Does $0 mean free? Here are the most irritating things Carousell-ers do

If you've been on Carousell, you've encountered it.

A listed item that uses the product's original advertisement, not how it actually looks. A seller who only deals in super-ulu locations.

And what does a $0 price even mean?

A graphic of a "Carousell Seller Starter Pack" has appeared on Reddit, attracting both laughter and agreement.

Tongue in cheek, it teaches a new Carousell-er how to be one, probably taking cue from the behaviour that buyers have become familiar with.

For example, there isn't really a need to entertain potential buyers' questions.

Another: you can always list something you got for free, such as a paper bag from a popular brand.

Yet another: demand to meet only in places such as Tuas, Tampines and Punggol, which obviously can be far for some people.

The Reddit thread drew more examples from other Carousell users.

One lamented that some Carousell-ers price a second-hand product at "0.5 per cent less than brand-new item".

He added that some keep potential buyers in the dark regarding defects.

But the most irritating trend - at least for this writer - is the $0 listing.

There are various reasons for indicating a product is "free".

One, because the platform only serves purchasing of listed items, some eager buyers list the things they want but aren't available instead, hoping to find a match. In this case, they might enter zero for the price.

But Carousell-ers who do this do it to circumvent missing out when buyers filter by price (ikr!)

The graphic cheekily adds that "$500 no nego" (negotiation) is then written in the product's description.

Every coin has two sides and the sellers' side, to no surprise, responded with their pet peeves.

Ahken1990 highlighted how some buyers would ambush sellers by asking for a discount when the seller is travelling to the meet-up. This tactic obviously weakens the seller's position.

Several Redditors mocked students.

Tifuwtf wrote, "Ask you to meet them at 2pm near their school, and cannot do courier 'because I can't let my mum find out'."

"Don't also forget the young students like to give a lot of coins," Ahken1990 added.

Another user probably summed it up best: "$(20 per cent of your asking price) can? Sincere buyer here. Meet me at my void deck at 9pm."

Started by four Singaporeans, Carousell is an online marketplace operating in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

It was in the news recently for its new measures to tackle fraudsters.

According to police, 70 per cent of e-commerce scams happen on Carousell.

tanthiampeng@asiaone.com