If you know me personally or have been following along on my personal insta home journey, then you are likely well aware that I am obsessed with Facebook Marketplace. We moved into a new house March 2018. Since then, I’ve been on the hunt for great deals for home decor, furniture, etc. If I’m not shopping at HomeGoods or Ross, then I’m honestly on Marketplace. I am 100% bought into the idea that you shouldn’t be paying for full price furniture (unless a mattress or a couch) because you can either 1) buy it used 2) build it (well to be clear – Matt can build it).
SO with all of that said, I thought I’d share all of my Facebook Marketplace finds this past year along with a few strategies/tips for Marketplacing:
DIXIE ARMOIRE + 2 BEDSIDE TABLES: $150
DREXAL DRESSER: $60 (WE PAINTED WHITE)
6 RATTAN CHAIRS + TABLE: $100
BAMBOO SIDE TABLE AND SOFA TABLE: $80
BAMBOO GLASS TOP SIDE TABLE: $65
BAMBOO MIRROR #1: $30
BAMBOO MIRROR #2: $120
BAMBOO MIRROR #3: $60
LARGE ANTIQUE MIRROR: $50
PAINTED VANITY: $120
PAINTED ANTIQUE DRESSER: $120
CHINESE CHIPPENDALE CHAIR: $40
CHINESE CHIPPENDALE BENCH: $50
2 WICKER SIDE TABLES: $10
2 BAMBOO SIDE TABLES: $10 (WE PAINTED BLACK)
BAMBOO CART: $100
KING BED FRAME: $200
So let’s talk strategy. Below are 5 Tips for Marketplacing:
1) Be quick. These finds sometimes fall into place but honestly, a good place to start is to just be quick. If you have something you MAY be interested in, just message the seller and at least ask if it’s available. You do have room to bargain and if they aren’t willing to come down to a price you’re willing to pay for it, move on. There will be another item later.
2) Be a little persistent. If it’s something you really want and you’re not getting a response from the seller, message them to let them know you’re really interested and would be willing to pick up ASAP (or even pay more than their asking price). I will admit I have messaged sellers 3 times in a row with questions or letting them know, “hey, you may have this sale pending already but please let me know if something falls through.” Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
3) Look outside of your geographic location. Our king bed frame was from Hilton Head. Granted it’s a haul to get there but we actually ended up picking it up on our way back from a trip to Florida. That wasn’t exactly ideal because the car was loaded down with our luggage and the dogs.. but WHATEVER. We have a nice bed frame to show for it.
4) Setup alerts. If you are searching for something in particular, you can search that item and Facebook then allows for you to setup alerts each time there’s a new item that fits that search. I have alerts setup for Bamboo in case you didn’t notice 😉
5) Last but not least, try not get attached to one single thing for a room/space. For me personally, if I put myself in that box, decor-wise, then I likely wouldn’t have bought half the things I do on Marketplace. I basically just know my style and can easily catch things on Marketplace that would fit my style. For example, for our king bed, the bed frame I initially wanted and loved online was custom and $2,000 – $3,000 (not gonna happen). Another style I found brand new online that was similar to the first that I liked was $700. We weren’t really a fan of spending that on just the frame, not even including a box spring or mattress SO I knew I had to take a break from searching around for a few weeks and revisit it later – once I could find something a little bit more reasonable.
OH, I should conclude this with a few thoughts. It’s better to be safe than sorry here! If I feel uncomfortable in the least with a seller, I move on. It’s not worth it. Also, I ALWAYS have Matt pick up items purchased/picked up from someone’s home. If he’s not able to, then I always setup a public location for meeting and let Matt know where I will be and when.
Happy Marketplacing!
