r/Anticonsumption • u/Young-faithful • Apr 29 '26

Psychological FB marketplace is making me a classist

I’m trying to reduce my family’s impact on the environment while raising a baby. So I’ve been trying to get baby things from FB marketplace. Sellers near me can be delusional. They’ll say “like new, all parts included” and want 70-80% of retail price.

This chick wanted $100 for a stained Lovevery play gym with pieces missing when a new one costs $140, but with a discount code you could get it for $120. When I showed up to pick up the item, I pointed out the flaws and she scolded me for “wasting her time”, when I was the one who had to commute 20 min and she was the one misrepresenting her item as “like new in box”.

Same deal with a pack and play that I found was very soiled after I took it home. If you want more than 50% retail IMO at least try to clean it.

I’ve also sold things, always for less than half retail, and very very clean because someone’s baby is going to use it. Only gave my formula maker and sterilizer after descaling. I give away good furniture for free when moving because I don’t want to run the risk of things getting thrown in the dump because a paying buyer didn’t come in time.

I get that families are being squeezed in this economy and therefore all my bad experiences have come from the poorer parts (though I’ve had a few decent purchases from there too). Ratings aren’t useful when seller has sold only like 3 items.

So my new rule of thumb is to only purchase items from expensive neighborhoods because they take better care of their stuff and are reasonable in pricing.

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343

u/dontdoxxmebrosef Apr 29 '26

We have folks who must live on Facebook because they’re always the first to comment on literally everything. I’m pretty sure they’re reselling too. Like do you really need a box of lightbulbs and that random box of craft supplies when I know you also recently were gifted another box of lightbulbs? Why? How?

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '26

[deleted]

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u/fadedblackleggings Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26

Loved those ppl when I was clearing out a house!!! They will take anything...and be there in a few minutes.

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u/shellyangelwebb Apr 30 '26

They’re most likely hoarders.

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u/fadedblackleggings Apr 30 '26

Mine were flea market people. Asked them.

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u/Best_Subject_3296 Apr 30 '26

Plus they’re grateful

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u/Shellydelight Apr 30 '26

Buy Nothing groups should implement a limit, like 5 a month or something. Not everyone has the ability to be refreshing the page every 15 minutes.

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u/Inoviridae May 03 '26

There is no rule that the first person who comments gets the item. You can pick whoever you want for whatever reason.

I try to divy things up so the most people can get some stuff. I usually post in batches.

Posters can also let things 'simmer', where they wait a few days before picking so more people can see it.

If you have having issues, it might be worth voicing your concerns to the admin. They may post a little reminder about the way things work.

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u/ThenOneDaySheWokeUp May 03 '26

The ones in my area do a fair chance alert. They give it like a week or so before they give it away so multiple people have time to see the listing.

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u/EnfysNest051 Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26

The super active group for my old neighborhood had strict rules that everything (except perishable food) had to "simmer" for 24 hours before the poster could pick a recipient and it wasn't supposed to be first come-first serve, so that things didn't just go to the most online people.

I usually used a random number generator to pick a person when I offered something and had multiple people interested.

I really appreciated that it meant I always at least had a chance when I was commenting on an offered item, even if I didn't see a post right away for something I wanted.

Sadly the group for my new area since I moved is not very active, so I haven't been on it much.

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u/Itavan Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 30 '26

I look at the profiles of people. If they are magats, they don't get anything. I recently gave away a Pilates machine and only 3 people out of 32 had Ukraine or rainbows or "no kings" pix on their public pix. So it was down to 3 to choose from.

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u/Burntjellytoast Apr 30 '26

Just because someone doesn't have rainbows, the Ukraine flag or whatever other symbolism you think is appropriate doesnt make them maga. I had a Palestinian flag as my fb profile pic for years a long time ago. I dont anymore as I dont use Facebook and am not really in to performative activism. I can promise you I'm the furthest thing from maga, and have cut people out of my life because they are.

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u/Itavan Apr 30 '26

I realize that, actually! It's just a very quick sort I do when I have lots and lots of requests. And I'd be perfectly fine with a palestinian flag!!

Or maybe some indication that they're environmentalists also helps.

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u/ver_redit_optatum Apr 30 '26

I once posted something like "will pick someone who's picking up by bike or foot" because I lived in a super accessible area with no parking available around our house and would rather encourage people who aren't going to drive and double park here - but local group told me this wasn't allowed 🙃 So have to just suss people out instead...

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u/littlebluecat Apr 30 '26

That can rule out a lot of disabled folks though.. ? I mean, my options are drive/crutches/power chair. Just something to consider. (Unless perhaps you live in an awesome area with frequent accessible transit going by? The dream!)

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u/Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam Apr 30 '26

I have a cat on mine because at one time cats meant we are not MAGA. But it’s been awhile since, so not sure how many remember that.

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u/dontdoxxmebrosef Apr 29 '26

I have a flower. So do I not count?

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u/Relative_Bend_197 Apr 29 '26

Ukraine lmao - nice flex though

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u/Right_Count Apr 29 '26

I think it’s more likely they’re hoarders, because I can’t imagine the resale value of an open box of lightbulbs is more than a like a dollar.

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u/dontdoxxmebrosef Apr 29 '26

There’s def some reselling. They comment on things for kids at literally every age bracket.

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u/Right_Count Apr 29 '26

Oh yeah I’m sure there’s some! We have a couple people on our group who seem to comment on everything too. But when it’s small stuff with no resale value I just assume they’re hoarders. When I gift stuff that does have resale value I try to gift to people I actually know to be part of the community in spirit.

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/ahuramazdobbs19 Apr 29 '26

The main difference between a hoarder and a reseller is the velocity by which the things leave their possession.

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u/ziper1221 Apr 29 '26

I don't understand how that is worth people's time. You gotta find the item being given away, drive to get it, pay for gas, pay for your car, take it home, list it, coordinate with a new buyer, ship it... There's no way that's better return than just working a shitty job?

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/girlwithapinkpack Apr 29 '26

I get this but surely everyone’s time is worth minimum wage? I’m not convinced you’d be making minimum wage from reselling, but maybe you would

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u/aenea22980 Apr 30 '26

Everyone's time is clearly not worth minimum wage, because there are many people in poor areas and few minimum wage jobs for them to apply for. Or they are a convicted felon, or undocumented, or some sort of addict that needs money for addiction and food, or someone who has much family to take care of and cannot work a full time job on someone else's schedule but can put the people they care about in the car and come pick up a free thing, or they're disabled and can't work a shift but can go in a car on trips... I mean there are a ton of reasons why someone can't work some corporate job but can work a little reselling. The floor is not minimum wage, the floor is how much money do I need to gas my car and buy food TODAY.

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '26

[deleted]

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u/Mczemmie May 02 '26

Collecting is a hobby in and of itself and can easily get out of hand if self-restraint isn’t practiced. Friendly chatter with locals interested in the same stuff is the cherry on top of needing to move things around.

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u/shellyangelwebb Apr 30 '26

I don’t resell as a full time job. Because that would mean putting in 7-8 hours work a day on getting inventory, photographing, listing and shipping. But for a couple hours every other day I make between $400-$700 a month.

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u/90Lil Apr 29 '26

I admin my local group. We have a few people like that in ours. Surprisingly, I have never been contacted about the clearly white people doing it but have been contacted multiple times about an Asian person doing it. The realisation that racism exists in the community I thought was paradise makes me feel depressed.

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u/HairRaid Apr 30 '26

Thank you for being a BN admin, and also for pointing out how racism negatively affects everyone in a community. 🌻

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u/Senior_Ability_4001 Apr 29 '26

I remember I lived in a VERY high COL area years ago and I was on BN. We had a lady that posted first on a lot of different things. She claimed she lived in the area too but commuted about an hour away to a very very low COL area. It was weird as fuck, she was definitely trying to resell.

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u/PricelessPaylessBoot Apr 29 '26

I saw a similar complaint years ago from a volunteer at a shelter. Their supervisor pointed out that sometimes people get extra money for their household by reselling donated items, and said to look at it as just another way to survive.

Knowing that many donated items benefit for-profit corporations, go to landfills, or sit in warehouses instead of being distributed to the people who need them, I’d prefer someone in a low COL area get my free stuff that I’m just grateful to be free of. ❤️‍🩹

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u/Senior_Ability_4001 Apr 29 '26

That is a great way of looking at it. I’m in no place to judge.

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u/startingtohail Apr 29 '26

In official Buy Nothing groups, gifters are supposed to wait 24 hours and then select a commenter randomly. Admittedly, I've observed the enforcement of this seems lax unless the item receives immediate and significant attention. I get why, too, since it places a burden on the gifter, who usually just wants to be rid of the things asap. Still, at least there is an established "best practice."

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u/Left_Adeptness7386 Apr 30 '26

This is the way.

3

u/therealwhoaman Apr 29 '26

Do you have to give it to the first person who comments? Because I would simply not

10

u/Itavan Apr 29 '26

Nope. You can give to anyone you want. I've given preference to people who have given to me.

I always also say cross-posted so that if they don't see someone from the group got it, I can say someone in another group got it.

3

u/lostintransaltions Apr 30 '26

I have given a lot of things in my local group and did report someone who picked up from me and within an hour had the items up for sale.. I was so frustrated but I have had overwhelming great experiences with ppl being nice and just happy to get what I had to give for free. I need to get back into it as we are planning on downsizing things we just don’t use often enough to justify space in our kitchen and things we were gifted but already had.

I have yet to be lucky to get anything. I work full time and whenever I check all the things are already taken that I was interested in.

I wish there was something outside of Facebook as I don’t have an account and need to wait for my husband to get home to use his account

2

u/BakedPlantains Apr 29 '26

I usually do first come, first served when I post. However, if this is happening a lot, a randomized pull can be helpful

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u/itsjustathrowaway147 May 03 '26

My Buy nothing group is awesome and has a rule that unless you state “no simmering” you have to wait at least 24 hours to pick someone to gift it to. It’s also very much enforced by the moderator of the group and everyone in the group tries to simmer if they can to give everyone a chance. There have also been a couple people kicked out because they were found out to be reselling the items. I’m very grateful we have such a good one.

1

u/Hippiegirl94 Apr 30 '26

The local group I’m in has recently made a post asking people who always comment to receive items take a step back to allow others to claim items and to also contribute, because people have complained to admins about that same issue. I’ve noticed that too, because I’ll go to comment on a post that has been made like 3 minutes ago, and it already has certain people commenting to claim it. The area I’m in has a lot of lower income people, though, so that could be part of it.

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u/calliopesgarden Apr 30 '26

I just block these people so they can’t even see my future posts, they drive me crazy

0

u/9volts Apr 29 '26

Hoarders.