How can one get furniture they no longer need moved out of the house they are selling and get paid for it??? FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE!
At the top of the facebook page there is a icon that looks like the above. If you click on this, you are in
are in "The Marketplace".
This was the first item I posted. I learned a couple of things with this posting. I priced it too low ($40) which was evident with 13 offers to buy it in the first hour!
Also the description you write of the item is important. This piece was made in Vermont. I shared that information in the description and I think that made a difference. Who doesn't want furniture made in Vermont??
This was a 50's little side table I had at the cottage. It needs a coat of paint badly but the formica top is perfect. $20 (9 offers) and the lady that got it was so excited.
This dresser was left at my house when Zoey moved. She had gotten it from a friend and then decided she didn't want it. It is heavy, well made but in bad shape. I advertised it as a "project". The perfect person saw it and her and her friend came to get it the day it was listed. She told me she is getting into furniture refinishing and this will be a perfect practice piece. $20 (1 offer)
This almost went to Salvation Army until I priced out what these little die cut machines cost new. I had been given this hand me down when I was teaching. I never used it. I posted it for $20. Nothing. After a week I cut the price to $10. I received 2 offers. The person who got it was such a great communicator. She couldn't pick up for a couple of days and even offered to pay ahead thru an app if I wanted her to. She also told me that she has never not picked up an item (little did I know how important that statement would become).
This cabinet was in the condo kitchen (see previous blog post). It was really dirty and we almost put it on the curb. But I decided to clean it up to see if maybe we could make a little $. It took an hour or so but it cleaned up beautifully. I listed it for $20 and could not believe the response. I had 47 full price offers in 2 days. I took the first person to respond. She made a pick up time that day at 6pm. We made sure it was outside and we put off eating dinner until it had been picked up. About 7:30 pm we got a message, could she make it tomorrow afternoon. We were starving and said ok.
The next day we waited for our 2pm pick up and finally at 4pm I sent her message "are you coming or should we move on to the other 46 people who are interested"????" I didn't really say that thing about 46 other people! She wrote back that she had a minor emergency and we should move on. Really? I messaged the next person and she was at the condo in half an hour with cash!
This beautiful wine opener was at the condo. We just don't have room for this. I looked it up and was $160 new. I priced it at $60. I got one offer and the sweetest young couple came to get it the day it was listed.
Believe it or not this was rustic doll house was tough to let go of. I always wanted to decorate it (maybe with a grand daughter or two). We started painting it but that is as far as it got. It was time to let it go. I listed it for $25 because of my attachment to it. I got 2 offers. I wasn't able to be at the house at the time the women could pick up. For the first time I left it on the porch for her and she put the $ in the mailbox. A little risky maybe, but it turned out fine.
This bedside table was part of a set from Pottery Barn Kids (purchased the set at a Grosse Pointe Estate Sale). It is well worn but has brand recognition. I put $20 on it and had 8 offers. The lady who picked it up showed up late but she showed up!
This is a dresser that Will had. We got it from Fred's Unique Furniture (a giant warehouse garage sale basically). Don't remember what we payed for it. It looks pretty but is not as well made as many of the older pieces of furniture we own. We have zero attachment to it. I put $20 on it and got 30 offers! Me thinks I could have gotten a little more $ but oh well!
Then we have the pink shag rug. I had this in the basement "glamping" room. The grand girls and I slept on cots in the basement when the whole family was home and all the bedrooms were taken. It was quite cozy with fairy lights and glow in the dark star canopies over the cots!
I listed it for $25 and got an offer right away. The woman knew someone I knew. I felt good about this one. We made arrangement for her to pick it up after work, she worked near my house. I felt so confident about this one that I had the rug all rolled, taped and hauled out to the driveway. (no easy feat). She didn't show. I go to message here and realize that I never sent her the address (but neither did she ask for it). I owned my mistake and asked if we could make the same plan for the following day. She agreed to this plan. I made sure I was at the house at the designated time. No show. I messaged her and she said "Oh, I am not working in your area today". (and you couldn't let me know that earlier???). I am starting to lose my faith in people at this point. I tell her that I hope she understands but I need to move to the next person. She says she understands.
I contact person #2. We agree to a porch pick up in the next 2 days and putting money in the mailbox in an envelope. And then......nothing......she totally ghosted me. After two days I wrote her that I was moving on unless I heard from her ASAP. Nothing.
I removed the "pending Pick Up" tag and got another offer right away. We agreed on the next morning for a pick up. She was on time (early actually). A little girl (about 7-8) got out of the van with her mom. It was for "Maddie's" room. She told me she loved pink and that mom was painting her room today too. She was absolutely adorable. This rug was meant to be hers. .....oh and by the way, Maddie was down syndrome....be still my heart! I didn't even mind that I had to go thru 2 no shows to get to Maddie!
Here is what I have learned so far in my grand adventure with Facebook Marketplace:
* I averaged about 30% no shows after someone committed to pick up an item
* good pictures, an accurate description with measurements was important
GOOD STUFF
* it is rather addicting to get money for my items
* selling items means someone else comes and moves the items out of my house PLUS they pay me
* 70% of the people showed up and were fun to meet (every person wore a mask)
* connecting a person with an item that they really appreciate is the best!
I will keep using Facebook Market place. It is a bit of work and can be frustrating but many transactions go as planned. The extra money for things that I no longer can use will come in handy.
At this writing I have a pick up for my most valuable item yet, an old oak filing cabinet. I researched it online and found it is listed on ebay for $600-$700. I listed it on Marketplace for $300 and received 3 inquiries. I have been communicating with "Judy" all week and she and her husband are picking up today. I have a good feeling about this one!
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