Wallapop: Haggling, Ghosting and Overpriced Second-Hand Goods

Wallapop: Lots of Questions, Few Sales

A scooter listed as "foldable" prompts a buyer to ask if it actually folds. A seller takes eight days to reply with two dry words. Another interested party offers €50 for an item and vanishes. Users describe digital second-hand trading as an ecosystem where real bargains coexist with lowball offers, noting that the most common question isn't about price, but how long the other side will take to respond.

The platform works, according to participants. Cars, apartments, ESO textbooks (Spanish secondary school books), car seats, and even electric bikes have been sold across Spain. But users say this efficiency comes with high friction: wasted time, absurd conversations, and mismatched expectations in the second-hand market.

Used Prices That Don't Drop

The most frequent complaint involves sellers who think their items are gold. One user describes a Makita SDS drill listed for €120 when new on Amazon for €130. The buyer sent the retail link; the seller dropped the price to an "irresistible" €100, yet no deal was made. This pattern repeats with motorbikes, graphics cards, and electronics: some argue the market is inflated because sellers compare prices to what they paid, not the used value.

Conversely, genuine bargains exist. A 24-inch screen for €10. A €700 recliner sofa for €80, provided you disassemble and transport it yourself. Brand sunglasses for €15. Bargains require effort: savings come at the cost of hours spent hauling goods and unanswered calls.

Ghost Buyers and Dry Sellers

Communication, not price, is the main grievance. One user estimates that out of ten contacted sellers, one replies same-day, another next-day, three take one to two weeks, and five never respond. Chat functionality is also unreliable; some users must restart their phones to get notifications, while others receive none.

Sellers face similar issues. Messages starting with "I'm interested" often die there. Haggling over €1 on a €5 item. People asking to reserve items then disappearing for cheaper options. Veteran advice is clear: don't reserve anything; let serious buyers pay and collect. If someone haggles too much, let them go.

In-Person Sales and Gender Bias

Some experiences reveal societal trends beyond the app. One user claims identical listings posted by women sell faster than those by men. The explanation isn't commercial but safety-related: meeting strangers intimidates women more, leading to profiles with more history and reviews. Practical advice includes meeting in public places, during office hours, or in buildings with security.

The Unused Rating System

Seller fruta should be the filter, but users say it fails. Antiestéticar of retaliation prevents negative ratings, similar to other sharing economy platforms. An amplifier with a defect detected by the buyer, which the seller eventually gave away, received no bad review. The star system measures buyer comfort, not seller reliability.

Wallapop vs. Milanuncios

Comparisons with Milanuncios (a Spanish classifieds site) are common. Wallapop's advantage is geolocation: listings sorted by proximity reduce logistical costs. Disadvantages involve content quality. Some find it more serious than classic sites, with less opportunistic resale and fewer undeclared job ads. Others see more noise, jokes, and clueless sellers.

Ultimately, Wallapop functions and has changed how Spaniards buy used goods, but suffers from structural incentive problems: sellers want maximum profit, buyers minimum cost, and neither rushes. What is a dusty five-year-old drill really worth?