Ok, what about marketplace makes people immoral, unhinged and socially inept?
They behave like they’re in chat-roulette after 48 tequila’s when in fact their profile picture, social history and personal details are..right there?
Sometimes we jump on to be like “yes! I’m going to save some money and find myself that bag I was looking at”. Thirty minutes and 45 million listings later we’re like “HuMaNity iS tHe WoRst”
Being a business that started with marketplace, we’ve experienced ALL society has to offer on and we’ve listed them for a little laugh during your work break.
So who are the culprits?
The Scamming Ones
URGH. These guys ruin everything. Scammers do real doozies on people and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Sure, you can “report seller” but no one’s knocking on your door with the $65 you just lost anytime soon.
Whether they want to chat on whatsapp (scam), pay their logistics company (scam) or are selling a Prada bag for $50 (unfortunately..scam), they continually come up with ingenious ways to appear legitimate.
Oooh it's probably a no?
Be vigilant! Be alert! If it feels weird, it probably IS weird.
The Ghosting Ones
See..these guys start out nice.
“Hey, I love the dress! Would you take $50 and I’ll pick up on Saturday?”
Yay! You agree on a price, send them your address and arrange a time for the exchange.
Saturday at 10am comes and ***crickets***.
“Hi are you coming?” ***crickets***
“Hello?” ***crickets until the end of time***
You’ve stayed home all Saturday morning for nothing and now you have to go back with “yes it’s still available” to the 25 other randoms that auto-messaged you.
The Rude Ones
These guys are THE WORST.
Imagine walking into a store and asking politely if they offer shipping and the store manager replies:
“NO. PRICE IS FIRM. PICK UP ONLY. CASH ONLY. STOP ASKING”
I mean..you’re the one trying to sell something yes?
If you don’t want to be bargained with, probably don’t list your items on a marketplace?
What a cutie!
And the rude-ness is not limited to sellers. The buyers are probably (definitely) worse.
Imagine asking if you can have a price-tagged item for free and when the store manager says “no, sorry”, you just start yelling abuse at them?
They’d probably call the police?
But on marketplace you have to be like “ok, we’ll I’m just going to block this person and hope that they don’t follow through with their death threat”.
Sweet dreams to you too!
The High Expectation Ones
These ones go like this:
“Venroy dress available, good condition, few stains and pulls in the fabric, paid $320 in 2020, selling for $319.95. Price firm, no low-ball offers”.
Ok hun, GOODLUCK WITH THAT.
Buying on marketplace is not the same experience as buying in-store, and it’s super awesome when people think they can list at $10 off the RRP and others will be like “YES I’ll definitely drive 40kms, risk a scam and make small talk with a stranger for $10 off!”. We’ve seen a large correlation between the High Expectation Ones also moonlighting as The Rude Ones.
The How-Is-This-Real-Life Ones
These are the funny ones. They are so-outlandish, so-ridiculous, so-stupid that it’s send-to-everyone-in-your-group-thread kind of material.
These ones are using humans as scales, taking inopportune photos, selling baked-bean-filled Christmas decorations and iphones cut in half, oversharing on their listings and VERY clearly selling knock-offs.
Never change marketplace!
And lets not forget: The Weird Ones
Over time we’ve had some pretty-great chats to sellers who have pretty-great marketplace stories to tell. The most consistent of “the weird ones” are..drum roll please… the foot fetish requests!
WHAT? …NO WAY…Yes way.
We have been asked many, many times if we sell shoes on Restitched because they are “sick of being contacted with foot fetish requests”.
I mean, people, come on. Lovely *Emma from Brunswick does not want to send photos of her feet in the shoes so you can get your jollies off. She just wants to sell her nice shoes!
Aw guys! Stop it!
So as charming as they are, how do we avoid people like this?
I wish we had a solution to save you all from these strange and suspicious situations but…OH WAIT.
We do!
Circular economy businesses, like Restitched, are here to mitigate the risks of buying circular fashion. They vet the products, the sellers and (essentially) absorb all the risk. They give you back what’s so lost on marketplace, TRUST!
It’s their job to sort through all the stuff, so consumers (like your amazing self) can reap the benefits the circular economy has to offer, without all the worries!
And your job?
Ride off into the sunset to enjoy that wonderfully discounted dress, couch, or baked bean filled bauble.