Facebook Marketplace - how does it work?

[Metr0Land]

Am new to the idea of buying things on Fb Market.  If you see something you like, how do you pay?  Is it a case of making contact with the seller and seeing what they'll accept in terms of cheque/Paypal/BACS etc if nothing's explicitly stated in the ad?

[andyman7]

It's a virtual Car Boot sale, and all the features are there - bargains, tat, good finds, honest people, chancers, scammers...

Beware and avoid requests for 'PayPal using Friends & Family' which strips you of any buyer protection. As 21C1 says popping round and examining/paying/collecting is the most bulletproof way.

[melmerby]

At the present time the FB marketplace is more or less unregulated and as such scams are rife.

Note I am not a user but the tales from various consumer groups about the horror stories is enough to make me steer well clear.

[AY Mod]

19 minutes ago, melmerby said:

At the present time the FB marketplace is more or less unregulated and as such scams are rife

 

As are many of the products, particularly electronics, featured in paid-for ads. New businesses spring up, take money and then disappear only to come back with a different website and the same artificially low prices. Folks and money etc. - check every such website out for reviews and how long they've been established. There are a few legitimate ones though.

[RedgateModels]

It’s great for getting rid of stuff the tip won’t take. Cleared out the shed the other week and had on old scooby rear seat, bonnet scoop and stock rear spoiler that can’t be tipped as it’s car parts therefore assumed to be trade waste. Bunged it up on fb marketplace free to a good home and was gone in a couple of days

[spikey]

I resisted it for years but was persuaded to give it a go last year.  Since then we've got several real bargains by way of furniture, household effects and things music-related, but no way would I buy anything on FB unless I could actually see it and check it out before parting with any money.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

It’s great for getting rid of stuff the tip won’t take. Cleared out the shed the other week and had on old scooby rear seat, bonnet scoop and stock rear spoiler that can’t be tipped as it’s car parts therefore assumed to be trade waste. Bunged it up on fb marketplace free to a good home and was gone in a couple of days

You must have a very restrictive tip.

Ours seems to take anything legit (no bodies please!😄), as long as you aren't in a "commercial" vehicle, then you need a permit.

[EddieB]

Isn't Facebook a big market place anyway?  In return for "free" membership, they use algorithms to profile their users, to be able to sell them on to commercial entities.  Little sense of responsibility or morality.  It's how they make their money.

[RedgateModels]

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

You must have a very restrictive tip.

Ours seems to take anything legit (no bodies please!😄), as long as you aren't in a "commercial" vehicle, then you need a permit.

yeah Mansfield is a right pain. I had some door cards, basically plastic. Very recyclable etc, nope, can’t take them. Warsop up the road is better, but a bit more of a drive. Best thing about free to a good home in fb is folks come to you