The unbranded item you’re eyeing on Facebook Marketplace is probably from Kmart…
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Facebook Marketplace is a treasure trove of deals. Shopping has never been easier – all you have to do is grab your phone, sit back and start browsing. You can also snag items right in your own neighbourhood without paying hefty delivery fees. If you've got some stuff you no longer need, selling is similarly easy.
However, just like any online platform, it can also be host to deceitful online behaviours. On Reddit, one user alerted other Facebook Marketplace shoppers of a sneaky tactic some sellers are employing: selling Kmart or IKEA products for more than their retail price.
In the post, the Redditor warned others that if the brand isn’t mentioned in the product listing, then it’s probably from Kmart or IKEA where it’s sold at a cheaper price. The author shared a screenshot of a coffee table available through the platform and Kmart’s website to prove their point.
The coffee table is $5 cheaper than the secondhand item listed on Facebook Marketplace. Credit: Reddit/coconuts91
Redditors shared their experiences and learnings from the online marketplace.
A top comment said: ‘If you don't do your homework on Marketplace, you get what you get. I see people selling Fitbits for $200, with a big scratch, saying it still works, when a new one would cost like $220.’
Another Redditor commented: ‘The number of people that price things on these online marketplaces based on what they paid for the item and not on the market value of the item is astounding.’
Others feel that sellers are overestimating the value of their items: ‘Too many people think there are still supply issues from Covid and people are desperate to get stuff.’
Redditors who regularly used other online marketplaces found that this is a practice not exclusive to one platform: ‘It’s the same on Gumtree. Why people think a 5-year-old MacBook, iPad, etc. should be priced a few hundred dollars less than a brand new current model absolutely baffles me.’
Many shoppers would simply ignore the markup on listings, but others feel the need to call out sellers for their behaviour. As one would expect, these do not always go well – some Redditors shared their encounters.
One said: ‘The worst part is when they get angry at you for pointing it out. I buy a lot of secondhand books/manga (Japanese comic books and graphic novels) on Marketplace. Frequently deal with people that have listings saying ‘$15 a volume, no lowballers’ and when you point out that those same volumes are available brand new, delivered for $13.50 they're the ones that get pissy. F***ing clowns.’
Another chimed in: ‘I saw a lady selling a cat bed on Marketplace for $40 while it was at Kmart on clearance for $5. I called her out and she went off on me. She said she increased the price because she constructed it. I had the same bed and it took me five minutes to put together.’
A Redditor felt that sellers have the freedom to use the platform as they please, however: ‘They can list it for a stupid amount. You’re under no obligation to buy it either.’
Introduced to Australian users in 2016, Facebook Marketplace became a convenient way to find and sell pre-loved items in local communities. Credit: Pexels/Blue Bird
Users who frequent Facebook Marketplace also noted that there are keywords that sellers typically include to put a high margin on their listings. While they may be using the terms loosely – which means they are true to a point – they aren’t always honest or aligned with what buyers have in mind.
One shared: ‘Some idiots up my way are priceless! Nearly every secondhand thing is ‘rare’ and ‘vintage’ and priced $150 or more above the actual price of the item online.’
Another commented: ‘I saw a Lego set described as 'rare' and 'retired' that was actually still being sold by the Lego store. And for $100 less.’
Sellers, however, offered an explanation behind pricing items more than their original value. One said: ‘The problem is everyone on Marketplace wants a bargain. If you list something at a fair value you still get lowballers wanting a big discount. I like to list a bit higher than what I actually want so I’m happy with where the price ends up.’
Another Redditor agreed: ‘Yeah, same. I fought it for ages but the whole attitude is hard to fight against. You list it for $60 firm and you get no takers or just tyre kickers. You list it for $90 and accept an offer of $70 and people are eager to come get it.’
A third wrote: ‘I take the same approach on Marketplace because I know the vast majority of people will send offers $20-$30 lower than the asking. So I always have the price I actually want and add $20-$30 to it with the expectation it’ll get bargained down.’
Searching for tips on how to make a profit on the platform actually suggest sellers consider buyers wanting to knock a few dollars off their purchase. For example, Oberlo recommends adding 20% to 30% to the absolute lowest price sellers are willing to accept.
‘I guess we amateur salespeople are just discovering for ourselves the sales tactics that retailers have known for decades,’ a Redditor concluded. (National Geographic details some sneaky ways businesses convince us to spend.)
Thankfully, online shoppers are not left helpless. A user suggested: ‘It's a good idea to do a Google search for the item you are thinking of buying to see if a local store has it cheaper.’
You can use keywords on your preferred search engine, or save the image from Facebook Marketplace to do a reverse image search. There are many platforms that allow you to find similar images on the internet by simply uploading a photo, such as Google Images, Yahoo Image Search, and Bing Visual Search. You can watch this short guide by Insider Tech on how to do a reverse image search through Google on your phone:
What do you think, folks? Have you encountered any listings on Facebook Marketplace that you suspect are from Kmart and similar stores? We’d love to hear your stories!
However, just like any online platform, it can also be host to deceitful online behaviours. On Reddit, one user alerted other Facebook Marketplace shoppers of a sneaky tactic some sellers are employing: selling Kmart or IKEA products for more than their retail price.
In the post, the Redditor warned others that if the brand isn’t mentioned in the product listing, then it’s probably from Kmart or IKEA where it’s sold at a cheaper price. The author shared a screenshot of a coffee table available through the platform and Kmart’s website to prove their point.
The coffee table is $5 cheaper than the secondhand item listed on Facebook Marketplace. Credit: Reddit/coconuts91
Redditors shared their experiences and learnings from the online marketplace.
A top comment said: ‘If you don't do your homework on Marketplace, you get what you get. I see people selling Fitbits for $200, with a big scratch, saying it still works, when a new one would cost like $220.’
Another Redditor commented: ‘The number of people that price things on these online marketplaces based on what they paid for the item and not on the market value of the item is astounding.’
Others feel that sellers are overestimating the value of their items: ‘Too many people think there are still supply issues from Covid and people are desperate to get stuff.’
Redditors who regularly used other online marketplaces found that this is a practice not exclusive to one platform: ‘It’s the same on Gumtree. Why people think a 5-year-old MacBook, iPad, etc. should be priced a few hundred dollars less than a brand new current model absolutely baffles me.’
Many shoppers would simply ignore the markup on listings, but others feel the need to call out sellers for their behaviour. As one would expect, these do not always go well – some Redditors shared their encounters.
One said: ‘The worst part is when they get angry at you for pointing it out. I buy a lot of secondhand books/manga (Japanese comic books and graphic novels) on Marketplace. Frequently deal with people that have listings saying ‘$15 a volume, no lowballers’ and when you point out that those same volumes are available brand new, delivered for $13.50 they're the ones that get pissy. F***ing clowns.’
Another chimed in: ‘I saw a lady selling a cat bed on Marketplace for $40 while it was at Kmart on clearance for $5. I called her out and she went off on me. She said she increased the price because she constructed it. I had the same bed and it took me five minutes to put together.’
A Redditor felt that sellers have the freedom to use the platform as they please, however: ‘They can list it for a stupid amount. You’re under no obligation to buy it either.’
Introduced to Australian users in 2016, Facebook Marketplace became a convenient way to find and sell pre-loved items in local communities. Credit: Pexels/Blue Bird
Users who frequent Facebook Marketplace also noted that there are keywords that sellers typically include to put a high margin on their listings. While they may be using the terms loosely – which means they are true to a point – they aren’t always honest or aligned with what buyers have in mind.
One shared: ‘Some idiots up my way are priceless! Nearly every secondhand thing is ‘rare’ and ‘vintage’ and priced $150 or more above the actual price of the item online.’
Another commented: ‘I saw a Lego set described as 'rare' and 'retired' that was actually still being sold by the Lego store. And for $100 less.’
Sellers, however, offered an explanation behind pricing items more than their original value. One said: ‘The problem is everyone on Marketplace wants a bargain. If you list something at a fair value you still get lowballers wanting a big discount. I like to list a bit higher than what I actually want so I’m happy with where the price ends up.’
Another Redditor agreed: ‘Yeah, same. I fought it for ages but the whole attitude is hard to fight against. You list it for $60 firm and you get no takers or just tyre kickers. You list it for $90 and accept an offer of $70 and people are eager to come get it.’
A third wrote: ‘I take the same approach on Marketplace because I know the vast majority of people will send offers $20-$30 lower than the asking. So I always have the price I actually want and add $20-$30 to it with the expectation it’ll get bargained down.’
Searching for tips on how to make a profit on the platform actually suggest sellers consider buyers wanting to knock a few dollars off their purchase. For example, Oberlo recommends adding 20% to 30% to the absolute lowest price sellers are willing to accept.
‘I guess we amateur salespeople are just discovering for ourselves the sales tactics that retailers have known for decades,’ a Redditor concluded. (National Geographic details some sneaky ways businesses convince us to spend.)
Thankfully, online shoppers are not left helpless. A user suggested: ‘It's a good idea to do a Google search for the item you are thinking of buying to see if a local store has it cheaper.’
You can use keywords on your preferred search engine, or save the image from Facebook Marketplace to do a reverse image search. There are many platforms that allow you to find similar images on the internet by simply uploading a photo, such as Google Images, Yahoo Image Search, and Bing Visual Search. You can watch this short guide by Insider Tech on how to do a reverse image search through Google on your phone:
What do you think, folks? Have you encountered any listings on Facebook Marketplace that you suspect are from Kmart and similar stores? We’d love to hear your stories!
