From Cribs to Hair Bows, Strollers to Leftover Diapers… Here’s How to Sell It…on Facebook?!

Last weekend I decided it was time to de-clutter.  I found a few random toys, a comforter, some clothes (a few with tags still attached), and most of a box of pull-ups that my daughter would never again (thankfully) need.  I started snapping pictures with my phone and within an hour, I had commitments to buy several of my 8 listed items for a grand total of $55.

Craig’s List? Nope. Ebay? Not a chance I could sell that fast.  I’d still be calculating estimated shipping charges.

No, I used Facebook.  

Yes, the same “friend you, tag you, update your status” site that most of us know (and, let’s be honest, love) has been turned into the hottest sensation in online garage sales.  It is so easy, it’s almost ridiculous. I’d give it a huge “Like” and I think you will too.  Here’s how it works.

1) Find a group.  The first thing you need to do is find a Facebook “Swap and Sell” type page for where you live.  Here are the ones that I have been able to identify for the following areas (Don’t click on link until after you read this whole post!): Dallas, Mckinney, Plano, Frisco, Allen, (or this one for same cities of Frisco, Allen, Plano, McKinney), Dallas (Oak Cliff), Farmer’s Branch, Rockwall, Rowlett, Garland, Sasche, Wylie, Mesquite and Forney. Even my neighborhood has one. If you live in an area not listed here, I recommend you search for terms like your city name and the word “swap” or “sell” or “exchange.”  In Forney, where I live, there are two very active pages: one is the Forney Treasure Exchange (where people post everything from vases to Miss Me jeans) and the Forney Infant and Children’s Treasures (which is primarily kids stuff and maternity clothes).  I noticed as I searched for other pages that terms like “Treasure Exchange” or “Swap and Sell” were most popular.

Most of these pages were established as open groups. If your community’s page is a “closed group” you may have to send a request to the page owner to get in. Some, like the one pictured on the left, was established as a community page and just requires a “like.” Lest you think this is “small potatoes” selling, let me tell you that the Forney page has almost 13,000 members. Yes, that’s a “13” and three zeroes–in Forney!  Other groups are a lot smaller but as this catches on…I expect they’ll grow too!

2) Read their rules, if any.  Go to the “about” section on the page and see if the group has any posting rules.  Many groups allow you to “bump” your item one time per day. What this means is you can comment on your own item and see it pop up first again in the page’s newsfeed.  Other groups may have rules about what types of things can be sold or rules on how communication post-sale should occur (every time you post a comment your item is going to be first in newsfeed -so once your item is sold, you shouldn’t monopolize that valuable real estate on the page anymore).

3)  Collect your stuff.  You can sell just about anything on these pages.  Once you are in the group, you can start selling by using your phone’s camera and posting your items for sale on the page as photo Facebook posts.  Be sure to post details with your photo and/or caption the picture with the pertinent information including: what it is (pictures are sometimes unclear), how much you are asking for it, and any other relevant details (condition, size, etc…).

3) Wait for someone to comment that they want it!  If your item is of interest to someone, they will comment with something along the lines of “want.”  At that point you start a conversation with your buyer that, in most cases, can (and in my opinion, should) be taken to Facebook’s private message area.  A lot of people will ask their prospective buyer’s to “PM” them.  Just remember, you must have your Facebook settings set to accept private messages from people you are NOT friends with in order for this to work.

4) Arrange a meeting.  Where I live there are several known meet-up spots.  These are fairly high traffic, centrally located places like Walgreens, CVS, Taco Casa and McDonalds.  In Forney, at almost any given time you will see people meeting at these places (it has become SO popular here it’s almost funny!).  You’ll set a time, tell your buyer what kind of car you will be driving, they’ll tell you the same, and you’ll meet.  If you aren’t sure of where a good “meet-up” location would be and you are new to a group, I’d encourage you to post it as a question (“Where do you all normally do meet-ups?”) to get some good (and safe) suggestions.

Here are a few other tips for becoming an expert Facebook Seller:

1)  Take good pictures.  Kind of a no-brainer, but I am amazed at how many postings I see where I can’t even tell what the item is!

2) Want to show more than one angle or variation of your item? Use the pic collage app.  It allows you to add a few pictures and even add text to make a new picture that is perfect for selling on these pages.

3)  Time your post.  Sure, it may be convenient to post after your 2am feeding — but how many people are going to see it at that time? Post when the site has the most traffic (you’ll have to experiment) and “bump” your post to the top on the next day (if it hasn’t already sold!) at a different time than you originally posted.  This gives you the best chance of having new people view your item. You only get one shot to be on top of that group newsfeed — so time it carefully!

4)  Price it right.  I like to include the price I paid or what someone could buy a brand new one for as a comparison, to justify my asking price.  A quick internet search can get you these answers and really help your item sell faster. I’ve found, though many used items are only worth a few dollars, I can ask for (and get) more than i would from a traditional yard sale where everyone expects to buy just about anything for less than $5.

5)  Mark up but don’t go crazy.  Generally, I can charge up to about 30%-40% of what I paid for bigger ticket items (cribs, bedding, strollers, etc…) in great condition and about 15%-20% for used clothing or toys. But, don’t be greedy.  I try to post a price that is a few dollars more than I actually want for the item so there is room for someone to make me a lower offer (If I want $10 I ask for $12).

6) Finally, remember that your Facebook activity isn’t private.  So, if you are hoping to re-sell that ugly shower gift, make sure that the gift giver isn’t a Facebook friend and/or part of the same group. Otherwise, a picture of that gift along with your name and listing will show up in her newsfeed (and alerts!) too!

Happy selling!