Marketplace or similar (not of interest if you don’t sell on them)

If I have people enquiring about an article, after I have made an arrangement for someone else to come along to collect, I always keep those new would-be purchasers in the picture, telling them I will confirm to them following that appointed collection time if it is still available or not.

As soon as an item is collected, I go back into Gumtree and Marketplace to mark it as sold.

I've had people that promise to turn up to buy something at an agreed price - never turn up or apologise. As for free cycle it took over 6 attempts to get rid of a good rug, People said that they would turn up but did't. . The annoying bit is other people were told that the item had been promised. a total lack of manners

Oh don’t get me wrong I ve had some lovely people and a lot that come just when they say etc p, it’s just this really daft phenomenon of asking if somethings available then when you say yes they have disappeared It only seems to have been happening the last year or two and others in my area have commented on it I just wondered if it was local to me but obviously not ….it’s just very frustrating
I do sell on eBay but of course that takes longer and you lose money marketplace should be more immediate

I use Marketplace and some local Buy and Sell pages. I have had quite a few ‘ is this still available?’ and then nothing, and ‘will you deliver?’even though I quite clearly state ‘buyer to collect’ in the details. Also some asking what my best price is, I just repeat the price I’ve already put on?

Maybe I have been lucky, but everyone who has said they want to buy have turned up and have been really lovely and not tried to haggle on the price. A few have even messaged me afterwards saying how pleased they are with what they have bought from me.?
This has been the case both when I lived in a rural area and a city, so I’m not sure whether where you live has any influence on the type of response you get.
I do use it to sell large items such as furniture, and haven’t had much luck with selling clothes, so again maybe the cheaper items attract the response you are getting?
Hope this helps.

I have asked if something was still available. If I was comparing several items I would have obviously ruled it out if it was gone. I may then still opt for one of the others so it doesn't sound particularly odd to me.

I've used it recently and not had a problem. Only one person enquired and didn't follow up.

I once got rid of a set of dismantled IKEA bunk beds on Freecycle. The person who said he wanted them turned up to collect, then decided he couldn’t take them because he couldn’t carry them on the bus! Lack of common sense there, I think.

Buying on marketplace can be annoying too, I have asked if still available they answer yes, and I immediately reply great, can I have an address for pick up and they don't respond.

I have offered items free stating cannot deliver, but there are always a number of replies asking for a price and if I can deliver.

I have used Gumtree and offered things on Freecycle, and they have been fine. In my area, it seems to be just Marketplace that is annoying.

To be fair, a lot of sellers neglect to update their listings marking them 'SOLD' or better still deleting them. In your example BlueBelle, it may be that the person enquiring had enquired after similar items or was asking for someone else. I'm currently feeling very frustrated with someone who has an item for sale locally that we would very much like and despite repeated enquires, he doesn't respond.

Yep, we get the ‘is it available’ button pressed repeatedly. I now put in a statement ‘This item is available until it is marked as sold’, then I don’t reply to anyone who asks the question. Anyone asking if I can hold an item for them is asked to transfer the money to me first. Also fed up with people turning up and trying to haggle on the doorstep.
I’ve been trading on eBay for years without any problems but have found that the past 12 months I’ve had one problem after another with people not paying, wanting bids withdrawn just as the auction is ending or wanting to pay less for a won item. eBay used to quite good when you reported people but now it’s strung out for so long that you end up paying sellers fees if you don’t have a quick resolution and the buyer’s feedback stays intact with no strikes against them.

Bluebelle, this happened to me a lot when I was getting rid of stuff before I moved.

One my AC told me that some dealers can set up their computers so that it automatically sends this 'Is it still available' message to EVERY item as it first appears. Then, when they have time, they trawl through to see if there is anything they actually might wish to purchase (usually after haggling).

So, there is little you can do. Send a polite YES message and ignore unless or until they come back to you again.

Also, do be aware of a fraud going round on Marketplace. Someone says they wish to purchase whatever you are selling and happy to pay cash. They then say that they have arranged for a delivery company to collect item along with the cash in an envelope. Then a couple of hours before time arranged for this 'collection' a further message saying that as that company is carrying cash they insist on a special insurance payment. However you are told, the 'purchaser; will add that amount in cash to the rest in that envelope. However - YOU will need to make that 'insurance payment' in advance.

I (try to) sell locally on Marketplace, but some buyers are rude or unreliable. Some are lovely!
When buying, I usually ask if it still available and where collection is from. As we’re a rural county, sometimes it’s not worth a long journey for something small or cheap. But I always let them know if I’m still interested.

Similar experiences selling via Gumtree bluebelle. It’s infuriating. I think sometimes the less an item is advertised for the more prospective purchasers mess the seller about. A television advertised recently triggered so many daft responses we were about to withdraw the ad when a very pleasant young man made contact, came immediately and took it away. It restored faith, for a while at least.

I have had a lot of success on Marketplace and no problems. i like it better than E Bay.

We used to use Gum Tree to sell unwanted items but in recent years people wanted things for next to nothing or wanted us to deliver them so we started giving things away via FreeCycle.

Yes, I agree, it doesn't make sense, does it? The worst I've had - and more than once - is when someone says can I hold it for them for a couple of days, then, if they bother to get back to me at all, they ask if I can deliver it to them, sometimes quite a distance away! Especially when I'm offering it on Freegle!!! Sometimes you just can't believe the outright cheek and selfishness of people!!! One chap didn't turn up after promising that if I held it until that evening, he'd definitely come for it, and a day later told me he had decided to have a nap instead, no apology, and asked if it was still available. I said yes, and he promised he'd come later that day. He didn't, of course and I never heard from him again!! You can't help but wonder why they do it!! Another one was when I was giving away a bed with pull-out bed underneath in excellent condition, and the lady came to the door and said she was picking up a bed then without a single further word, put it in her van and just drove off!!!

Have never used Marketplace personally.

We try and do a car boot sale once a year. Did one on Saturday, lots of items went for 50p and £1, but gets rid of things in a couple of hours.

Always look at Marketplace, and am amazed at how much is being asked for certain items. (Don’t mean the things you are selling BlueBelle.)

Who knows it’s seems to happen to everyone around here and I was interested to know if others experienced it
We re talking about low end items £3 or £5 Not cars or three piece suits ?

Could it be they have a similar item to sell, if yours is no longer available, they think that shows people are interested in that type of product?

Just a thought.

Not at all ygg the advert had just gone on and if I d gone any lower I d have given it away ??

No, maybe it’s this area but it seems to happen constantly to many I just wondered if others experienced on here outside my locality

You didn't haggle. If you had offered a lower price she might have been more interested. If it had been 'available' for some time, this might be to your advantage