FB Garage Sellers - Safety?

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I have a lot of stuff that would sell better on a FB Garage Sale site than eBay. However, I'm really nervous about safety. I don't want people to come to my house. That only leaves meeting in a public place, and that scares me because I would have to go alone. A lot of my friends make tons of extra cash on these FB sites, but they all do pick ups at their house.

Any tips for how to make a transaction as safe as possible? I think I watch to many crime dramas on TV.

 

[carley]

i do it all the time...meet in a well known public place where there are other people. i use email or facebook contact so they dont have my telephone number. i also make sure they leave the parking lot first this way they cant follow me lol

 

[supersnoop]

For low-value items, I've seen a lot of people do "porch pickup" in my area. You leave the item on your porch, and they leave the money under the mat. Instead of the risk of meeting with someone, you have the risk of losing the item, so I guess that's a trade off you could consider.

 

[andieb0602]

I've had a good amount of success selling on FB. I'm a SAHM so I try to meet people someplace while the kids are in school so I'm not as distracted. I will only meet people someplace very public and I try to make sure where we meet has security cameras in the lot (i.e. a bank or Target). I also usually name the place where I want to meet in the post so there isn't a bunch of back and forth about where to meet.

 

[zoemurr]

I do it all the time too. One good thing about using FB is you can usually see if it is a young mom w/kids or whatever. (I suppose a creeper could make a fake page.. but on the pages I use it is the same people over and over. They start to look familiar.) I prefer this to CL so I try it first. I usually schedule it when DH will be home, but we live in a busy neighborhood so if he's not I just meet them outside during the day.

I have also met many people in the parking lot at Target. I just say the very back of the lot where there are hardly ever cars (this backs up to a main road).

I guess I go by the fact that 99.9% of people are good. The only bad experiences I have had are a few times when people didn't show up. Other than that everyone has been super nice.

My DD has been doing a book drive for scouts, and I needed some random silverware for a preschool project. By posting on these sites she collected about 600 books (mainly from strangers) and I had 3 families I didn't know donate enough silverware that I didn't have to buy any. (I went to their homes and picked it up.)

Yes, there have been a few bad experiences that have been publicized, but I imagine thousands every day that go just fine. Good luck!

 

[kmb584]

I've sold quite a bit through FB garage sales and have never had someone come to my home nor have I met them at theirs. My designated spot is in the parking lot of a popular supermarket and I'll park near the back of the lot where there aren't any cars. There's a bank parking lot that backs up to the rear of the supermarket's so I'm never "alone" should a scary situation arise.

 

[msmama]

Start small and do the most "local" site you can. I have one that's limited to my school district (a pretty good district). There are very few people on the site that don't know someone that I know so I feel very comfortable with that one.

I'm also a member of another that's more county wide. That one I meet somewhere (usually Target). I usually plan it so I make the transaction and then shop. Or, like a PP said, you can stalk their FB page to make sure their legit (I usually do this when selling baby stuff - I look to see that they have a baby, which most people have as their profile picture, lol).

I'm always surprised when I've picked something up and people invite me into their house!!

 

[dpswift]

We always meet somewhere in public. I would not be comfortable with people coming to my house.

 

[scrapquitler]

I have a lot of stuff that would sell better on a FB Garage Sale site than eBay. However, I'm really nervous about safety. I don't want people to come to my house. That only leaves meeting in a public place, and that scares me because I would have to go alone. A lot of my friends make tons of extra cash on these FB sites, but they all do pick ups at their house.

Any tips for how to make a transaction as safe as possible? I think I watch to many crime dramas on TV.

I don't much participate, but I do follow one of my local buy/sell/swap groups on facebook, and I see what seems like the majority of people arranging meetings in the Dunkin Donuts or grocery store parking lot.

 

[penn19]

I just do porch pick up. I was shorted (once) by $2. Wasn't worth arguing with her. It took a lot for me to trust people to leave the money though but, after meeting someone at a Target 7 miles from my house and her saying the item wasn't the right size she needed I said I wouldn't do that again. My time and gas for my car is worth something.

I always just tell the people I will be in and out and just leave the money. They don't know if I am home or not. I guess I don't worry about people knowing where I live?

 

[Colleen27]

Just meet somewhere busy. The local McDs is a popular one here, as is the gas station/pizza joint where half the town seems to be at any given moment anyway. And when the swap is with another parent, school and little league parking lots tend to work too. More than once I've met to complete a swap while waiting to pick one kid or another up from something, because the people buying my kids' outgrown sports equipment or clothing often tend to be in those same places anyway.

 

[AZMermaid]

I do porch pick up most of the time for FB. I agree with the pp that you see their profile and that helps. I was shorted $5 once which I was annoyed about. Anything over $20, I meet in a public place. But most of what I sell on FB is toys and clothes.

 

[aprilgail2]

I do porch pick up most of the time for FB. I agree with the pp that you see their profile and that helps. I was shorted $5 once which I was annoyed about. Anything over $20, I meet in a public place. But most of what I sell on FB is toys and clothes.

I sell all the time on facebook and have them come to my house, they will knock on the front door and I will go out the side door with the item and meet them in the front yard. For something big usually have to let them into the house for them to take it- I am selling an entertainment center and they will need at least two people to pick that thing up and move it out of my living room. I also have a drum set I am trying to sell that they will have to come and get- I can move it to the front yard but not transporting it.

 

[Nennie]

I'm in a local group, and since it's FB, you can see their profile pic, see that they live local, etc. Like another poster said, it's a lot of the same people over and over, so you get to kind of "know" the people. Nothing is 100% safe, but I definitely feel much safer on FB than I would on Craigslist, etc.

 

[Neelloc]

Honestly, if you use your real first and last name on FB, then all people have to do is a quick search for your address anyway. It doesn't bother me to have people come to my house. I don't let them in though. :lol: I usually converse with them a bit in messages and then set a time up. They ring the bell, I go on my front porch, they look at the item and I get paid. I do like the idea of porch pickup. I'll have to try that. I've been lucky that the people who've said they'll come to buy have all shown up.

I have met people in public places though because it's been a distance thing and we agree to meet halfway.

But yes, I've sold furniture, and even a washer and dryer on the FB selling groups. I can't imagine trying to transport those items to meet in a public place. :lol:

Also, the groups I'm in seem to have a low tolerance for baloney, so if someone is shorting others money or constantly now showing, they get called out quickly.

 

[Manders77]

What site is this? I live in an apartment and have stuff to sell but unable to have my own garage sale. I tried craigs list but for smaller items, noone seems interested. I tried to look up on FB but I only see a site that has posts with sayings and pics and nothing of people selling anything. I tried the website and it just gives tips to selling stuff, but nobody is selling anything. Obviously I have to be doing something wrong or in the wrong place.

 

[AZMermaid]

It is called Swip Swap here. There's a bunch, but try searching your city Swip Swap. Like I am in North Phoenix Swip Swap! Good luck!

 

[dreamin_disney]

I only do public meet ups to sell my stuff. I try doing it a a local store or pharmacy. Somewhere there's people in and out of the stores. My dh usually goes with me but if not I take my teen dd and I figure she can hot panic button my alarm, honk the horn and call for help if something should happen. I let my dh know who what and where and what I'm selling. I also call him when I get there and when I leave.
I let buy know the price and tell them I don't carry any money for cash so if they can have exact change and if they need change they can get it at the store we're meeting at.

 

[MAJPLO]

Start small and do the most "local" site you can. I have one that's limited to my school district (a pretty good district). There are very few people on the site that don't know someone that I know so I feel very comfortable with that one.

I'm also a member of another that's more county wide. That one I meet somewhere (usually Target). I usually plan it so I make the transaction and then shop. Or, like a PP said, you can stalk their FB page to make sure their legit (I usually do this when selling baby stuff - I look to see that they have a baby, which most people have as their profile picture, lol).

I'm always surprised when I've picked something up and people invite me into their house!!

Do you go in? What do you say, "no thanks"? So strange. I would be so surprised too.

 

[SC Minnie]

I've bought and sold a few things on my local page. The first thing I sold was a large outdoor Rubbermaid storage shed. Too large to take to Starbucks and meet someone. I sold it quickly and the people came to pick it up, I made sure DH was home and outside, the buyer came with her DH.

I've met people at Starbucks as well as outside a grocery store. I haven't had any problems. I've made some $$ and have gotten some great deals.