Respect the hustle, they say. But how can you, when it’s someone selling half-eaten snacks, haunted dolls, or an old shoe described as an antique? At the very least, I’m going to laugh at it.
To prove that people will try to make a dollar off literally anything, we’ve gathered some of the funniest, most ridiculous, and downright confusing online listings ever posted.
Today, you can describe the internet in many ways, and a flea market is definitely one of them — full of scammers and opportunists.
#1 Only On Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: HyperSolid
#2 Air For Sale
Image credits: hmmmmmmmmmmmmO
Some social media platforms seem to be struggling with the younger crowd. For example, only 32% of U.S. teens use Facebook today, down from 71% in 2014, according to the Pew Research Center. And many who are still there choose to stay only because of its resale platform, Marketplace.
Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace has grown into one of Meta’s biggest success stories and now competes with the likes of eBay and Craigslist.
“Marketplace is the flea market of the internet,” said Charles Lindsay, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Buffalo. “There’s a massive amount of consumer-to-consumer business.”
#3 I Believe This Is An Oregon
Image credits: FumingOstrich35
#4 Michael Wave
Image credits: jewishmotherof4
#5 $5000 Lettuce Shard
Image credits: raremetalupa
This is largely because “young people, including students … , are increasingly drawn to used goods,” said Yoo-Kyoung Seock, a professor of textiles, merchandising and interiors at the University of Georgia, who studies consumer behavior among Gen Z and millennials and environmental sustainability in the textile industry.
Meta doesn’t talk much about Marketplace as a business — for instance, how its demographics may differ from Facebook overall and whether it has a vision to grow the platform in its annual reports — but unlike, say, Craigslist users, Marketplace has messaging built in on Facebook, making communication really easy.
#6 Used Toilet Brush For Sale
Image credits: dodgieuhoh
#7 Ponch
Image credits: curry_stains
#8 I Guess He Was Really Excited About The Fig Trees! Found On FB Marketplace
Image credits: nerdy-two-shoes
#9 Haul Away A Collosal Mountain Of Trash For Him. It’ll Only Cost You $1000
Image credits: SmithKenichi
However, there’s still plenty of fraud online. 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some kind of online scam or attack, and 36% say they purchased an item online that never arrived or was counterfeit and it was not refunded.
Interestingly, younger Americans are slightly more likely than their older counterparts to say they have lost money because of an online scam or attack. About a quarter of 18- to 29-year-olds say they’ve lost money in this way, compared to 15% of those 65 and older.
This makes you wonder: how many of these ridiculous listings are actually legit? (Minus the ones that are clearly created as a joke, of course.)
#10 I Was Looking On FB Marketplace For A First Toyota. Then, I Came Across This…
Image credits: SuperJackson20
#11 Portal Potty
Image credits: PierogiKielbasa
#12 First Time I’ve Ever Seen Something Like That
Image credits: YaLikeJazz903
#13 This Terrifying.. “Soup Boy” On My Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: TheShopRat
What’s worse, fake AI listings are also flooding the internet. According to Dr. Kolina Koltai, who is a senior researcher and trainer at Bellingcat and studies how sociotechnical systems influence our decision-making, major advancements in artificial intelligence in recent years have made it harder to differentiate between what’s real or fake, not just when it comes to photos and videos of people, but also in product listings.
#14 Sunroof
Image credits: ModderOtter
#15 Antique Legs
Image credits: PersonNumber277353
#16 Weirdest Looking Gaming PC I’ve Ever Seen
Image credits: HEYYMCFLYY
#17 A Connoisseur
Image credits: mermaid-babe
“Many AI-generated images have some sort of ‘sheen’ or look to them that can set off alarm bells,” Koltai explains.
“Take this image of one of the ‘crystal coffee mugs.’ At first glance, it looks like a beautiful mug. But if you look closer, you might notice defects in the image.”
She says many of us often search for the cheapest items online, looking to get the most bang for our buck, but it is also important to be alert to deals that seem too good to be real.
#18 Why The Hell Did They Photograph Their $75,600 Diamond On A Sandwich???
Image credits: WillowKimba
#19 XL Coughing For Sale
Image credits: darrylmorris
#20 Any Of Y’all Need A Bing Bag?
Image credits: PhantomWang
#21 I Hate Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: stefstefstefsw
Koltai says that a good habit is to always look beyond the listing and consider who is profiting from the purchase.
Is this a name-brand item, or does it appear to be some mysterious seller that has popped overnight out of nowhere? Does this seller have a website, or do they only exist on Facebook or Amazon? If they sell other items, what do the customer reviews say? Is the seller using an AI-generated image as their profile picture?
While it’s funny to see someone trying to get a few thousand dollars for the planet Juniper, there are many more subtle attempts to lure away our money, too.
#22 I Am In
Image credits: eNGjeCe1976
#23 Dwanket
Image credits: itsyaboiFaZeShrek
#24 Anyone Looking For A Chicken Suit? No Questions Asked!
Image credits: Macsquatch
#25 Got That
Image credits: timdot352
#26 An Obvious Joke, But I Thought This Community Would Appreciate The Humor
Image credits: RogueAdam1
#27 Saw This One FB Marketplace
Image credits: No-Engineering-1449
#28 Actual Wtf
Image credits: zorggalacticus
#29 Browsing Facebook Marketplace Never Disappoints
Image credits: thxxx1337
#30 Creepy 12′ Tall Elvis Head
Only 10k
Image credits: sskrimshaww
#31 Think I Can Talk Him Down To $400?
Image credits: RedditorMcReddington
#32 So Rare They Censored It!
Image credits: Zeroshim
#33 Wow What A Steal
Image credits: squidledee
#34 Fire Distinguisher
Image credits: joe-vee-wan
#35 Wtf
Image credits: Topper8
#36 Hmm
Image credits: reddit.com
#37 Selling My Pet Lobster. Do Not Under Any Circumstances Play Him Johnny Cash
Image credits: Galantis31
#38 Toss Da Baby
Image credits: reddit.com
#39 Perfectly Balanced
Image credits: AChikenSamich
#40 “Potential”
Image credits: BastardOfTheDay
#41 Warms For Free
Image credits: qd130904
#42 The Megatron?
Image credits: AdamMGower
#43 Probably
Image credits: lilbopeachy
#44 This Lamp For Sale. Found On My Local FB Marketplace Page
Image credits: Youngsamwich90
#45 Just Some Planters For Sale
Image credits: CrypticGumbo
#46 Used Mask For Sale
Image credits: johnchocolategoose
#47 This Listing On Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: thisisnotafakeplant
#48 It Looks So Tasty
Image credits: gostop1423
#49 $75 Is Way Too Low For This Modern Art
Image credits: KanesCabDriv3r
#50 Fifty Bucks For A Broken Bottle
Image credits: freeski919
#51 1234-2 Isn’t Even That Special
Found in the wild, sent an offer of $30
Image credits: livelaughlard
#52 Mona Lisa Only $1,000,000
Image credits: Defiant-Emergency230
#53 Impressive, But 25k??
Image credits: Mor3lynn
#54 Oo La La What A Stick
Image credits: Caffenative
#55 Wiled Time In The Camper
Image credits: orchid_breeder
#56 Anyone Need A Ladies Old Panties?
Image credits: smash_lay_215
#57 Stealing An Item From Walmart And Then Posting It On FB Marketplace With The Security Alarm Still On It
Image credits: reddit.com
#58 Leftover KFC For Sale On Facebook
Image credits: SR5340AN
#59 Massive Chip
Image credits: _teadog
#60 Only $75!
Image credits: deadlydrip
#61 $200 For Around $40 Worth Of Pennies, Perfect For Collectors
Image credits: lil_freyy
#62 Slightly Sat On…
Image credits: Red-Faced-Wolf
#63 Nightmare Fuel
Image credits: Particular-Tea-7182
#64 A Bargain If You Ask Me
Image credits: thebombchu
#65 Amazing Things Are Happening On Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: EvanPerc_
#66 20 Stackable Chairs
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#67 Fish Water
Image credits: imagesaicouldnt
#68 Nintendo Switch
Image credits: imagesaicouldnt
#69 It’s 100% Authentic
Image credits: Sifaat_Afzal
#70 Please… I Know… The Pixels
Image credits: fleabeak
#71 Does This Count?
Image credits: ShitWeasel69
#72 Walmart Pole
Image credits: reddit.com
#73 For All Your Christmas Shopping Needs
Image credits: RalphiesBoogers
#74 Just Shy Of 4 Chairs
Image credits: billpickle123456
#75 Own A Piece Of History
Image credits: raciallyambiguous
#76 Thanks But I’ll Pass
Image credits: BishopBacardi
#77 Does This Count?
Image credits: reddit.com
#78 A Good Deal
Image credits: obsessivetuna
#79 3D Printers Will Create Life-Saving Synthetic Limbs They Said
Image credits: Caltrn
#80 Rest In Peace
Image credits: Jeff_Puppies
#81 Spice Jar For Sale
Image credits: TangyWonderBread
#82 Blursed Roller Skates
Image credits: flynnmonday
#83 So What Are Your Hobbies?
Image credits: CrackaJacka420
#84 Human Foosball For Sale
Image credits: ComfortableService8
#85 Unique Creation Found On Facebook Marketplace; “Bad Gary”
Image credits: pooptaxi
#86 Legit Post On Facebook Marketplace
Image credits: DrNations
#87 That Burger Cell Is Sweet And All, But
Image credits: reddit user
#88 Be Kind. Rewind. Is Cheaper Than Paying The Fee
Image credits: kurlythemonkey
#89 Catholic Converter
Image credits: reddit.com
#90 Pretty Successful Bookkeeper
Image credits: reddit.com
#91 Fake Wasp Nest
Image credits: Subscrib-2-PewDiePie
#92 I Mean, I Don’t Disagree
Image credits: thegingermullet
#93 Pj Mask
Image credits: luckylad82
#94 Only 1 For Sale
Image credits: NoSirThatsPaper
#95 Arms For Sale
Image credits: reddit.com
#96 Artifact
Image credits: HotColor
#97 I Have So Many Questions
Image credits: reddit.com
#98 Elusive “C” And “K”
Image credits: frienddly_ghost