r/WeirdSideHustles • u/Straight_North_8697 • Sep 04 '26
Sharing My Sidehustle I started charging people to pick up their Facebook Marketplace purchases
This started because I bought some random stuff from Facebook Marketplace and had to figure out how to get everything home.
While I was picking it up, the seller mentioned that people sometimes bought things from her and then backed out because they couldn't pick them up.
A few days later, I posted in a local Facebook group saying I could pick up Marketplace purchases for people who didn't have a car or just didn't have time to go get them.
I started with $10 for nearby pickups and $15-$25 for places farther away.
I didn't really expect anyone to message me, but someone asked me to pick up a few boxes and some household stuff.
Then I got another request.
Then another.
Most of the stuff is pretty random. I've picked up chairs, boxes, small appliances and furniture. One time I had to pick up an inflatable dinosaur that was way bigger than I thought it would be. I still have no idea how I got that thing into my car.
I've made about $117 so far.
I've also started combining pickups when they're in the same area. If I'm already driving somewhere, I'll take another pickup nearby instead of making a separate trip.
The funny thing is I thought people would just ask a friend to help them.
Apparently some people would rather pay $15 than spend an hour driving across town for a used table.
It's not a huge amount of money, but I wasn't making anything from those trips before, so I figured why not.
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u/GladClock2212 Sep 04 '26
I really need this service! I don't drive and when I bought my house it had no furniture, I really wish there was this in my area.
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Sep 04 '26
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u/Special_Asparagus_98 Sep 04 '26
Just wanted to say this is brilliant. I must have over a hundred things from FB marketplace and the number of times I’ve lost out on something good because I couldn’t grab it that day is honestly sad to think about. I resell some midcentury furniture (I restore) small things. You should reach out to dealers honestly. Charge hourly to wait in estate sale lines early in the morning. I’ve gone at 4 am and not been the first person on the good ones. The mid century stores make bank and wouldn’t blink at $30-$50/hr so they don’t have to get there until 9. You’d probably have to stick to one company or get banned by the estate sale agents though.
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u/mamadoedawn Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
As a working mom who likes to try to buy secondhand but just doesn't have the time- I'd pay for this. Love this idea
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u/Even-Jury353 Sep 05 '26
Same. My kids are growing out of stuff like crazy (even cribs, beds, etc) and I have had to pass on so many good deals because I simply can’t prioritize the amount of time in the evenings
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Sep 04 '26
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u/FrankieG889D Sep 05 '26
You could use uber courier if you wanted to, but this is great also. Fuck uber!
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u/mebigRick Sep 04 '26
Not sure you’re not gonna find yourself in between some bad deal sometimes. Maybe if you’re not driving too far it can work out. Can’t imagine you’re gonna find a lot of people want to pay you upfront.
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u/Motos_and_jeeps Sep 04 '26
I’d easily pay $20 to someone to go pick up something that’d take me an hour to do.
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u/BookLifeBalance Sep 05 '26
As someone in a big public transport city without a car or even a drivers license, I’d definitely pay for this. There are plenty of times I see something I want on marketplace and then opt out of purchasing because it would be too far or too cumbersome to bring home on the train. Good for you for starting this!
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u/s_parras13 Sep 05 '26
I have severe driving anxiety if this was offered in my area I would be a daily customer tbh
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u/Electrical_Ask6822 Sep 06 '26
Hi.I lives in Bayonne Nj.I can offer my driving services.I have been working for FedEx for last 15 years.But due to Tariffs on freights they don’t have any loads for Me.I bought a suv for some part time work .Thanks
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u/InterestOverall2539 Sep 04 '26
Sometimes you have to start at a low price point just to see if everything works once it works then you can start gently raising your pricing. Can I ask you how the payment works?
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Sep 04 '26
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u/InterestOverall2539 Sep 04 '26
That sounds good… I bet you will be getting repeat customers with a service like that… maybe even tips!
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u/REDDITgirl__ Sep 04 '26
Does the gas/commute time still make it worthwhile? Like what’s your profit from that $117, based on what you spend in gas w all the commuting?
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u/youhadme_atclookies Sep 04 '26
Wondering this too
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Sep 04 '26
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u/blvntforcetrauma Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
I posted a separate comment saying you’re selling yourself short on your pricing (and can’t find it to add and edit ) and hope maybe this gets more visibility.
If you’re in the US, companies who have employees that travel in their own vehicles to a job site in their own vehicles on average compensate between $.70-$.76/mile. This is to cover gas and wear and tear on your vehicle.
Maybe (again, speaking from the US) charge a flat fee within certain zip codes, and then a flat rate outside of those zip codes + per mile.
I’d also suggest calculating in doing these things during rush hour because time equals money. And hell, even charge a rush fee if they needed it immediately.
Last but not least, AI sucks but it’s great with math and as much as I hate suggesting it- it could help you solve for these rates.
The reason Ubers courier service is so expensive is because they take a large portion of the total fee and give their couriers pennies on the dollar. You have the ability to cut out the greedy tech companies and still charge significantly less than they do.
EDIT: Also just as a suggestion, to protect yourself from liability issues, make sure to provide a copy and paste disclosure to the individual paying for the service. Make them type “I agree” that you are not liable if the item is not as described and completely between them and the person they purchased it from.
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u/Plus-Promise-1342 Sep 05 '26
It’s cheaper for people to sell furniture than pay for someone to come pick it up and dispose of it. I was shocked when I found out how much companies wanted to charge me to pick up junk. You’re totally onto something but there’s room to expand and make lots of $$ when you’re aware of how much other services are charging. Totally worth doing some research and getting a little business savvy
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u/dadydaycare Sep 05 '26
I basically did this while I was doing uber. Stick to about $1 a mile round trip and you’re golden. If it’s more than like 10-14 miles both ways you should be charging like 20-25 period. Big or small otherwise you’re not making money. Anything farther than 20+ miles and you’re getting close to min wage unless you raise the rate. Basically look at what a uber ride would cost and cut it by like 30% and your in the money for personal deliveries.
For larger or multiple big items I’d charge a premium. Like a coffee table or similar it would be $25 flat even if I was only going like 2-4 miles.
Most people are more than happy cause it’s still way cheaper than taking a uber to go get it themselves. And you’re doing all the actual work/ meeting the Facebook weirdos for them. I think my best day was like $250 for 6 hours of work. Delivered a full dining set and a curio cabinet. charged like 75-80 for both and got tipped. The table and chairs sucked and the lady was stoked when brought them into the house for her cuss wage thigh I was just gonna dump it into her front yard.
I miss my SUV
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Sep 04 '26
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u/youhadme_atclookies Sep 04 '26
Oh smart! Thanks for the reply. I’ve had the thought to do this before and wondered if it would be worth it esp with gas prices being the way they are rn
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u/IssLtt07 Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
OK, I am so glad you posted this. this is something I have actually thought about doing. And would also love for it to be available after purchasing something late at night and then realizing the next day how far away from me it is lol 😀
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u/Fit_Attitude4980 Sep 04 '26
Honestly a smart idea, but with the gas+ wear and tear on your car 10-25$ is low especially if gas is higher in your area or city.. idk just my thoughts but if it’s cash money it’s cash money.
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u/WrongAssociate4597 Sep 04 '26
Wait this actually makes sense 😂 I feel like the hardest part would be dealing with sellers and making sure the stuff is actually there when you arrive. Have you ever had someone flake on you?
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u/Axi_0m Sep 04 '26
Sounds like you’re starting a courier service. I use them at work for same day delivery of sensitive documents. Nice
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Sep 04 '26
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u/Axi_0m Sep 04 '26
If you’re operating in a city, at least where I work, the courier community is small and niche. Reliable couriers are vital, and I make an effort to develop lasting professional relationships with the good ones. I don’t think it’s an easy job, but if you enjoy it, there could be a greater market in your area.
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u/AlvinsCuriousCasper Sep 04 '26
I paid a seller extra to deliver something to me. I needed a table but didn’t have time or the proper vehicle. I offered an extra $30 if they could deliver it to me. They gladly did, which was really nice. 5yrs later I still have the table 🙃
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u/TTheuns Sep 04 '26
$15 vs driving an hour is a steal. Anyone can make $15 in that time at their job and they don’t have to cover the cost of owning a car, registering a car, insuring a car, maintaining a car and refueling a car.
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u/Imaginary-Photo5221 Sep 05 '26
Now would be a good time to take a shooting course and get a gun. A lot of ppl have been killed or worse going to Facebook marketplace meetups.
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u/Threnjen Sep 04 '26
I would definitely hire you. I don't buy stuff on marketplace because my time is money and I don't have an hour to spend driving across town to get something, even if i really want it.
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u/newsplight Sep 04 '26
So they pay via Venmo to the seller without inspecting the purchase? I see the potential for a few operation disruptions. Maybe a contract would save you some hassle if a transaction ever went sideways
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u/Hood6446 Sep 04 '26
Dude that's a great idea. My husband and I only have one car (that he takes to work most days) but I would love to be able to still get things from marketplace.
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u/Lifebeforedubstep Sep 04 '26
I would definitely do this but my wife would kill me. I won’t even leave to get her own marketplace finds 😂 (I still do, sometimes)
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u/Aggressive_Use3654 Sep 05 '26
Have they already paid for the item before you get it or do you pay up front and expect them to not back out
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u/Linazoidian Sep 09 '26
My neighbors always post free stuff when I’m at work and I want it and can’t go get it, by the time I’m off work it’s always gone lol so this is smart!
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u/GovernorSan 22d ago
This is brilliant, I think I'm going to steal this, hopefully we aren't in the same area.
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u/FIGnewtenz Sep 04 '26
Honestly, I would pay for this too, I’ve purchased a lot to get my money’s worth out of this
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u/Southern_Bunch_6473 Sep 04 '26
Is this an American thing? I’m in Aus and people advertise to help pick things up in their Utes pretty much everywhere.
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u/blvntforcetrauma Sep 04 '26
I don’t know if anyone has said this yet, but if you’re in the US, I urge you to look up Ubers “courier” service.
You are severely undercutting yourself. You can absolutely charge much more than you are now and would still be way less expensive than courier services.
Please don’t sell yourself short! You’ve found a niche where the only competition price gouges for the same service.
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u/Plus-Promise-1342 Sep 05 '26
I loved traveling more to work until I started needing to change oil every 3 weeks and actually do tire rotations so I could make a set last at least a year. Then I realized I was just gonna need a whole new vehicle and wish I had just stuck to running beaters….but those would’ve needed more random repairs…..
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u/chantillylace9 Sep 05 '26
I think this is great and you can really advertise to women and focus on the safety aspect as well, so not just people that don't have a car or don't want to actually go make the trip, but for women that are single or don't want to do random marketplace purchases because they fear their safety.
So that's definitely another aspect worth looking into.
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u/OGLikeablefellow Sep 05 '26
Just so you know doordash pays about 17 dollars an hour and it's more steady. So maybe think about raising your prices
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u/riotsnail Sep 05 '26
I wish someone would do this near me. I want to buy a treadmill but have no way to get it home lol
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u/Reesirie Sep 05 '26
Yeah I get it. There is some really good stuff for cheap prices, but would be pain for me to get since I don’t have a car.
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u/davidtsmith333 Sep 05 '26
Not a bad idea and looks cheap to me. However in my country FB Marketplace has gotten a bad name because some customers have reported they were lured to locations for pickup by people pretending to be sellers and robbed. Same has been happening to UBER drivers going to pick up pretend customers.
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u/spatula121 Sep 05 '26
I used Uber courier for this when I didn't have a car, but I'm not a big fan of supporting them so I would have loved to have this as an option instead!
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u/Lumpy_Appeal_5321 Sep 05 '26
This might be a silly question but how do you accept payments?? Do you ask them to Venmo you or take cash when you see them in person?
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u/feelalright Sep 05 '26
Hope you’re averaging at least $25/hr and $1/mile. Otherwise most likely you’re burning money through your operational costs.
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u/Thick_University177 Sep 05 '26
Up your prices. It’s too cheap if you account for labor including communication, time, & gas.
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u/Jadarken Sep 06 '26
Great idea. Just consider that sometimes there might be bugs like bedbugs and silverfishes if you store those in your house multiple days.
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u/Illustrious_Exit_256 Sep 07 '26
Such a great idea! My husband picks things up for family all the time. I told him he should charge more to grab things for others.
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u/No_Entertainer_4258 Sep 07 '26
That's cool! If you are willing to that you can also add the delivery convenience service:) Basically bring stuff from person A to person B! Like I was thinking the other day cuz I forgot some important paper at home and my husband was home but couldn't bring me the paper cuz of his appointments. So would've been cool for 15$ or so to have someone come to the house pick up the papers and bring it to me??? My husband could've just left them on the porch or so!
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u/LeviStraussOfficial Sep 07 '26
If you’re good at low stakes negotiation you could even become a “broker.” Charge extra and make some deals
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u/WohnJick_78 Sep 08 '26
I delivered a sketchy package through Ubereats once to a sketchy hood in the middle of the night. Probably not the best choice to make, But this is a great idea.
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u/PinksPlants Sep 08 '26
Can I ask how u word it? And do u market yourself in local FB groups, or on marketplace?
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u/PressPrx Sep 08 '26
Please look up mileage rates and wear and tear on your car. You're not making money here.
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u/superash2002 Sep 10 '26
I sold a sectional to a man on Facebook. He mentioned he was going to go get it after he got a uhaul. I sad I would deliver it for $15 extra.
He got the couches, I got an extra little bit and the transaction was done in 45 min vs him taking hours to get the truck, get the couch, drop off and return the truck.
I know coworkers who advertise strong bodies for hired help on uhaul. They get paid 400-800 just to load/unload your moving van.
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u/LiquifiedMetal Sep 11 '26
Have your relatives and friends started asking you if you can deliver to them for free yet?
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u/TheBrontosaurus 28d ago
Just make sure you’re charging enough for gas and wear and tear on your car. A small newish car will be close to 50¢/mile. A truck or suv or an older less fuel efficient car is probably closer to a dollar per mile.
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u/spiritualshift33 20d ago
So if we want this done locally, we have to post in a Facebook group and ask? I really need this but don't know how to approach it
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u/Ambitious-Bad-6779 Sep 04 '26
youre a delivery driver... just sign up for doordash or ubereats
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u/Desperate-Trainer-59 Sep 04 '26
No, Uber, Doordash, etc. take up to 60% and the 40% you keep is taxed. This model is wayyyy better, keeping 100% and is cash.
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u/Ambitious-Bad-6779 Sep 04 '26
Cash income is also taxed... plus you're not dealing strange/random sellers from facebook, you're going directly to businesses and picking up items already prepared. And you can get as many orders a day as you want, this model is very limited.
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u/leesonreddit Sep 04 '26
Like you, I am shocked people messaged you. I hope you get payment upfront. That also makes me wonder, why a buyer would trust you (no offense). You could just take the money and never go get item/deliver it.
Everything here sounds like a lot of trusting around the board. I am hesitant selling/pick up my own shit.
Be careful out there, you never know where a potential "buyer" could be sending you. Also have to consider gas/electric and wear and tear on car etc. Seems like you could uber/doordash or any of those similar models and do better.
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u/Maumau93 Sep 04 '26
What's to stop me pretending I bought something only to fill your boot with junk that would cost me to dispose of at the tip? How much do you charge?
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u/[deleted] Sep 04 '26
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