The Excuse Files: A Reseller’s Greatest Hits 🎭

If you’ve ever sold items locally such as Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist—you already know this truth:

Interest does not equal a committed sale.

Over the years, I’ve kept a list of the reasons people give for not picking up something they were very interested in. I’m not talking about honest changes of mind—we all get those. I’m talking about the full-blown, dramatic stories that interested buyers come up with.

Here’s a compilation of excuses I’ve collected over the years. Some are real. Some are dramatic. Some are…pretty impressive.

🚗 Transportation Troubles

• “My car stopped working last night and had to be towed.”

  
  

• “My husband actually needs the truck tonight so I don’t have a ride.”

  
  

• “I’m stuck today.”

  
  

• “My husband had to use my money for bus fare.”

  
  

🏥 Medical & Emergency Edition

• “I’ve been at the ER all day.”

  
  

• “My MIL is very ill.”

  
  

• “My husband has cancer and I’m emotional.”

  
  

• “I had to take my nephew to urgent care.”

  
  

• “Baby is sick and I can’t leave the house.”

  
  

• “I’m in quarantine.”

  
  

💸 Financial Plot Twists

• “I had to lend my niece money.”

  
  

• “I had to help a family member.”

  
  

• “I had unexpected expenses today.”

  
  

• “I no longer have the funds.”

  
  

📍 Location & Timing Confusion

• “I never made it to Greeley.”

  
  

• “I’m actually in Windsor.”

  
  

• “Can I pick up tomorrow?”

  
  

• “Something came up.”

  
  
  
  

🧨 The Dramatic Finale

• “A family member was shot last night.”

  
  

• “My husband just got laid off.”

  
  
  
  

These are the messages that arrive after hours of coordination, confirmations, and polite follow-ups—and somehow still end with “I’ll have to pass.”

🤔 What Sellers Learn

After a while, you stop taking it personally. Sellers learn a few things quickly:

• Interest is not commitment

  
  

• Confirmation is not guaranteed

  
  

• Pickup time means nothing until the item is gone

  
  

• Silence is an answer

  
  

• And no item is “sold” until it’s actually picked up or paid through PayPal, Venmo or Cashapp prior to pick up.

  
  
  
  

Most sellers eventually adopt a simple policy:

First come, first serve. No holds without payment.

Not because we’re heartless—but because experience teaches us efficiency.

❤️ A Little Grace (With Boundaries)

Life does happen. Emergencies are real. People struggle. But as sellers, we also learn to protect our time, energy, and sanity.

So if you ever wonder why a seller says:

“WILL NOT HOLD” or “First come, first serve”

Now you know...

They’ve been through the excuse mill.