The Joy of Facebook Groups - Or Not

HarrySeven

Some time ago, I switched off notifications for 90% of the Facebook guitars/gear selling groups I was a member of. In hindsight, with good reason.

Due to the enforced tedium of our current isolated circumstances, I switched them all on again today.

For about 30 minutes. I’d forgotten quite how bad it was.

a. Mega-spam across vast amounts of groups by hordes of ubiquitous bedroom dealers, the same names peddling more stock than f*cking Andertons again and again. FFS, SERIOUSLY - do these people pay any tax?  

a1. Semi-aggressive/injured party posts from the above dealers if ever they get questioned/called out on their practices, shored up by their compatriots.

b. Idiots posting ‘feelers’, hoping to snag the best trade/price they can, with a long list of ‘not quite what I’m looking for’ responses beneath.

c. Cut-and-paste internet b*llocks, recycled until it becomes truth.

d. Enough ‘Lawsuit’, ‘mojo’, ‘plays like butter’, ‘the best guitar I’ve owned’ crap to choke a donkey.

e. Everyone is ‘bro’, ‘man’, ‘dude’ or ‘brother’.

f. No-one wants ‘anything pointy’ in trade.


Jeez, I hate people. I’ll get me coat.

chris78

It’s funny though. I saw a Mexican classic player. Of course it’s a custom shop Mexican 
Asking price a snip at £1100

Bennyboy-UK

Selling guitars is generally a nightmare Facebook marketplace is a dark and murky place.

Whitecat

I feel you, bro!!!

Keefy

I deactivated my Facebook profile 12 weeks ago. Good frickin' riddance!

hotpickups

Keefy said:

I deactivated my Facebook profile 12 weeks ago. Good frickin' riddance!

Best thing I did too tbh. 

Sassafras

I got fed up with people from all four corners of the globe wanting to be my friends. Closed my Facebook account because there are more than enough weirdos where I live, I just don't need any more.

MagicPigDetective

HarrySeven said:

e. Everyone is ‘bro’, ‘man’, ‘dude’ or ‘brother’.

Or ‘bud’ or ‘pal’. 

Grampa

Never used social media of any kind, never will. I actually like to communicate with real people, strange but true.

Bugger, is this forum a type of social media??? We're all doomed!

prowla

I'm in a number of FB guitar/bass groups; I try and avoid the general daily diary stuff.

Apart from FB's crappy AI which says you might be interested in "B" because you looked at "A" (it sent be a link to a childs' dress because I looked at an effects pedal!)(and then sent me another because I looked at the 1st!!), I don't find FB intrusive.

tomajoha

Agreed those groups are aggressive, increasily-contrived, bro-heavy cesspools 

soma1975

Facebook marketplace is the absolute worst. 

abw1989

I think the last three guitars I've sold went via Facebook Marketplace, or one of the guitar buying and selling groups. All sold with no problems what so ever with a happy party on both sides.

Legionreturns

There do seem to be a few where the owner/admin controls everything for their own benefit, skims off the best sales, undermines everyone else's listings and have a sickly clique hanging on their every word. The number of guitars these group owners seem to get through is incredible, but not as incredible as their teflon like ability to slide away from criticism and questioning about paying tax etc. 

"It's just a hobby mate, I'm not a dealer" 

Err...you've listed and sold more £1000+ guitars this month than I've ever owned in my life! 

skullfunkerry

soma1975 said:

Facebook marketplace is the absolute worst. 

Not sure about that... have you tried any of the freecycle pages? *shudder*

vasselmeyer

U okay hun?

MattNovak

vasselmeyer said:

U okay hun?

Fummin

HarrySeven

Legionreturns said:

There do seem to be a few where the owner/admin controls everything for their own benefit, skims off the best sales, undermines everyone else's listings and have a sickly clique hanging on their every word. The number of guitars these group owners seem to get through is incredible, but not as incredible as their teflon like ability to slide away from criticism and questioning about paying tax etc. 

"It's just a hobby mate, I'm not a dealer" 

Err...you've listed and sold more £1000+ guitars this month than I've ever owned in my life! 

Have a Wiz for that.

DrJazzTap

What's the tax implications on bedroom trading? If I recall correctly you cant sell more than seven cars a year without having to be classed as a car trader. 

fretfinder

MagicPigDetective said:

HarrySeven said:

e. Everyone is ‘bro’, ‘man’, ‘dude’ or ‘brother’.

Or ‘bud’ or ‘pal’. 

Listen chum, don’t forget ‘fella’ and ‘matey’. 

Edit: and of course, ‘chap’!

Vibetronic

Done some really nice easy deals on them before, particularly the last one, which was a straight swap and ended up in my new favourite guitar. But plenty of 'bro'-ing, 'can you hold onto it until I get paid at the end of the month?' and one really weird offer for a trade involving a guitar I didn't want, gear I don't even have, and completely unrelated to the advert