In our mystical magical world, used items of any perceived value are listed on websites filled with oddballs buying and selling. The old local market but people communicate through cutting edge technology like cave dwellers trading fire rocks.
In Cayman we call this website eCayTrade. Similar to Craigslist, Gum Tree or Marketplace on Facebook. A cornucopia of people selling anything from a tennis racquet to their house. A cesspool that one must dip their toes into every so often to sell one’s own junk.
As our baby outgrows her gadgets and gizmos we have begun to hawk her used goods online for a quarter of their shelf value. Thankfully my wife has taken the lead on dealing with those crazies. The only time I venture into the depths of the online marketplace is when I have furniture or a gadget to sell. After recently upgrading my phone, it was time for me to venture back into this black hole of lunacy again.
The Excruciating Selling Process
Immediately after posting any item on one of these websites you can expect to receive at least four messages asking if the item listed ten minutes ago is still available. Upon replying, “Yes, it’s available,” you are only 43%1 likely to ever hear back from the person ever again. I sometimes imagine these people have fallen into the ocean never to be seen or heard from again.
If you do get a reply the next questions will usually be about the thing you’re selling, which you have more than likely already answered in the advertisement they didn’t read.
If satisfied with your painstakingly copy and pasted response the negotiations begin. If you are dealing with a grifter, they may try some sly tactics like talking up the weaker points of what you are trying to sell.
“The phone’s maximum battery capacity only goes to 89%.”
”Yes that’s what it shows in the screenshot.”
”I may need to replace the battery soon, that is expensive.”
”You are buying a two year old phone, it’s unlikely but if you’d like to, replacing the battery is an option.”
”I’m not sure I can buy it.”
”OK…” (Then why the #$%@ are you messaging me?)
After the mind games they may then make you an offer. One buyer offered me 50% of the asking price, while another offered me their ‘new’ older model iPhone and an old iPad.
Meeting Up with Strangers
If you do finally find somebody willing to offer you a reasonable amount for your item, plus compensation for the pain and suffering of dealing with people, it’s time to meet up. My wife, when recently selling items for $10, has been asked to deliver them to the person’s door. She has kindly agreed - considering it’s a new mom who is buying this baby stuff and is probably going through a lot. I am not that kind. Given the cost of time and fuel we lost more money selling that $10 item than donating it.
A few phones ago, when we were all still taking COVID seriously, I agreed to drop off a phone to someone in lockdown. They left a plastic bag of money on their doorstep and I dropped the phone in a box before running back to the car. I waited for them to confirm they were happy before driving away feeling like I’d just done a drug deal.
These days, unless I am selling some large piece of furniture I always ask to meet in a public place in case the person is a psycho. If they have been particularly weird in our conversations I’ll make sure it’s in front of a store or restaurant I almost never visit.
Upon meetup, awkward pleasantries out of the way, the item is examined by the buyer while the South African in me is concerned the person may be a flight risk. Yes, it does indeed appear to be an iPhone. No alarming differences from the pictures and it turns on. Great. Cash is exchanged and I try to walk in the opposite direction. Nothing more awkward than saying goodbye to a stranger and then walking alongside them for five minutes to your vehicle.
Still Worth It?
Every time I do this I say never again, but trade ins just don’t give you enough compared to selling the phone to normals. Hopefully one day I'll be rich enough to just give my old valuables away. Until then, every few months you’ll see me online selling something of meaningful value. Please don’t ask me if it’s available.
This is a completely made up statistic based only on emotional distress caused by frequent ghosting on these online market places.