Facebook Marketplace

Robert7578

I have been items selling on FB for years and know it well, in the last few months the replies to my listings have stopped after the first couple of days I list an item, has FB changed its policies and making free ads less visible?

This isn't normal.

soolin

I don’t know whether things have formally changed, but FB marketplace died completely for me a couple of years ago, I rarely even get responses now to things I list for free pickup. I sell most of my bits now on Vinted , (I do still use eBay as well) and looking at Vinted chat groups on FB a lot of sellers moved from FB marketplace to Vinted because they can actually sell on Vinted. Obviously though Vinted can’t replace the FB option of collection though.

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81972130#Comment_81972130

Out of interest, do you experience a difference between eBay & Vinted selling?

I haven't done anything through Vinted yet other than yesterday was my first listing. My OH has though, both ends of the transaction.

And through seeing that it seems to me that selling on Vinted is a bit like desperate times because the value of items seem to drop massively on there. Folk are practically giving stuff away. Great for the buyer, awful for the seller.

soolin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81972374#Comment_81972374

there is quite a few differences. Seller protection is difficult on Vinted, I’ve had a collectable item that was double boxed , fully packed in bubble wrap and with proper parcel paper arrive completely destroyed , and buyer got a full refund as it didn’t fulfil packing guidelines, when I argued with photo proof I was warned if I kept making a nuisance about it I would be banned.

Currently sellers are being banned for quite spurious reasons which is worrying. There are also more restrictions about selling on Vinted than on eBay. It is very easy to sell though, Vinted sales far outweigh my private eBay sales which is ideal if trying to downsize a huge collection of ‘stuff’ and aren’t looking for any profit element , just more room in the house.

The big difference is there’s no real customer service on Vinted, you can’t phone or argue with them like on eBay. It is easy though to make quite a bit of money quickly.

CurlySue2017

I have used both Ebay and Vinted as both a buyer and seller in the past, but I am swinging more towards Vinted these days. Ebay has lost it's appeal for me especially as a seller, i always try other platforms first and use Ebay as the "fall back".

I have lost some weight recently so I have A LOT of clothes to sell and these will all go on Vinted. I would never sell clothes on Ebay because it is far too easy for the buyer to get refunded.

"And through seeing that it seems to me that selling on Vinted is a bit like desperate times because the value of items seem to drop massively on there. Folk are practically giving stuff away. Great for the buyer, awful for the seller"

This is not a concern for me, I'm not selling anything high end or designer though, just worn clothes that no longer fit me so if I can get £3 for a pair of jeans that I only paid £8 for three years ago, I'm fine with that.

The postage is also easier on Vinted…..the buyer chooses and pays for it, so all you do is pack your item and send it off, job done.

Vinted is a clear winner for me, Ebay has had its day.

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973253#Comment_81973253

This is not a concern for me, I'm not selling anything high end or designer though, just worn clothes that no longer fit me so if I can get £3 for a pair of jeans that I only paid £8 for three years ago, I'm fine with that.

You sound a lot like my OH (nothing wrong with that mind you). Although she's probably a bit more in the extreme. She'll buy something for say £20 & so long as she gets something for it she's happy. It could be barely or even not used & she'll pretty much always accept the first offer that comes in. Could be £3 on that £20 item & she'll just take it.

Another way of looking at it - maybe I'm too tight. I don't go for the hard haggle but I don't like 'giving stuff away' either. I'll look at what they sell for & I'll want somewhere around middle-ish of that. Ideally a bit over.

I've just now had my first bid on an item I'm selling on Vinted. Up for £10, bid comes in at £6. Strange number I thought.

Normally I'd ride it out & wait on other offers but I need to create space so I'm going to have to use the better half's tactics on this one. I just hope the sale goes smoothly. It's not really an item that can get damaged, thankfully. Unless someone jumps up & down on it & sits it under the van wheel.

When I listed for £10 it said £11.20 with buyer protection.

They've offered £6. Will that be including buyer protection or is that on top? Basically how much of that £6 lands in my pocket?

CurlySue2017

Yes, I totally understand that! I have just rejected an offer myself…..I have a pair of trousers listed for £2 and someone has just offered £1.75 🤣 They have been worn three times at most and are like new so I politely declined!

If you have been offered £6 for your item, you will just receive the £6 in your balance. The buyer protection fee goes into the pocket of Vinted (I think). So the buyer will pay the £11.20 plus whatever the postage cost is and you will get the £6 at the end of it all

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973453#Comment_81973453

Thanks. Just need to get it packaged up & sent off tomorrow. I like to get things done quickly when I'm starting out. That makes it sound like I dilly-dally as an eBay seller but that's not the case. As a new seller on Vinted I just don't want to give them any excuse to grumble.

Your trousers one made me laugh. I think that's where the OH did draw the line. She had something pretty much exactly as you described there. A couple quid & they still tried dropping the price. It's like, come on now I know times are hard but it's £2 & you're trying to knock off 25p? Really?

I swear some people would offer you 1p if you had something up for 2p.

soolin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973569#Comment_81973569

Have they actually bought and sent a postal label? On Vinted offers are not binding, even if you accept buyer is under no obligation no pay and until such time as someone pays, the item remains available for anyone to snap up.

It is not uncommon to get some low offers, and accept or make counter offers, only to have someone else come in and buy at asking price.

Robert7578

I have bought and sold on Vinted and it was going great until I got scammed on a £40 pair of boots where the soles were coming off , you only get 48 hrs to inspect the goods. I also had a buyer that claimed his parcel was not delivered, but changed his mind when it was proven he collected it.

I realised that it's wide open to abuse, the buyer can say a brick was in the box or swop what you sold them for a faulty one and there is nothing you can do about it .

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973646#Comment_81973646

Ah thanks I wasn't aware of that.

As it turns out though they paid up because I got a postage label to print. When I clicked on it I can either print it or have this done at an in-to locker.

OH has used Vinted but was at work when all this was going on so couldn't ask. She said I just scan a QR, drop the parcel in the locker & the collection guy sorts the labelling.

I'm now overthinking packing. It's a non-breakable item really (phone case). The manufacturer themselves just sent it out in a cardboard packer (think Amazon envelopes) but I'm wondering whether the buyer will be fussy & be like it didn't have a mountain of bubble wrap on it so it's poor effort, poor packing. The box has a tiny scuff on it so it's not as described & I want a 99% refund.