Thrift Shopping on Facebook. LOVE IT!

In my area we have these groups called "Swip Swap" It will say "Swip Swap Daytona" or whatever city in your area that has one. I am sure they are all over the states. Not sure about other countries but I'm sure they have something similar.

They are GREAT! It's like thrift shopping but from your home. People post what they are selling and how much, then you pick a date and time to meet up. I always pick an open place with lots of people like Wal Mart or Target to pick items up.

I have found so much stuff on these groups for a FRACTION of the cost new or even used. I have found some toys for my son and a few things for the house even. I got a toy I wanted for my son for $10 bucks, where new it was $60! The toy was in excellent shape. I tossed it in the shower, hosed it down and sanitized it then let it dry. I also got a nice over the toilet wooden organizer. I wanted one but they were $100 bucks, this one was one that I wanted and it was only $10 bucks and practically new! I cleaned it with wipes and put it in the spare bathroom. It's amazing what you find!! I even got my son some vintage Star Wars movie posters for his room!

I also have listed items for sale too. Items I was just going to drop off at a second hand shop. Sure I could donate them but I don't work and this is a nice way for me to get my own pocket money to get things we need around the house. My husband gives me all the money I want but it's still nice to have your own too. I don't sell things for ridiculous amounts of money and yes you do have those who seem to forget the value of used items lol

So if you are on Facebook look these groups up if you like bargain shopping! You don't have all the scams you get with places like Craigslist or Ebay. All of the people I have bought from have been really nice and some I have bought multiple items from.

I love it too, here we have pages called buy, swap and sell ( insert your town). Free way to advertise unwanted goods and local. I've sold & bought many things. So much easier then a garage sale/yard sale.

I've found to especially great if your a parent of small children, As baby/ child furniture is expensive and hardly worn out when finished with. Great way to sell homemade craft & products too.

Eta: only other thing I'd add, is be weary of electrical goods. I personally stay clear of these things. You just don't really know how long they'll last/ work. I see a lot if TVs, washing machines and the like on our pages.

reply to post by Feelingconnected


I have a 3mth old and I find tons of stuff on there for him. I can also sell stuff I no longer need for him as well.

Toys and baby clothes are ridiculous brand new cost wise. I just can't spend 20 bucks on an outfit he will wear maybe a month.

I am listing his bassinet which was $130 bucks new for $40. He slept in it a total of 4wks. The first month he slept on me lol he didn't like the bassinet til he was about 6wks and then he only fit in it about a month til he was too big and would shake it when he started kicking around. I even have sheets I'll add to it at no extra cost because even those sheets are $10 bucks a piece new and very hard to find. You would think they'd sell bassinet sheets where you buy the bassinet but noooo they don't. I had to hunt them down online!!

I buy 98% of his clothes second hand. Most second hand clothes are like new anyway and many I have bought have tags. We have a local thrift shop that recently had a 50% off sale on Labor Day. I got so many outfits for him for 50 cents a piece! He needed onesie pajama's with feet because the ones he has he has outgrown and they are too expensive new.

So having groups like this on FB is awesome because it's a lot harder for me to go to thrift stores with him now than it was prior to him. lol

reply to post by Feelingconnected


I also see people advertising their garage sale with pics of the garage sale as it's going on. What a great way to get more people!!

I know many hate Facebook but I like for reasons like this lol

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I love these sites too! I have sold $180 worth of items that were sitting in storage. EFFORTLESSLY! In Kentucky , we call them swap-n-shops.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I'm passed the little baby stage now, but because I had twins I had 2 of everything lol. I've cleared out most baby stuff now, cots, prams, high hairs . I love the pages very addictive . There's always someone looking for stuff your selling. And always people selling stuff your looking for lol.

Just after Christmas you'll find a lot of toys ( heaps new). I guess double up presents, I keep my kids doubled up gifts. But lots seem to like getting rid of them, so keep a lookout.. We have a few local FB pages. A general buy swap sell, an auto buy swap and sell, a animal buy swap and sell and a parents buy swap sell.

I think FB is ok if used right, I only have true friends & family and these other pages are open pages. As you mentioned, collect in a public place and all should be ok. Happy shopping

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Yea its a growing trend people trading on FB. Other dedicated trading sites have too many scammers that waste your time. There's a lack of anonymity on Fb so its way easier to cut to the chase.

Star for you!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I run our local facebook buy/sell and swap. It's a bit chaotic with around 3500 members, I could imagine one in the US would have a great deal more members and be a lot more work lol, but it's a great way to sell off unwanted items, or to pick up a bargain.

We have ours divided into selling, give away, cars, clothing and pets, as well as business and community advertising. We have a few issues, such as queue jumping and disputes, but overall it's pretty friendly being a smaller community.

The biggest job is the site cleanups, which takes almost a day once a month to keep the site clean.

By far the best part is lost and found, it's good to see someone reunited with something lost, or a pet that is re-united with their owner.

k21968
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

I love these sites too! I have sold $180 worth of items that were sitting in storage. EFFORTLESSLY! In Kentucky , we call them swap-n-shops.

Awesome!!

I had a box of things I didn't want and was going to just drop off at a second hand shop but decided to put them up for sale for cheap. It is pocket money for me and I just wind up buying stuff for my son anyways.

I had a box of diapers, husband ordered the wrong ones, I opened them and used about 20. I have 220 left and sold them for $25 bucks which is super cheap. It's 25 bucks i didn't have before!!

I always wonder though who comes up with the names because it seems each area calls it something different. One person probably started it and everyone else follows changing the city lol

reply to post by 74Templar


wow that sounds like a big group!

I haven't seen a group that big here in my area. I think the biggest has about 1500 people in it.

People sell pets, cars, clothing, furniture and anything and everything on there. Some are just for furniture or just clothes. There are some that require you to make an album for what you are selling, it makes it a lot easier to clean up and look for items esp when people are posting all day long. The ones that don't require albums it can be a pain to find something from earlier in the day if there have been a lot of posts that day. They also require you to delete the post once it's been sold and the majority are really good at it.

I have only seen one argument and it was over a puppy listing. The rules of FB require the pets to have current shot records otherwise they can't be sold on there. Everyone was just asking this girl if she had this and she flipped out on everyone. Needless to say her listing was deleted by mods of the page.

I like the lost and found idea! I haven't seen one of those yet....hmmm maybe I should start one!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


LOL, I was a bit off, last look the page has 3927 members.

We split the pages up for that reason, to make it easier to navigate for people. They can just jump to a sub-page and find specific items. We even tried the album pages, but it was a bit chaotic. We have pretty strict rules, like only 5 posts at a time and only 5 'bumps' which brings your post back to the top. No queue jumping is a big one, along with a 'no make an offer' rule, because it can turn into a bidding war and things can get hostile.

We've had a few lose it and wind up being banned for not following the rules, but overall most people love the site and love the fact they can generally post up anything for sale along with stuff they want to buy. It's weird that a lot of people bash facebook, but it can be used for good stuff such as this.

while its not a buy swap or sell site, i built a free app to show garage sales near you and your handset.

if you have an android or apple phone i'd love you to try it and send me a PM letting me know what you think!

search for G-Saler on the google play and or itunes. im pretty proud of it

it currently has sales in the USA and AUS

if im too far off topic let me know. i also didnt post any URL in order to not be in breach of T&C.

reply to post by okamitengu


Haha that is awesome! I just downloaded it. SWEET!

I love garage sales. I use to sit down with the Pennysaver here and plot my weekend garage sale route but nobody really posts in that anymore it's all online now. So this is a cool app! Thanks for sharing. I don't think you are off topic at all!! It totally goes with online second hand shopping, it helps you find the garage sales.

How do you know where they are? Do people list it somewhere? How does it work?

reply to post by okamitengu


Wow, that looks like a pretty cool app. I'll have to check it out on weekend. And a free app at that

reply to post by mblahnikluver


well initially i tried to just have people add thier sales from the app itself or the website.
this was unsuccessful as no one knew the app existed!!

so in australia i scrape a site called gumtree... this provides us aussies with sales.
in the usa i grab data from... pennywise (:
i was really pleased to hear thats where you found sales previously.

ideally i would love the app to have its own sales only, but without content no one will use the app!!

the website www.g-saler.com is where people without smartphones can add sales.

however adding them via the app is best as its easier to get a GPS location into the listing (:

thanks so much for trying it out guys. i REALLY appreciate the support, and feedback on the US version.
i can open an admin copy and see but until some americans actually use it and tell me how it is im unable to be certain.






the app is free and without ads. i HATE ads in my mobile apps.
the plan is to build its use until the point that the $3.50 to add sales actually makes it worth while.
until then i work full time and sink every spare $$ i have into it (:

if you like it please leave a review on the app stores. if you have suggestions PM me.

i am very grateful you have tried it out (: