Let’s say you’ve been browsing Facebook Marketplace (or Craigslist) and stumbled upon a unicorn item. Something you’ve been searching for since the dawn of time and you can’t even believe it’s right in front of your eyes.
The steps you take after spotting said item are very important, so today I’m sharing some tips that have worked for me to make these “unicorn” items my own.
BE POLITE, FRIENDLY, AND DIRECT (BUT NOT TOO DIRECT)
What’s worked for me is telling the seller exactly how much I love their item. A message usually looks like this:
Hi ___! I am very interested in this item. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’d love to purchase if it’s still available. Thanks!
(note – using just enough exclamation points so that I don’t appear as unhinged as I actually am).
Sometimes if they don’t reply within 30-60 minutes, I’ll send a follow-up because messages get buried.
When I found these Althea chairs, I messaged within 30 mins of her posting them, and she quickly replied so I knew to stay on top of our conversation.
But I mentioned to her that the chairs matched a pair of valances that I already had, and it’s my favorite pattern (it was the truth). What I didn’t tell her is how excited Angelo would be if I came home with 2 more chairs.
Think about people buying a house and writing the sellers a letter about how perfect their home is, etc etc. Sending a thoughtful message to someone about their item may work in your favor. I also feel that some people (not all) want to make sure someone isn’t buying their item just to resell and make a profit.
Here’s what not to do:
“Available” is not a way to start a conversation.
“$30?” (on a $100 item) is not a way to start a conversation.
Communication skills 101, but I feel like it needs to be said because it’s mind-blowing how many people will send me these sorts of messages when I’m selling something
BE PROMPT
If you really, really want something, try to stay on top of your conversation with the seller. On more than one occasion, I’ve missed opportunities because I’ve had to take a work call and the seller moved on to the next person.
DON’T GET YOUR HOPES UP
When you’re waiting on bated breath for a seller response, don’t get your hopes up. Getting your hopes up will only lead to greater disappointment if the seller responds by saying it’s already been sold.
Every time something like this has happened – something better always comes along (eventually). Every single time.
YOUR FB PROFILE SHOULD BE ACTIVE
If I can’t tell whether someone is real or not, that’s a red flag. How, as a woman, will I sell to someone whose profile is completely private minus a few anime character profile photos?
If someone can’t tell that you’re a real person, that’s likely a red flag for them too. Although I personally don’t use FB for anything but Marketplace, I have a few real humans wishing me happy birthday once a year so at least someone stalking me knows I’m real
I understand most people like to be private but some level of activity on your account will do you good.
DON’T MAKE THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THE SELLER
Too many questions, taking too long to respond, not being available to pick something up for another week….these are all things that may not work in your favor. If I can’t make it somewhere within 1-2 days, I’ll ask the seller if I can Venmo/Paypal a deposit so they know I’m not going to flake.
DON’T TRY TO BARGAIN ON AN ALREADY GOOD DEAL
90% of the time, I negotiate the price of something. We all want the best deal, and we all have a budget, hence why we’re on Facebook Marketplace to begin with.
However, in an instance of someone selling gold for the price of dirt – you do not negotiate. An example of gold for the price of dirt is, say, a vintage Milo Baughman burl coffee table that’s in excellent condition for $45.
The seller will already have a ton of other messages and the chances of selling a hot item to someone who’s trying to negotiate is slim to none.
In fact, in that instance, I’d offer the seller more than what they’re asking so they know I’m very serious and very desperate.
If I have time, I’ll also tell them I can pick up ASAP and pay them a deposit immediately.
MY #1 TIP FOR GETTING WHAT YOU WANT:
USE THE “MAKE AN OFFER” BUTTON
This has worked 98% of the time for me, as long as I’m messaging relatively quickly after an item is posted.
So a typical conversation goes (as mentioned above)
Hi ___! I am very interested in this item. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’d love to purchase if it’s still available. Thanks!
And then I’ll use the make an offer button.
In an instance where a unicorn item shows up that I assume will be sought after by others, I use the “make an offer” button and offer a price over their asking amount – even if it’s just a few bucks. In the example of the $45 coffee table, I’d offer $75 because even $75 is a steal.
This is a way of saying that you’re very serious about buying their item and here’s an offer to prove it.
friendly reminder…
FURNISHING YOUR HOME WITH SECONDHAND FINDS WON’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT
If you haven’t already noticed, browsing and buying items from MP takestime.
Remember…patience and persistence. And good communication skills 😉
Check out some other Facebook Marketplace/secondhand shopping posts:
- Why You’re Not Getting What You Want On Facebook Marketplace
- 12 Place To Shop For Secondhand Furniture and Decor
- 7 Tips For Selling Your Items On Facebook Marketplace
- 4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Secondhand
