My new favourite hobby
Thrifting. I have fallen in love with it. Turns out that Facebook Marketplace has become my new BFF. What started out as a smart way to get rid of a couple of items has really stepped up a notch, becoming another stream of income. To be fair, it wouldn't be a stream of income if I hadn't put way too many things into storage a couple of years ago when I first moved to London or if I simply bought only what I needed but I didn't then and so it has become a clever way to get back at least part of what I spent in the past.
The Facebook Marketplace 'fetish' (though that makes it sound far sexier than it is) began when I decided to do a cleanout of the things I no longer needed. I hosted the regular garage sale, posting the items on Marketplace as well, I couldn't believe how fast things would go on there. Fast forward a couple of months later and I saw a space that no longer defined me- I knew I had to use Facebook Marketplace again. So I decided to be completely ruthless. Anything that I didn't even use in a month gone. I started off with a few items and soon I found that I had become a 'community-recommended' buyer. I have to admit that felt pretty darn good, not that you had to jump through massive hoops to achieve it, but still. It means that selling my items wouldn't scare so many people because everyone had given me great ratings. I started to post more things. Within January of 2018, I had sold over $800 worth of stuff. It really made me realize how much stock we keep that we don't actually need. At present I have 22 items on my marketplace, I sold something else again tonight AND I have even had funny moments like receiving double my asking price because I was patient enough to wait for a guy to deposit cash directly into my bank a day after I expected to receive it. Remarkable. Needless to say, I have found the entire process to be far more enjoyable than I ever envisaged it could be so I have decided to write to you my top Facebook marketplace tips.
Facebook marketplace tips
Why I love it:
You earn back some of what you spent on the items you are selling.
You have an opportunity to meet completely different people you perhaps would never have encountered.
Its a perfect demonstration of your boundaries in action- I decide the lowest price before I post on the Marketplace and I firmly say 'no' when people ask well below the asking price which lets face it does happen.
How it makes me feel valued
Proves to myself how resourceful I can be.
Customers are always very happy to receive something they need at a fraction of the cost so I feel like I am gifting them with a little bit of financial security and happiness at the same time which to me is priceless.
It makes me realize that there are thousands of people who love thrifting and are not concerned about how they are viewed by second-hand goods which makes me feel so inspired by humanity.
Makes me a better businesswoman because it means I have to practice customer interaction, selling, and marketing all.the.time.
The interesting things that have happened since I began thrifting
As I said above I have received epic tips which are cool.
I have met so many people that I've never encountered, even people who have lived in the area for a year- probably people that I may have known as a child but since I've left my area for over a decade I don't recognize them and we connect on a different level.
I picked up a potential caterer for a future event in my local area.
I stopped looking at my possessions as 'I must have this' instead of looking at them from the perspective of 'I clearly don't need this if I am not using it' and it has served me extremely well.
My home feels more authentic and less stuffy, literally and figuratively.
I am 5000% more conscious of how I spend my money.
I've developed a very quick understanding of many different peoples' needs and wants which will help me positively in business.
Ultimately I know that not everyone will fall in love with Facebook Marketplace, some people will experience frustrations and maybe they will stop trying after them but for me, the benefits of this platform to sell from far outweigh the challenges. I encourage you to give it a go. We can often find ourselves saying, 'I have too much stuff, I should get rid of it' or 'I don't have the money' but we rarely look at our possessions, when sold, as a way to give us the answer to both of those statements. Give it a go, you might just fall in love with it yourself!
Are you resourceful or wasteful? Do you find yourself talking about 'stuff', 'all the clutter in the house'- is it time to change something? Are you a regular on Facebook Marketplace? Are there any tips that you would like to share? Please leave them in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading.
Till next time,
Julia ox
