Karoliina's Guide to Facebook Flea Markets

I'm an admin on a Facebook gothic flea market group, and a heavy user of many groups. Here's my take on best practices!

1. Read the rules

Each flea market group has its own set of rules that can differ a lot. Take some time to check how things are done on the one you are on to get a good start there. The main things to find out are how often you are allowed to make your ads rise on the page (by commenting) and how you are supposed to add your ads to the group. Some places have folders for item types, others require you to create your own folder.

2. Communicate

Whether you are selling or buying, communication is the key. If something unexpected comes up, notify your sales partner immediately. People usually understand different situations when you just explain them. It's not nice to keep an item reserved only to have the potential buyer or seller messages days later that they didn't have the money, or just plain disappear and not respond to messages. Not everyone sits by a computer all day long, so responding to messages can take a day or two, but for more than that it would be best to give some notification.  Notice that messages usually go to the "Other" folder on Facebook, and it does not show a notification. You have to manually check the folder to find new messages.

3. Pay and ship fast

Within reason, you should pay your purchases and ship sold items within a few days. If it isn't possible, just drop your trading partner a message to let them know, so they don't become anxious :) I personally try to pay the same day (it can still take a few days for the money to show up on the recipients account) and ship within two days of the money arriving to my account. I have it quite easy as the post office is on my way to work, so I can easily drop off packets on my way to work.

4. A friendly attitude makes selling and buying a nice experience

Have a positive attitude! While there is the occasional person who misbehaves and doesn't follow the rules, most of the people on flea market groups are decent and nice. Being friendly helps to create a good atmosphere in the group. When something goes wrong or someone is an ass, breathe deeply and count to ten, them respond politely. You can always talk about the silly unfriendly people with your friends, but doing so publicly in the group looks bad. If someone is constantly an unreliable sales partner, notify the admin so they will deal with the situation. That's why they are there!