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No-Show Buyers on Facebook Marketplace
They confirmed. They seemed keen. Then nothing. Here's how to handle it.
Why buyers no-show
No-shows are frustrating, but they happen for a range of reasons—not all of them malicious:
- →They found a better deal elsewhere and didn't bother to say so
- →Life got in the way (work, kids, car trouble)
- →They were never truly committed—just saying yes felt easier than saying no
- →They forgot, or mixed up the day
None of these make it acceptable, but understanding them helps you set up your process to minimise the impact.
How to prevent no-shows
- 1.Get their phone number. Buyers with skin in the game communicate. "Can I grab your number in case anything comes up?" is a reasonable ask.
- 2.Confirm the morning of. A quick "Morning! Just confirming you're still coming at [time]?" filters out flakes before you've waited around for them.
- 3.Keep your listing active. Don't take the item down or mark it sold until cash is in hand. Keep backup buyers warm with "I may have someone else coming—I'll let you know if it falls through."
- 4.Don't go out of your way. If the meetup requires you to drive somewhere or take time off, the stakes are higher. For small items, opt to have buyers come to a convenient location for you.
What to do when it happens
At the agreed time: no sign of them
"Hi, just checking—are you still on your way?"
20 minutes later: still nothing
"I'm going to assume something came up. I'll re-open the listing—let me know if you'd still like it and we can reschedule."
Then immediately message your next buyer: "Hey, still interested? The other buyer didn't show—you can come [time] if you'd like."
Should I require a deposit?
For high-value items (over $200), a small holding deposit via Venmo or PayPal can be reasonable. It signals that the buyer is serious. The downsides:
- ⚠Many buyers won't agree to it and will move on to a different listing
- ⚠If you have to refund it, it creates friction
- ⚠Complicates what should be a simple transaction
For most items, the better approach is: keep backup buyers warm, don't take the listing down, and accept that the occasional no-show is just the cost of using a free platform.