There is a general protocol, though unspoken and unacknowledged, for buying and selling items from this website. First, the potential buyer contacts the seller through phone calls or emails to express interest. In that call or email, the buyer asks any pertinent questions they have. Many questions are about when the item was purchased, where it was purchased, was it purchased new, how large or small it is, and whether all of its parts function and present. The seller answers truthfully and openly. If the buyer is still interested, he or she makes an appointment to visit the goods. The price is negotiated and agreed upon as well as a pick up time and date. If all goes well, the potential buyer will become the owner of the goods and the seller gets the money. Everyone wins.
My announcement online states that I am leaving Dakar so I get many requests for objects that a person typically has in a house, especially a toubab household. I just got a phone call about a dryer, I had no idea people owned dryers in Dakar since the sun is always out. I have been asked if I am selling my microwave, I don’t own a microwave. Someone else asked about my dishes and my bed, which I am giving to Otman’s brothers. Another person asked about my armoire, I explained that my armoire not only has a broken shelf but has a hole in the door, and he still tried to buy it. That same man bought my television and walked around my apartment asking if things were for sale. I explained that only the television, living room set, and table are for sale. It didn’t deter him for trying to buy my mirror, bed, fridge, and decorations.
The seven-seat living room set in particular gets many requests. Living rooms sets are crucial pieces of furniture in Senegal. Guests spend a lot of time in living rooms; therefore, the set must be presentable and comfortable. Couches are usually overstuffed and covered in velvet, leather, or simple cloth. Many sets are enhanced with doilies and fake flowers. Mine is boring and plain brown/burgundy faux-leather that Otman bought over a year ago. I had the local carpenter reinforce the arms and fix three of the feet. It is in good condition but probably not flashy enough for the average buyer.
Without even seeing the set in person, I had two people try to bargain the price down over text messages. This not only violates the unwritten rules but also is highly annoying. The person tried to buy the set for half of what I was offering. He or she was aggressive and would not heed to my requests to see the furniture before bargaining. After a total of fourteen messages back and forth, the potential buyer lost interest. Another woman, called me from Kolda, about 250 kilometers away, inquiring about the living room set and dining room table. She said that her husband who would be arriving from France in five days could swing by to check out the goods before heading to Kolda. To get to Kolda, may I add, one must pass through the Gambia. I agreed to this arrangement but said that if someone comes in the meantime and expresses interest, I cannot promise to reserve the furniture until her husband’s arrival.
Reservations get complicated. People express interest and then never make it to my house. They tell me to reserve the furniture for them but then do not call me back. I have decided to prohibit reservation. If a potential buyer wants something, he or she must come to my house, put a deposit down, and we can discuss a pick up date. The fear is that they won’t pay the rest of the money on the pick up date or that they will retract the offer leaving me with a superfluous living room set. That is why I get as many identifying details as possible in case I have to hunt them down.
Admittedly, when it comes to my belongings, I am not the best salesperson. I prefer to sell to customers who are polite and kind and who seem genuinely interested. I sold the cable box for a cheaper price just because the man who bought it was nice, asked many questions, and came quickly to my house. I dislike watching people evaluate my belongings. I will only sell something that is in great condition or else I am too embarrassed. I will not sell the horrid armoire for that reason.
Selling my furniture has provided great insight into the workings of Dakar. I see how people treat vendors, respect requests, follow directions, make appointments and do not show up, etc. It’s a good way to end my time in Dakar.
Living room set for sale!
Dining room table and chairs for sale!
