Believe it or not, Facebook Marketplace has become a great place to find vintage furniture pieces and its literally at your fingertips. Don’t have time to search flea markets and estate sales, but desire to find cool old pieces to add character to your home? Facebook Marketplace might be the perfect fit for you. It’s a great place to find one-of-a-kind items that haven’t been marked up by antique dealers…just a field of untapped thrifting potential.
Getting Started
It’s less overwhelming if you begin with something specific in mind. Maybe it’s a decor style you admire, an era in time that speaks to you, or specific fabrics or colors you’re going for. Start by making a list that can help focus your search to a small number of items at a time – think mid-century desks, 1970’s lamps, art deco buffet or green velvet dining chairs.
If you’re looking for antique or vintage pieces, I’d recommend doing your research on quality, so you know what to look for in a listing or what questions to ask if any important details are missing from it. Facebook doesn’t have controls to spot false advertising, so it’s up to you to do your due diligence.
Search Criteria
Open Facebook and click the “Marketplace” icon which will bring you to its home screen. Here you will see “Today’s Picks”. This is the best place to start if your search isn’t specific because it will feature newly listed items and you can just scroll to get a flavor of it. But if you’re following my earlier advice to be more precise, you can look for the search icon in the top right corner and type in what you’re looking for – like vintage desks or mid-century lamps. That said, many sellers aren’t experts and are just trying to get stuff out of their houses, so they might not know how to list their items to attract the best buyers. This is where we can provide some helpful advice on honing in your search to find the really good stuff.
- Save your favorites – In order to optimize what Marketplace shows you, you need to tell it what you like. The way to do this is by ‘saving’ everything you like. Even if you like something you’re not actually planning to buy, the algorithm will pick up what you’re interested in and show you more of it. It does take a little time for Marketplace to get to know you (just like people, right?) so try to scroll through your feed at least once a day and before long, the algorithm will start recommending similar pieces you’ve liked.
- Search Radius – You can find the search radius on the home screen when you open Marketplace. You’ll see your location near the top right of the screen. Just click on that and it will bring you to the ‘Select Location’ screen where you can change your radius preference. Typically, I have mine set at 60 miles, which I see as a reasonable distance to drive for something. But if you play around with it – lower or higher – you’ll usually get completely different items popping up in your feed. While I prefer listings with local pickup, it’s great to have the option of searching nationwide. Some sellers will ship and being open to that expands your options considerably.
- Search terms – Searching by category alone won’t help you find specific items, so you’ll need to be descriptive. And generally, people don’t know the proper words to describe their pieces so varying your search terms may help pull things up that you’re interested in…this may require some patience. Here are some examples:
- Dresser: Search for drawers, chest, armoire
- Coffee Table: Try side table, floor table, small table
- Chairs: Look for upholstered chair, lounge chair, dining chair
- Couch: Try sofa, loveseat, sectional, settee
- Credenza: Search for buffet, hutch, cabinet, sideboard, TV stand, media storage
- Fabrics: velvet, leather, microsuede, linen
- Metals: Brass, silver, gold, copper, chrome, wrought iron
- Wood: Most people don’t know the type of wood their piece is made with, but they may describe it as “solid” or “heavy” which indicates it’s probably well-crafted and a good investment. But it’s worth a shot if you prefer certain types of wood grains – like walnut, teak, maple, mahogany, cherry, oak or pine.
Closing the Deal
I once lost out on an amazing card catalog from the Detroit Public Library that was listed on Marketplace. It was a unique, historically meaningful piece that would have fit perfectly in my living room. It was expensive and I wasn’t sure if I could get help lifting it…so I hesitated while I worked those things out. It was snatched up by another buyer who was able to pick it up same day. It’s been 2 years and I still think about that piece, so hopefully with these tips you can close the deal and avoid losing out on your special piece.
- Timing is Everything – Most people list on the weekends so if you’re hunting for something, this is the best time to stay on top of Marketplace. If you do find something you love, be sure to inquire about its availability and be responsive. The good vintage stuff never lasts long. And be prepared to pick up quickly – especially if there are multiple interested parties – the seller will favor the ones who can pick up the soonest. If for some reason you can’t pick up right away, consider offering to Venmo or PayPal a deposit to hold the item (I don’t recommend paying in full before you’ve picked it up).
- Negotiate Respectfully – There is definitely an art to this. By all means, you should negotiate with a seller if you think the item is priced too high or if it’s over your budget. If you decide to do that, the way you ask will go a long way. Try “Do you have any wiggle room on the price?” Just remember that if its listed reasonably you don’t have to haggle. Well-made pieces have value, and they are pretty hard to come by these days. If you fall in love with a piece, you need to ask yourself – would I be willing to lose it if they have another buyer willing to pay the asking price?
- Research the Seller – Before committing to any purchase or traveling to pick up something you’ve agreed to buy – research the seller! Facebook Marketplace allows you to check out their page and background info. The profile will show you their photo, highlight if you have anything in common (like Facebook friends or belonging to the same Facebook groups), provide ratings from other buyers, and include their current listings. Not only does doing this research tell you more about the seller, but it also gives you a chance to see if they have anything else you’d be interested in.
- Double-Check the Item – Remember that there are no returns with Facebook Marketplace purchases, so it’s important to give your items a thorough once over before you leave with them. For furniture pieces, test stability, make sure drawers open and close properly, check that all the hardware is in place and make sure there are no scratches that weren’t disclosed in the listing. Also be sure to check the measurements to ensure they are as expected (bring your own measuring tape).
Happy Marketplace Hunting
Facebook Marketplace changes constantly and because some sellers are seasoned and some truly are not, your treasure hunting experience from item to item will be different. Try to remember that Marketplace isn’t an antique store, and it isn’t Target. It can be an unpredictable environment. Some sellers are responsive, fair and sell quality pieces. Some people will ghost you, never respond, or misrepresent the item they are selling. But the good far outweighs the bad and its worth the effort you put in when you find something truly special.
Happy Hunting!
~ Beckie
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