For as long as people have had possessions, they’ve wanted to get rid of some of them—the old, the worn, the no-longer-useful. In the past, people traded their unwanted goods for someone else’s.
When money took over trade, the flea market and yard sale were born. But sorting through endless piles at a sale to find the item you’re looking for can be an exhausting and fruitless task. However, with the dawn of the Internet, a new way of person-to-person buying and selling was born.
When Shannon Adams Brewer first discovered Facebook yard sale pages, there was only one in existence for the Murfreesboro area. She joined the group in hopes of selling some of her children’s used clothing, hoping to recoup some of her initial cost and to let the practically new items that simply no longer fit go to a new home.
Shannon Adams Brewer
“Yard sales are hot, inconvenient, and a lot of work,” says Brewer with a laugh. With five children and a part-time job, she thought the yard sale page would be an easier way.
But Brewer soon found she didn’t enjoy the tone of the group she had joined. The administrators banned users and outlawed certain posts with, it seemed to her, very little provocation. Not being one to stand idle, Brewer simply started her own yard sale group, entitling it “Murfreesboro Mommys Yard Sale Site.” She shared it with her friends who were interested in kids’ clothes and toys. “I shared it with my friends, and they shared it with their friends,” she says. The group’s growth quickly became exponential.
“There are a lot of yard sale pages now, some just for specific areas,” says Brewer. Over time, Facebook has adapted to the needs of those who use the social platform to buy from and sell to other users. Whereas before, one simply posted to a wall, yard sale sites are now equipped to let posts list a title, price, and location as well as pictures and descriptions. Those interested in the items posted can comment on the post to bargain, arrange meeting times, and establish an order of first-come, first-serve, should the original deal fall through.
Brewer’s own group has also adapted to the changing needs of its community. Brewer changed the name to add “(and Daddys too :))” after a few complaints from fathers who wanted to use the page as well. Keeping in mind what bothered her about her first experience, Brewer enforces very few rules on her page. She is the sole administrator; “I had a helper, but it got to be too much for her and she gave it up,” she says. She doesn’t restrict the items advertised on the page to kid-related items, outlawing only items that are eligible to be received through WIC in order to avoid abuses. She bans users for breaking appointments with no explanation and for abusive behavior, and she asks that all buyers and sellers be located in the greater Murfreesboro area. Otherwise, pretty much anything goes. And it really is anything: folks sell everything from clothes and shoes to furniture, electronics, home décor and even pets.
Nevertheless, Brewer says, she still gets dozens of messages a day with questions about the page’s rules, complaints about no-shows and reports of conflicts. She scrolls through the most recent posts on the page a few times a day to moderate for complaints and conflicts. She also has to approve new members for entry into the group, allowing her to weed out obvious spammers and people who don’t live in Murfreesboro. “I’m going to need to get another admin soon,” she says.
And no wonder—as “Murfreesboro Mommys Yard Sale Site (& Daddys too :)) has rocketed past 10,000 members. That size has its consequences, Brewer found recently when she tried to remove the smiley face from the page’s name. “Apparently after 10,000 users, Facebook won’t let you change the name anymore,” she says ruefully.
Brewer herself still frequently uses the site to sell outgrown clothing and toys her kids have gotten tired of. “There’s no benefit to me whatsoever,” says Brewer. “I don’t get special treatment, and I don’t get paid. I just shop and sell like everyone else.” Still, she adds, “I’ve met a lot of people through there, just from being on it.” She may not have signed up for a group this large, but Brewer has certainly stepped up to the plate—and judging from the sheer volume of posts and responses on her page, Murfreesboroans consider it a valuable service.
