The Best Of The Worst Facebook Marketplace Horror Stories

It seems like whenever I go over to someone's place, if I fall in love with a piece of furniture and ask where they got it, they say, "Facebook Marketplace".

The beauty of Facebook Marketplace for anyone who loves vintage or midcentury furniture like I do, is the thrill of seeing something you love, swooping in to negotiate a good price and walking away with a one-of-a-kind steal. It's the online bargain shopping epicentre of secondhand furniture in Australia, and has gained increasing popularity over the years as the very first place you look for interesting home decor.

But with the joys of Facebook Marketplace come the inevitable miseries — scams, cumbersome negotiations, rude people and awkward meet-ups, to name a few. In fact, it seems that anyone who has spent enough time on Facebook's virtual market has had at least one funny, strange or straight-up horrific experience.

So, we spoke to Refinery29 Australia readers to hear the best of the worst Facebook Marketplace horror stories. From jean-lickers to scammers and fighting couples, these stories are almost enough to turn us off Marketplace forever...or at least until we see a side table we're dying to have!