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THREAD: What I learned about humility and assumptions from a Facebook Marketplace Ad.
My daughter is a student and she was having a clear out. I said I’d help her and put some stuff on eBay and some on FB.
This jacket was something she’d picked up 2nd hand. Listed at £22.
1/
My daughter is a student and she was having a clear out. I said I’d help her and put some stuff on eBay and some on FB.
This jacket was something she’d picked up 2nd hand. Listed at £22.
1/
There were some ‘Is this still available?’ messages but no one was serious.
(If you don’t know this is what happens on FB if an item is say £100:
‘Is this available?’
‘Yes’
‘Will you take £50?’
‘No sorry’
‘£60?’
‘£85.’
...tumbleweed...
It’s annoying).
2/
(If you don’t know this is what happens on FB if an item is say £100:
‘Is this available?’
‘Yes’
‘Will you take £50?’
‘No sorry’
‘£60?’
‘£85.’
...tumbleweed...
It’s annoying).
2/
So, back to the jacket.
There was a message:
‘Hi is this available?’
‘Yes’
‘Will this fit a woman size 12?’
‘Yes. Probably’.
‘Can I try it on?’
‘Sure’.
‘Will you take £20?’
THEN I said:
‘If £2 is that important to you for a £60 jacket, yes’.
Pretty sarcastic.
3/
There was a message:
‘Hi is this available?’
‘Yes’
‘Will this fit a woman size 12?’
‘Yes. Probably’.
‘Can I try it on?’
‘Sure’.
‘Will you take £20?’
THEN I said:
‘If £2 is that important to you for a £60 jacket, yes’.
Pretty sarcastic.
3/
The lady said this:
‘Sorry you feel like that, £2 is very Important to me as I’m rebuilding my life after domestic abuse. I need a coat. Don’t bother’.
I.
FELT.
TERRIBLE.
Seriously. Really bad.
To her credit she hadn’t blocked me and I wrote back.
Apologising.
4/
‘Sorry you feel like that, £2 is very Important to me as I’m rebuilding my life after domestic abuse. I need a coat. Don’t bother’.
I.
FELT.
TERRIBLE.
Seriously. Really bad.
To her credit she hadn’t blocked me and I wrote back.
Apologising.
4/
I told her I was sorry first of all. Sorry I’d made an assumption and sorry she’d been through something so terrible.
I also said I get fed up with chancers and people taking the mickey when I’m selling things.
I also said she could have the coat for a tenner.
5/.
I also said I get fed up with chancers and people taking the mickey when I’m selling things.
I also said she could have the coat for a tenner.
5/.
Again to her credit she accepted the apology. And explained more about her circumstances- moving away from her home and making a new start.
She told me the town where she was working and we tried to arrange her trying it on. (Obviously Ondidnt want her to be uncomfortable).
6/
She told me the town where she was working and we tried to arrange her trying it on. (Obviously Ondidnt want her to be uncomfortable).
6/
So I offered to post it. She gave me her work address and I posted it.
She said she’d pay it via BACS.
I told her to forget it. She needed a coat. She was in need of it.
I was paid in a lesson. I’d forgotten to be kind first.
I learned not to make assumptions.
7/
She said she’d pay it via BACS.
I told her to forget it. She needed a coat. She was in need of it.
I was paid in a lesson. I’d forgotten to be kind first.
I learned not to make assumptions.
7/
We seriously do not know anything about someone else’s life.
It’s easy to react and shut people down.
It’s easy on social media to expect the worst.
So:
Take a breath before you reply.
Try and stay calm and positive.
Admit your mistakes.
#BeKind
.
Ends.
It’s easy to react and shut people down.
It’s easy on social media to expect the worst.
So:
Take a breath before you reply.
Try and stay calm and positive.
Admit your mistakes.
#BeKind
. Ends.
*I gave my daughter £20 by the way.
