For students and community members, it is easy to turn a quick profit and find inexpensive used goods online. Facebook groups such as “sell your stuff @ BYU-Hawaii” attract thousands of members who use the group as an online marketplace to sell their old things.
First, local members post pictures of their goods with an asking price. Then, potential buyers comment on the photos until a price is agreed upon. Then the buyer and the seller find a meeting place in Laie, exchange goods for cash, and walk away. It’s simple and easy.
Joey Stanford, a junior studying math education from California, is quite experienced with these groups. “I look through it about once a week. I've bought a couple bikes, a few bags of chocolate, a kayak… I've sold a few bikes as well.”Some students are trying out “sell your stuff” for the first time.
Caressa Pitt, a senior studying graphic design from the North Shore, made her first sale last weekend. “It was wonderful! I sold some dresses that I hadn’t worn for a long time that were in pretty good condition.
"I sold each dress for $5, but if they bought two, then $8 together. I made about $40 from one day, so it was pretty great. I have so many more clothes to sell, so I need to get on that. Take pictures and put them on.”Some students and community members make food in bulk to sell on these groups.
"Fresh cinnamon rolls, lunch plates, and even cakes are often advertised and sold through Facebook. Although most of the online marketplace groups accept any kind of submission, some groups are more specific.
“Buy/sell textbooks @ BYU-Hawaii” focuses solely on textbooks, and other, smaller, groups advertise cars or even carpools. Regarding the groups with fewer restrictions, Stanford said,
“Sometimes you'll see stuff like a half eaten tub of peanut butter... Or a crib, and comments like ‘does the crib come with the kid?’”Kathryn Wells, a junior studying business management from Colorado said, “I love ‘sell your stuff.’
"I think it is a great asset to our community. Sometimes there are people who are leaving the island, so you get their things for a really good discount: like laundry detergent or tampons.”
To get started, request to join one of the following groups on Facebook. Usually, a member of the group will have to approve your membership, but it is a quick process to be approved. Happy Shopping!
Here is a list of Facebook groups, the number of members, and a snippet from the group’s online description.
● Sell your stuff @ BYU-Hawaii (8,646 members)
○ “BYUH-oriented website to sell and buy ANYTHING relevant to student life. Mahalo :)”
● Buy/sell textbooks @ BYU-Hawaii (2,739 members)
○ “Hey there, so you found the site in which you can buy and sell textbooks. This is only for books, if you need to sell other things please post it to the other facebook page. Awesome, thankyou everyone, happy buying and selling!!”
● Buy/Sell @ North Shore Community and BYUH (3,275 members)
○ “Buy and sell your things to the north shore community! You may also advertise your local events here.”
● Buy and Sell ANYTHING @ BYU-Hawaii (5,597 members)
○ “Just as it says... Buy/Sell ANYTHING here at byuh.... the other groups made restrictions on what we can buy or sell so we made this one with less rules and regulations.”
● Sell ur stuff at BYU-Hawaii (1,188 members)
○ “Sell your car, textbook, unwanted household items, clothes, and whatever else you want! This is your group BYU-Hawaii! Take care of one another and have a win-win attitude. Happy sales everyone :)”
● Sell Your Stuff in LAIE (5,042 members)
○ “Sell your stuff in Laie is a community group.”
● Laie, Kahuku and Hau’ula FaceList Buy and Sell (1,544 members)
○ “Hello this is a place like craigslist, but its facelist.. lol just to buy and sell things, please do not false advertise, Aloha! *Local pick up, purchase only”