination for sourcing quality secondhand items for my home. I’ve since written a few more posts on how to find what you want on Facebook Marketplace, but since it’s been a while, I thought I’d refresh an old post and share some updated Facebook Marketplace tips with you today.
So here are my top tips when browsing the world’s biggest and best virtual garage sale.
PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE
This one is hard for me because I don’t have patience.
But I am persistent.
(more proof that persistence pays off in this post).
On an average day, I refresh FB MP every ~2-3 hours. It sounds time-consuming, but simply hit refresh and see what’s new. To me, it’s like refreshing Instagram or my e-mail. Depending on what I’m looking for, I’ll refresh and browse different categories like Furniture, Antiques & Collectibles, and Home Decor to see what’s new.
People are usually going through their stuff on Saturdays and Sundays, and I notice new items are popping up every few minutes when I’m refreshing often on the weekends.
SEARCH NEAR AND FAR
If I’m searching for a larger item, I ask myself what’s the farthest I’d be willing to travel (usually ~60 miles). I probably wouldn’t drive farther than ~30 miles if it’s a smaller item like a lamp. Although I once drove 55 miles for a unicorn Visual Comfort lamp (and would have driven even further if I needed to), so it depends.
The more you expand your radius, the more likely you are to find treasures. I’ve driven many hours for some of my best finds and I’m so happy I made the trip! If you can’t make it somewhere, let the seller know you’re serious and see if they will accept a deposit upfront so they will hold the item for you until you have time to pick it up or even get a quote via uShip. This lets them know you’re serious about purchasing from them.
DON’T FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THE PHOTOS
Some of my best FB MP finds contained photos that were such poor quality that the mental state of the seller was questionable. I know it’s easier said than done, but try to imagine the piece styled in your home.
Training your eye to look past the blurry, poorly taken photos comes with time and consistent browsing.
TRAIN YOUR ALGORITHM
This is so important.
“Save” items that look similar to what you’re looking for, and FB will start showing you visually similar items. I’ll visit another city that’s way outside my radius but I know will have fabulous finds (i.e. Boston), and “save” items that are visually similar to the items I’m looking for locally here in NJ.
The FB algorithm will recognize the items you search for, so if you’ve searched “green velvet chair,” results for green velvet chairs will eventually begin to show up, even if someone doesn’t describe it properly. The algorithm knows what a green velvet chair looks like. I mean, it’s Facebook. They know everything.
If you ever feel like your algorithm is slacking, try searching various keywords in a short amount of time. The algorithm will get the hint.
DON’T TRY TO BARGAIN ON AN ALREADY GOOD DEAL
90% of the time, I negotiate the price of something. We all want the best deal, and we all have a budget, hence why we’re on Facebook Marketplace to begin with.
However, in an instance of someone selling gold for the price of dirt; you do not negotiate. Take it as a sign from the universe that you were meant to find this gem. An example of gold for the price of dirt is, say, a vintage burl coffee table that’s in excellent condition for $45.
The seller will already have a ton of other messages and the chances of selling a hot item to someone who’s trying to negotiate is slim to none. In that instance, I’d offer the seller more than what they’re asking so they know I’m very serious and very desperate. If I have time, I’ll also tell them I can pick up ASAP and pay them a deposit immediately. This always helps me to seal the deal.
BE POLITE, DIRECT, AND QUICK
What’s worked for me is telling the seller exactly how much I love their item. A message usually looks like this:
Hi ___! I am very interested in this item. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’d love to purchase if it’s still available. Thanks!
Note; using just enough exclamation points so that I don’t appear as unhinged as I actually am. Sometimes if they don’t reply within 30-60 minutes, I’ll send a follow-up because messages get buried.
Too many questions, taking too long to respond, and not being available to pick something up for another week are all things that will not work in your favor. This is when I usually ask the seller if I can Venmo/Paypal a deposit so they know I’m not going to flake. And I always ask them when they’re available so I can appear as an easy buyer.
KEYWORDS ARE KEY
Most people don’t know how to properly describe the item they are selling, which means you need to get creative with your search terms.
Think of all the ways to describe something you’re looking for and use those words to search every 2-3 hours. I share all my favorite keywords in my Secondhand Shopping e-book.
USE THE “MAKE AN OFFER” BUTTON
This has worked 98% of the time for me, as long as I’m messaging relatively quickly after an item is posted. So a typical conversation goes (as mentioned before):
Hi ___! I am very interested in this item. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’d love to purchase if it’s still available. Thanks!
And then I’ll use FB’s magical “Make an Offer” button. In an instance where a unicorn item shows up that I assume will be sought after by others, I use the “make an offer” button and offer a price over their asking amount – even if it’s just a few bucks. In the example of the $45 burl coffee table, I’d offer $75 because even $75 is still a steal.
This is just another way of saying that you’re very serious about buying their item and here’s an offer to prove it. And I usually leave a deposit in advance.
Looking for more secondhand shopping tips? Download my new e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Shopping Secondhand
Great post!
Your tip is good! I never bought on Facebook Marketplace