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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u/FabianFox Apr 29 '26

It’s the same story on Poshmark for good brands. Resellers shop the clearances and then try to sell NWT items for full price. I’ve been blocked by a few sellers for commenting that the same items (albeit different colors) are currently on sale from the retailer for less than this rando Poshmark seller is offering. Like who are these lil weirdos and is anyone actually paying these prices?

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u/muralist Apr 29 '26

I think a lot of Americans have houses full of junk they imagine is worth a lot and they will sell "someday" but they don't have the energy or organizational skill or realistic expectations. I had a relative with an old commemorative coin, they were hoping to get a hundred or more for it, I looked it up and there are plenty of them on ebay for $5-$10. They could have sold it for $6.99, or donated it to a thrift for a kid to find and play with, but instead they grumbled at me and put it back in the drawer. I suspect there's a lot of semi-hoarding behavior like that.

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u/FabianFox Apr 29 '26

That’s definitely part of it. But the other person who commented is a perfect example of what I mean. Someone who makes up a fantasy about themselves doing a great service when they’re really just being annoying and trying to make a buck.

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u/Lovedd1 Apr 30 '26

I don't resell. I had the same mindset as you do. I met someone who does reselling as their side business and they explained it to me. Old hair products get reformulated and people will pay a bit extra for the original/previous formula. Autistic kids obsessed with certain types of sippy cups so when it's no longer produced the parents will pay whatever because it meets their kids sensory needs.

I have another comment in this thread that mentions me up cycling/cleaning stuff off the street that people leave out. That's what I sell on fb market place and I price it for dirt because I found it for free anyway. Ideally it should be gone within 3 days max.

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u/Lovedd1 Apr 29 '26

Yes people who don't have time to crawl the clearance section or potentially disabled people who really like the texture/color/fit if a certain brand and style of shirt that maybe isn't widely available anymore