Stranger’s infuriating messages on Facebook Marketplace leaves seller outraged: ‘You couldn’t make this up’
Everyone who has tried to declutter their home using Facebook Marketplace knows the drill – list the item, brace yourself for messages, and prepare for at least one person who disappears into thin air.
But one seller says a recent exchange crossed into ‘mildly infuriating’ territory after nearly a week of polite back-and-forth with a buyer who never actually showed up.
The frustrated vendor shared screenshots of the conversation online.
‘Five days of this. Either you want to buy it as is or you don’t,’ the caption read.
It began innocently enough.
‘Hi, I am interested please. Any mark on it?’ the buyer asked.
‘Hi – no, no marks. It’s in very good shape,’ the seller replied promptly.
‘Tomorrow I will text for address [sic],’ the buyer replied.
One seller says a recent exchange crossed into ‘mildly infuriating’ territory after nearly a week of polite back-and-forth with a buyer who never actually showed up
The seller remained accommodating, offering a noon pick-up time and later adding they were free most of the afternoon
The next message didn’t arrive until the following night.
‘Sorry I was busy today but tomorrow. Let me what r u free tomorrow please [sic].’
The seller remained accommodating, offering a noon pick-up time and later adding they were free most of the afternoon.
Another day passed.
Finally, a new message came through.
‘Sorry I had car accident everything was crazy. Sorry for inconvenience caused [sic].’
At that point, the seller’s patience appeared to wear thin.
For many Australians, Facebook Marketplace has become the go-to platform for selling everything from couches and cots to designer handbags and gym equipment.
‘Anyone that does not offer time/date/location immediately is not serious,’ a buyer said
With cost-of-living pressures pushing more households to buy second-hand, listings are booming.
But so are the headaches.
Serial time-wasters, last-minute cancellations and the infamous ‘Is this still available?’ message – often followed by silence – have become a near-universal experience.
While the buyer in this case may well have had genuine reasons for postponing, the extended delays highlight a common frustration: sellers blocking out time for pickups that never materialise.
Unlike large retailers, everyday sellers don’t have staff or systems to absorb repeated cancellations.
Many juggle full-time jobs, childcare, and other commitments around pick-up windows.
As one commenter noted in response to the post, the easiest solution is to stop holding items.
‘Anyone that does not offer time/date/location immediately is not serious,’ they wrote.
Online resale has created a new kind of social grey zone. Unlike formal retail transactions, Marketplace exchanges operate on informal trust and goodwill.
There are no booking deposits, no cancellation policies and rarely any consequences for ghosting.
Buyers may message multiple sellers at once, hedging their options. Sellers may hold items out of courtesy – sometimes missing out on other interested parties.
In a tight economy, the stakes feel higher. Many Australians are turning to second-hand sales not just to declutter, but to recoup money and offset rising bills.
For this seller, the lesson may be simple: until someone is physically on the way, the item is still for sale.
