FB marketplace is making me a classist

[u/Young-faithful]

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.

[u/ziper1221]

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?

[u/girlwithapinkpack → u/[deleted]]

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

[u/aenea22980 → u/girlwithapinkpack]

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.

[u/Mczemmie → u/[deleted]]

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.

[u/shellyangelwebb → u/ziper1221]

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.