new trend in consigning~Facebook groups

In recent months, consigning your resale items on Facebook has become more popular. Here is how it works–

You find a group on Facebook that fits your needs. You can do this by either just doing a search or by asking around with your Facebook friends. Almost all groups are by geographic region, but some are very specific as far as “baby items only” or something like that. Members of the group post photos of what they are trying to sell, with a description, price and where item is located. Other members find stuff they want or need and do the transaction.

But as quick as you can say “Yippee! Spa money for me!” there are some tips you should know to protect yourself.

• Protect yourself and your privacy. Just because Facebook “feels” safer than craigslist or a classified ad, the same amount of risk is there. People can still set up fake profiles with the intent of scamming you. Don’t announce in a public group when you are not going to be home, or if you are leaving some items on your porch. Pick a very public place to do your exchanges/sales if you don’t know the person or don’t have mutual Facebook friends.
• Get a feel for what group is a good fit for you. Larger groups will offer a larger buyer/seller pool but usually will cover a larger geographic area as well. I was recently in one that probably covered a 50-mile radius, and I’m not driving 20 or 30 miles for a $1 swim shirt. Which brings me to…
• Get a feel for what types of items are being bought and sold, to help determine if this is for you. If a group is focused largely on baby equipment or $1 shirts, that’s not what I’m interested in. Some groups are just for car parts or home goods. Poke around until you find a few that fit your needs.
• If you can’t find a group that is a good fit, start one. Just know that there is a moderate amount of responsibility in being a group administrator and group members will look to you to be a leader. Before you open it up, decide what your ground rules are and post them in the documents for others to read.  Which brings me to….
• Try to be a good group member. Don’t clog and hog the feed. Post decent stuff that people want to buy. If it belongs in a donation bin or in the trash, don’t try to sell it. Ask the ground rules when you join, or look around the group for a list of documents and see if they have a set of rules for the group. Don’t get involved in drama, and if you see an item you don’t care for or you think is overpriced, just keep scrolling. Just because your kids hated a particular toy or it broke the first time you used it, doesn’t mean that you need to include your $0.02 to the conversation. Like I said, just keep scrolling!
• Before you finalize a transaction, make sure you have all your questions asked and answered. Are all the parts there? Check online recall lists for baby items and safety items. Check websites to see if the item, or similar items are still available for sale to determine if you feel you’re getting a good value.

Overall, this is a positive experience. My things are selling well and I’m not paying fees to consignment shops. I have found a few great buys on some items which is always fun to do.  Just yesterday I made a deal to buy $60 worth of tickets to Knoebel’s for $20! I am very much looking forward to using them, we love that place. Good luck and have fun consigning on Facebook.