What would you do? Sold some items on Facebook in exchange for a $50 donation to a charity of our choice, now buyer has ghosted me after picking up the items.

Forums › Off topic › What would you do? Sold some items on Facebook in exchange for a $50 donation to a charity of our choice, now buyer has ghosted me after picking up the items.

turtleattacks

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#319046 17-Mar-2025 12:45

What would you do?

Sold an old washing machine and dryer on Facebook in exchange for a $50 donation to a specific charity we support.

The buyer came and picked up the items and now ghosted me/ignoring despite twice, despite me trying to reach out asking if the items were to their needs. I've checked with the charity and they can't find the specific donation under their name or under my name.

Sigh, just frustrating that we can't trust people anymore.

Would you just let it go as it's only $50 and if they are going to be dishonest with $50, they must have bigger problems than me.

Or try to make the buyer accountable to the trade?

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#3354584 17-Mar-2025 12:49

Not sure there's much, if anything, you can do, particularly if it's a dummy or newish account. such is FB marketplace.

yes, it's terribly sad that it's becoming harder and harder to have a default setting of 'trustworthy' for people we've just met.

networkn

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#3354585 17-Mar-2025 12:49

There are some crappy people around. I have stopped doing that whole donation thing as it rarely works out. I ask for payment and then make the donation myself.

I understand not everyone would do this, but I'd donate to the charity on behalf of the buyer and move on with my life.

xpd

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#3354586 17-Mar-2025 12:51

FB is the wild west when buying/selling/trading.

I try to do in person deals if I do use it - which is what you did but you should've asked for the money anyway and deposited it yourself.

I've just been stuffed around with a sale, guy asked if he could pay the following Thursday, said yes, he asked for my account number, and that's it, no money and no word since. Thankfully I didn't send anything.

XPD / Gavin

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turtleattacks

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#3354588 17-Mar-2025 12:53

networkn:

There are some crappy people around. I have stopped doing that whole donation thing as it rarely works out. I ask for payment and then make the donation myself.

I understand not everyone would do this, but I'd donate to the charity on behalf of the buyer and move on with my life.

Yes I should have done that, I should have asked for a transfer of funds.

I've learnt not to trust people nowadays.

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invisibleman18

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#3354599 17-Mar-2025 14:00

Yeah definitely a mixed bag with Marketplace and lesson is to always take payment first.

I've been selling a few things lately - particular some large retired/discontinued lego sets of my Dad's (he passed away last year) which are worth a bit of money to collectors or lego fanatics. Has mostly been good - one guy bought 2 sets for $700 and turned up with the cash within half an hour of making the offer, and a week later he bought another for $400. So done well out of him.

Had the usual time wasters too. Originally agreed a slightly higher price for that last one with someone else, then they never replied again to arrange pickup. The reliable guy who'd been before then messaged about it and came quickly with the cash again. Had another one I agreed a price to ship, then they asked for a tracking number before paying which of course I can't get until posting it, and I'm not going to post a $200 item without payment. Said I'd need payment before posting and typically never heard from them again.

CYaBro

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#3354604 17-Mar-2025 14:26

You do get some strange ones with FB Marketplace!

I sold some motocross gear late last year and the buyer was very keen for me to ship it ASAP so they had it by Xmas, as it was to be a present for his son.
They paid the money, was only $20 plus courier, and I sent it on its way around the 13th Dec.
Busy time of year so forgot about it and never heard from the buyer again.

Mid February I get a call from NZ post saying they have a parcel there that I sent and it was never collected. 🤪
They were going to return it to me if the buyer didn't contact them to organise collection.
They had left a card in the letter box as no one was home for the delivery.

I messaged the buyer again and let them know and can only assume they collected it in the end as I haven't received it back but they never got back to me either.

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Bung

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#3354606 17-Mar-2025 14:32

turtleattacks:

What would you do?

Sold an old washing machine and dryer on Facebook in exchange for a $50 donation to a specific charity we support.

The buyer came and picked up the items and now ghosted me/ignoring despite twice, despite me trying to reach out asking if the items were to their needs. I've checked with the charity and they can't find the specific donation under their name or under my name.

Tip fees locally are $21 ea for that size appliance. Pretend it could have cost you $42 to get rid of them if it makes you feel better.

eracode

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#3354653 17-Mar-2025 18:37

FBMP has a dire reputation so to be sure of the outcome maybe you could have taken the $50 from the buyer and then donated it yourself.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

deadlyllama

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#3354897 18-Mar-2025 17:34

I've had good luck with FB marketplace. Cash only (both buying and selling) and only bothering as a buyer if the deal is exceptionally good.

It's not Trademe, but is Trademe even trademe these days?

gzt

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#3354986 18-Mar-2025 20:11

TradeMe and sold for cash or account. I would not draw many conclusions about humanity from Facebook. Also, a donation might sound kind of optional to some people.

With a wagon or trailer and 30 minutes you would see $30-$50 at your local scrap metal dealer for those. In the very worst case your buyer/facebookcrawler was heading straight there for an easy payday.

The best you might hope is that someone genuinely needed a washing machine and dryer and now some kids have clean and dry clothes.

turtleattacks

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#3354988 18-Mar-2025 20:19

gzt:

TradeMe and sold for cash or account. I would not draw many conclusions about humanity from Facebook. Also, a donation might sound kind of optional to some people.

With a wagon or trailer and 30 minutes you would see $30-$50 at your local scrap metal dealer for those. In the very worst case your buyer/facebookcrawler was heading straight there for an easy payday.

The best you might hope is that someone genuinely needed a washing machine and dryer and now some kids have clean and dry clothes.

From what I could tell, this is the case. (re with kids)

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Bung

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#3355000 18-Mar-2025 21:06

gzt:

With a wagon or trailer and 30 minutes you would see $30-$50 at your local scrap metal dealer for those. In the very worst case your buyer/facebookcrawler was heading straight there for an easy payday.

Good luck with that. Our local scrap yards aren't that generous. This is Ingot Metals Levin

"Although during times of the year we can sell the scrap for a minimal return, currently the overseas market is buying very little appliance scrap. We are still happy to take appliance scrap, however it is unlikely we will be able to pay anything for a single machine.

Please note: there is a fee to drop-off whiteware at our yard (minimum $20) as well as a fee for whiteware pick up by our team (minimum $80 – to cover our truck and labour costs)."

Scott3

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#3355002 18-Mar-2025 21:19

Last time I went to a scrap dealer with a broken dryer, they advised they take them, but don't pay. I was hoping for $10 my way, but was happy enough for them to take it off my hands.

cddt

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#3355065 19-Mar-2025 10:11

FB marketplace has so many time wasters, people who change their mind about buying, people who change their mind about selling. I try and stick to TM for selling stuff I really want gone.

I thought "free" on FB marketplace might be a good idea, but that seems to attract even more time wasters.

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richms

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#3355146 19-Mar-2025 12:47

What would I do? Not be so naïve next time on Facebook marketplace to do this.

Richard rich.ms

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