The People In My Local Buy/Sell Groups Are A**holes

I LOVE a good deal. So much so, that I frequent local buy and sell groups on Facebook. ESPECIALLY if I’m looking for baby gear or furniture…I feel like it never hurts to see what others are selling before I hit the store.

If you’ve never visited one of these groups, here’s how it works: Basically, they’re like digital garage sales. People unloading used clothes, baby gear, home decor, tools…you name it! And usually at some pretty damn good prices, with the added bonus that most people are willing to negotiate. Oh, and it’s all local, meaning within driving distance! It’s generally pretty easy once someone accepts your offer. The seller will either meet you somewhere public OR do my favorite, “porch pickup” (seller leaves product on their porch, buyer grabs it, leaves money under the mat, then drives away without having an awkward convo with a complete stranger).

While I totally think these types of groups are AWESOME, they have their flaws – mostly the “buyer/seller beware” types. So, obviously, if you’re active on these sorts of platforms, you should use your noggin about meeting people, try to keep it cash only, and don’t be the jerk who stiffs people.

So, here’s why I’m talking buy and sell groups right now: Maybe it’s always been like this and I just hadn’t noticed yet, but…people in these groups can be real assholes.

I don’t know what it is about social media that brings out the worst in people…

Yeah, trolls are nothing new – But here, we have these groups trying to connect honest buyers and sellers, make lives a little more convenient, help ya make a couple bucks…and the trolls show up just to be trolls.

Just…why, though?

On any given day, I see grown adults in my local groups being outright bullies to other adults.

Adults.

I think that’s what irks me the most. Adults being jerks to adults. I mean, any type of bully upsets me – but ya kind of expect to have to teach kids to treat others the way they’d like to be treated. It sucks when you realize many adults act like they’ve never learned that.

OMG, people! Shaming what someone is selling on the internet is like the adult equivalent of shaming a classmate’s outfit at school. It’s like, I can literally visualize these commenters as a mean girl high school clique, bashing others for their own amusement.

This person is calling out someone for trying to sell a used recliner. OK, maybe it’s not in immaculate shape…But, that doesn’t make it useless. Passive aggressive comments are just as mean.

This one brought out plenty of meanies. It was a FREE piece of jungle gym … like, say someone had something similar and it broke, therefore they may be needing parts for fixing. The first commenter here says: “it’s okay to just throw some things away.” Yeah – except the seller was thinking of others first.

Sigh…

I, unfortunately, could give more and more examples.

I’ve seen moms post giant lots of used baby clothes for next to nothing, then get publicly shamed because one or two items look stained in the photos. All I can think is – these clothes are a blessing to someone. That mom might really need that $10 to buy her growing kid new clothes…

But, trolls be trolling.

You guys, I beg you – don’t be like this.

Mean people suck and you’re setting terrible examples for…ya know…everyone, really.