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Ask any avid open-air or online marketplace hunter and they will happily tell you about the treasures they’ve found for a fraction of the retail price. No wonder markets are having a kind of renaissance, with people opting for ways to consume more sustainably and budget-friendly.

Facebook marketplace is one such popular destination. The goods are reachable from the comfort of your home, a single message to the vendor away. But the truth is, this kind of shopping often takes a weird turn after people occasionally spot a ridiculous, plain weird or absurdly hilarious item put on sale.

Luckily, there’s a safe place to gather for all those who get frustrated with such bizarre ads. Known as “That’s it, I’m FB marketplace shaming,” this Facebook group is home to 81.7K members coming in for either a chuckle, a vent or random entertainment. Below, we wrapped up some of the funniest examples, so enjoy!

Also, scroll down for our interview with Sean Fowlow, a professional thrift hunter and seller, as well as the creator of "Ridiculous Thrifter", who shared some insights into online marketplaces, the reasons why they’re so popular, as well as whether they will replace good old open-air markets.

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    Sean Fowlow confirmed that lately, online marketplaces have become immensely popular. “It’s my belief that most people would rather browse through locally available items for sale online from the comfort of their own homes… than driving around their area looking for flea markets and garage sales,” Fowlow adds that this takes a lot of time and energy.

    “There is a large community who still enjoy doing this but I would bet there’s an even larger one growing who are frequent online marketplace shoppers, mainly Facebook Marketplace,” the professional thrift hunter said.

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    Marianne Alana
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have to admit, as long as it’s a brand new, never been used, toilet from the store.. it’s pretty creative. 😂

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    According to Fowlow, we are certainly heading in the direction where everything is being done from our smartphones. “As a seller of used items myself, it’s much easier to list all of my garage sale items on Facebook Marketplace than it is to set out a table in front of my house or in a public market and wait there for hours. This way, people can then come get the specific item they want at an arranged time with ease… not having to rummage through hundreds of items set out on tables.”

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    Fowlow agreed that there are definitely a lot of weird, funny, and fake items for sale on online marketplaces. According to him, “Most of them are people just having fun… and it is indeed funny to see these items. For instance, I remember seeing someone selling a stainless steel toaster on Facebook Marketplace where the reflection in the toaster was the seller in his underwear taking the photo for the listing. It was done totally on purpose and I highly doubt there was an actual toaster for sale.”

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    Having said that, Fowlow explained that “even though there are a lot of listings like this, they only make up a very small percentage. The greater deal are legitimate sale items.”

    Fowlow himself shops on online marketplaces often, but he mainly uses them to sell. “As I stated before, online marketplaces (like Facebook) make it so easy for me to sell my items and I get tremendous value and time saved because of the mass exposure the platform provides. It’s completely free to list, and they do not charge any fees… like eBay does.”

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    Another good thing about selling on online marketplaces is that the buyer shows up at your door (or at an arranged location) to purchase the item. Plus, “there are no shipping charges involved. It’s a near-perfect system…”However, Fowlow warns, “there are a lot of questionable people out there… many interested buyers waste my time, failing to show up at the agreed time/place, backing out at the last minute.”

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    Milady Blue
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For that, I expect either Jesus or the Virgin Mary's face on them!

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    Moreover, Fowlow explained that “oftentimes, people will just simply block your account rather than just say, ‘I’m no longer interested in your item.’ As well, the ‘lowballers’ can be ridiculous. These are the people who will offer you but a fraction of what your item is worth. Factoring all of this into the process of buying/selling on Facebook Marketplace, it’s still tremendously worth it!”

    When asked whether online marketplaces will ever drive out open-air markets, Fowlow believes that may be probably if we have another pandemic. “Almost everything is online now. But there is still that old-fashioned crowd who love a good open-air market and will make time and space for them. These markets usually take place in the daytime.”

    Meanwhile, “anyone can browse through items on Facebook Marketplace day or night. It’s so easy,” the professional thrift hunter and seller concluded.

    #16

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    Elijeanah Monroe Report

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    Sir Guy
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is amazing, the fact that there is a random alligator with a nuke makes it so much better.

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    Kerry Mulligan Report

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    Sir Tarsier
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How much would this cost to make y'all would consider it?

    Cashme Outside
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly id do 10-12k depending on miles. I used to detail cars and a few days with an ozone generator followed up with chlorine dioxide tabs, then a full on disinfect/new air filter etc and itd be fine. A bit of work but not that bad.

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    Seabeast
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nothing says "much loved family member" quite like "We didn't notice she was gone for a whole week".

    Pizzagirl 91
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe they just didn't find her, who'd think of looking in her car - hell, who knows where the car would be parked?

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    Dina Anastasakos
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Only problem is the death smell....um.yeah that's one hell of a problem.

    Milady Blue
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Going to take quite a few Febreeze Vent Clips to take care of that smell, alas.

    Izzy Curer
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The Mythbusters tried letting a pig carcass sit in a car for a bit because they wanted to see if it was possible to get the smell out. They couldn't. It had gotten inside the vents, and even after they gutted the seats and replaced all the upholstery, the car still smelled

    RoanTheMad
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm assuming (hoping) that this is a joke... it looks pretty clean and untouched for a car a corpse has been decomposing in for a week. I've seen decomp situations and they literally have to gut rooms etc to clean it.

    Bea Zio
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They surely washed it. Presumably grandma drove to her friend's house for unannounced visit, parked around the block or up the street and happened to die. Only driver's seat would be affected but not by much

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    Sarah Stalder
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's a LOT. What if it's haunted? Why was she in there for a whole week? I have questions.

    Riley Quinn
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What about the fact that she was inside - dead - for a week before found.

    Isabel Care
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Worked at a Saab garage many years ago. We had a car come in in which someone had committed suicide. The mechanics didn't tell me until I said it reeked of fumes (they smelled nothing) but was lovely and cool inside. It was dark coloured and had been in the sun all day. They refused to get in it. I used a seat cover (sop) and hoped the seat had been properly cleaned, no smell or stains, after a body voided it's bowels on it. The guys hadn't even thought of that and it made them even more squeamish.

    Gary Sansom
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is that how you do it! Had no idea! Very interesting. Still wouldn't buy it, old Range Rover are absolute money pits, utter junk!

    James G. Currie
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For that price... I *might* take it. I accept cashiers cheques or money orders.

    Stannous Flouride
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You can NEVER completely remove the smell of a rotting corpse. Every time you turn on the heater or if it gets above 23º (75ºF) the smell will come back. It will get into the fabric of the seats and to your clothes and haunt you.

    Lindsey Judd-Bruder
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not completely impossible to get the smell out. But you'd have to call the pros. Spaulding Decon does this kind of cleanup work. I watch a lot of their videos on YouTube. They have all kinds of special cleaners and machines, and they can really work near miracles. But if any body fluids at all have soaked into any kind of porous material (i.e. wood, drywall, carpet, and, of course, any kind of fabric), that material has to be completely removed and disposed of. If the biological waste ("bio") isn't 100% gone, the smell will come back. And it won't go away, until the affected materials are removed. They get rooms, and even cars, clean, down to the most minute detail-because they have to. And because that's their job. They're probably expensive, but some insurance does cover that kind of cleanup. But even they have a limit, of course, and some things simply can't be properly cleaned. I don't know about this car. But that would be a good place to start, if I was OP.

    Lindsey Judd-Bruder
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Spaulding is great at what they do. They even have an indicator fluid that they spray on, that shows bio that isn't visible to the naked eye, so they make sure to get every bit. And they're also very caring and empathetic, about the work that they do, and the bereaved loved ones for whom they do it. I love them. Side note, I don't know how stepmom sat for a week, before they found her. Unless she drove the car somewhere, possibly somewhere remote, before she unalived herself. And didn't take her phone. If she did that, it might have taken them that long to figure out where she was. Or maybe the family lives out of town, and doesn't talk much, she keeps to herself (no friends or neighbors?) and it took that long for them to realize something was wrong, and come looking. Idk. Car does look awfully clean, though. To have a smell as bad as OP says, it had to be warm enough for the body to decompose, to at least some degree. And they said it was there for a whole week. That means there had to be a lotta bio. And probably bugs, too. Even if the windows were up (you'd be surprised how flies can get into places). But it looks spotless. Weird. Maybe someone is really good at at least surface cleaning. That's crazy though. Poor woman. And her poor family, both losing her, and having to clean up after. May they find peace, and may she she RIP.

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    #23

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    Tina Graeser Report

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    Dandelion Girl
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The vibrator industries are getting more and more creative these days, aren't they?

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    Jasmine Rowley Report

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    v3lv3t_v10l3t
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    nothing like a cold glass of "aaaaah, wtf..." to ease me on my saturday evening

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    #30

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    Aeron Orsie Report

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    Karri Berkowitz
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow here I have been putting leftovers in the fridge, I could be selling them. Lol

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    #34

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    Tina Bales Report

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    Tori Wilson
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People seem to think that adding the word 'vintage' to the name or description of their crappy item makes it instantly desirable. WTF. Yeah nah

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    #36

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    Kelly Forrester Report

    #38

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    Brionna Chantel Report

    #39

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    Elexis Keele Report

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    Mama Panda
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Used once? Like did you rub it all over your body a few times during that one time?

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    #40

    Weird-Funny-Facebook-Marketplace-Pics

    Chomp chomp. Only tried on a few times according to comments. Don’t pass this deal up

    Niki Lea Report

    #41

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    Neve Lamb Report

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    Sir Tarsier
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A mummified body made of paper mache, or a body that was mummified with paper mache?

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    #42

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    Jamie Grandy Report

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    Gaya Knust
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What in the walking sticks Barbies in going on in that picture? lol

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    #43

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    Ahri Snow Report

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    BordestPanda
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    $1 for every year it takes to decompose (/photodegrade, whatever)

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    #44

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    Group member Report

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    Mama Panda
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    hey this would go perfect with that foam (?) shelving thing up higher!

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    #48

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    Rebecca Jennings Report

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    David
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That baby is going to be the best Pokemon trainer ever, it's already holding a pokeball in the top photo

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    #53

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    Kristen Leftwich Report

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    Mama Panda
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What's devorice? Do they whip it good? Do they shape it up or get it straight?

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    #55

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    Danni Shearer Report

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    Jill Sophia
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is that a sound bar in your pocket or are you happy to see me? ;-)

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    #59

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    Elyse Nichole Report

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    Johanna she/her
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yikes! Inflation, back in my day you could get a Squidward Cheeto for 10 bucks

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    #67

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    Breanna Patton Report

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    Mama Panda
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder if I would get both the right and the left for $8 or is it extra?

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    #69

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    The caption reads “In search of a person that wants to fly to Miami with me on July 5th”

    Alondra Martinez Report

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    #72

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    Christine Harris Report

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    Andy Dwyer
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When potatoes go green, they build up a chemical that can poison you.

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    #77

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    Tiff Marie Long Report

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    Sharkbait1313
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't..... I am all about crude humor, but sometimes it's a little too blatant to even be considered humor. Sometimes subtle is more entertaining.....

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    #80

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    Can't believe they were even allowed to keep their old pacemaker generator, let alone sell it.

    Halley Bennett Report

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    Dandelion Girl
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "killed me twice" Sir how is it possible to be killed more than once? Are you writing this from the afterlife?? I have questions

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    #82

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    Jasmine Anderson Report

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    Jessica N
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It looks like one of those meals that gets dropped off for elderly/disabled people for free

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    #86

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    Morgan Derr Report

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    LinkTheHylian
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Give it to all those traitorous bastards who joined the LIV tour. I'm kidding. Nobody cares about golf except old white men and Tiger Woods.