Questions to Ask on Facebook Marketplace

The questions

Open any question to see why it works.

1. 1

   Is this still available, and what part of town are you in?

   Sellers get a wall of messages saying only is this available and most go nowhere, so pairing it with a second question marks you as someone who will actually turn up. Location decides whether the rest of the conversation is worth having.

2. 2

   Why are you selling it?

   The answer is short and tells you a lot. Moving, upgrading, or it does not fit the new place are ordinary. A vague answer, or a seller with dozens of similar items listed, means you are dealing with a reseller and the history you are told is secondhand.

3. 3

   How long have you had it, and did you buy it new?

   An original owner can tell you what went wrong and what was repaired. Someone who bought it used a month ago is repeating what they were told, which is worth knowing before you weigh anything else they say.

4. 4

   Could you send a photo of the back of it taken today?

   Name a specific angle: the underside, the serial plate, one particular corner, the item next to today's newspaper if you want to be blunt about it. Listings reuse manufacturer images and old photos, and a fresh picture of a detail you chose is the cheapest check available.

5. 5

   Are there any scratches, stains, smells, or repairs that are not in the photos?

   Listing the categories yourself gets you specifics. Asking whether it is in good condition invites a judgement, and good condition means something different to a person who has lived with the thing for six years.

6. 6

   Has it been in a house with smokers or pets?

   For anything upholstered, this matters more than any scratch, because smoke and animal smell in foam is not something you can clean out afterwards. Ask before you drive, because you will not always notice it in a garage.

7. 7

   Can you send a short video of it running?

   For anything with a motor, a screen, or a compressor, a video of it switched on and working answers more than a paragraph of description. Refusal to send thirty seconds of video usually means it does not power on.

8. 8

   What is the exact model number?

   The model number lets you look up the original price, the specifications, the parts availability, and any recalls, and it also lets you check that the photos match the model being claimed. Sellers rarely mind giving it.

9. 9

   Does it come with the manual, cords, remote, keys, or original box?

   Missing accessories are often the difference between a bargain and a project, particularly for power tools, appliances, and anything with a proprietary charger. Ask before agreeing a price rather than after.

10. 10

    What are the measurements, and does it come apart?

    Get width, depth, and height yourself rather than trusting the listing, and ask about the height of the tallest fixed part. The second half of the question is the one people forget, and it decides whether the thing fits through your door.

11. 11

    Is the price firm?

    Asking politely is normal and works better than opening with a lowball number, which many sellers simply ignore. If the answer is firm, believe it and decide, since haggling after that mostly costs you the item.

12. 12

    Where exactly do I collect it from, and what is the pickup like?

    You are asking about stairs, a lift, a gate code, a narrow driveway, and whether anyone will help you lift. A wardrobe on a third floor with no lift is a different purchase from the same wardrobe in a garage.

13. 13

    What time works for you, and can we meet somewhere public?

    For anything portable, meeting in a busy car park in daylight is a routine request and a reasonable seller will not be offended. Many police stations have a marked exchange area for exactly this.

14. 14

    How would you like to be paid?

    Cash on collection, counted in front of them, is the plainest arrangement. Any request to pay in gift cards, by wire, through a link they send, or by anything that requires you to read out a code is a script, not a payment method.

15. 15

    Is anyone else coming to see it, and will you hold it for me?

    The honest answer is usually first person here with the money gets it, and hearing that plainly saves you a wasted drive. A seller who insists on a deposit to hold something is asking for a level of trust that this format does not support.

16. 16

    Are you the person selling it, or are you collecting for someone else?

    Third party arrangements are where most of the trouble lives: a relative who will meet you instead, a courier who will deliver, a friend handling the money. Each extra person between you and the item is a reason to slow down.

17. 17

    Has this model ever been recalled?

    Worth asking for cribs, car seats, dressers with tip-over recalls, space heaters, and anything with a battery. The seller often does not know, which is why you also want the model number to look it up yourself.

18. 18

    Is the title in your name, and is there a loan on it?

    For a car, a boat, a trailer, or anything else with paperwork, this is the question that decides whether you can register the thing at all. A title in someone else's name means walking away unless that person is standing there too.

19. 19

    Can I bring a mechanic, or take it to a shop before I pay?

    For a vehicle, a refusal to allow an inspection is the answer. The same principle scales down: for a laptop, ask to switch it on and sign in, and for a bike, ask to ride it round the block.

20. 20

    Is there anything else I should know before I drive over?

    The open catch-all, and the most useful question on the list. Any hesitation here is worth more than every earlier answer, and it is where sellers finally mention the crack, the missing key, or the fact it is in a storage unit an hour away.