40 Signs You’re a Buy/Sell/Trade Group Admin

Facebook Buy/sell/trade groups make selling used or never used baby and family items is a bit easier — no more creepy Craigslist encounters or long garage sales and you get more money for your items. Even if you’re the type of mom who would prefer to donate her items, a buy/sell/trade group allows you to know who you’re giving your pre-loved items to so that you’re assured they went to a good home. With all the pluses, it’s no wonder moms love creating these groups for themselves and other local moms to buy and resell items in, but being an admin of a buy/sell/trade group does have its frustrations, too. I asked parents from different groups to tell me about some of their experiences as admins to share. If these sound familiar, chances are you’re a Facebook admin (and you enjoy a good laugh while reading this). If you aren’t hopefully you learn a bit about all the work your group’s admins do.

1. You dream about deleting posts that don’t follow the rules
2. Eighty percent of your Facebook messages are from group members with questions or problems
3. Ten percent of your Facebook messages are from members who cuss you out and call you names because they’re being removed from the group (classy mamas)
4. Another 10 percent of your Messages are from people who buy your items for sale (and maybe some friends too)
5. You’ve bumped and reposted the same group reminder more than once
6. You’ve tagged someone in a pinned post
7.  You’ve posted a rules reminder, then someone posted the exact rule violation your reminder was about just above it
8. The keyboard has a dent from banging your head against it
9. You joined a Facebook Admins group as a sort of support group for admins across the world
10. You’ve written ” Read First” in all caps and bold font hoping someone will actually read it
11. You dream about deleting and banning members
12. You’ve gotten mad about seeing multiple pictures in one post in your feed then realized it was from a personal page
13. Tried deleting posts that don’t follow group rules in groups you don’t admin
14. Rolled your eyes while reading “Please delete if not OK to post”
15. Have welcomed new members with a link to the rules then hear, “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know there were rules” when said member breaks the rules
16. You ask that someone moves their post to the appropriate file then realize you wrote that on a friend’s wall post
17. You’ve seen “SOLD” written on a post because members think that Facebook notifies you that way
18. Members tag you to delete their posts instead of deleting themselves
19. Have at least one message from someone complaining that they just tried an item (for the first time) that they picked up a week or more ago and it doesn’t work
20. You’ve had to remind members that you volunteer your time to admin the group, and you don’t sit on Facebook all day long — you have a life
21. Members think you’re on a power kick
22. Your group has had to resort to approving posts before they can be shown on the wall
23. You spend most of your family outings putting out group fires and babysitting a seller’s post where they skip someone or don’t follow the rules
24. You’ve had a member tell you that they can sell items however they want
25. Members have tried to sell fakes and pass them off in your group, despite the rules saying they can’t (and the law)
26. When you caught members selling copied DVDs other members actually defended them and didn’t think it was a big deal
27. You have entire families in your group, and sometimes they form alliances to get the things they want
28. You’ve ever gotten a message saying that another group member is intimidating them
29. Members have said a buyer took the item and didn’t leave money
30. You’ve been stalked and repeatedly messaged by someone you already removed from the group
31. You’ve been blocked by a member of your own group (which leads to their removal)
32. You just learned how to mass delete posts and it feels like Christmas
33. You’ve told members that they can’t sell their formula or any other product samples, just give away for free
34. Members have created their own group because they don’t want to follow the rules of your group, but still actively post to sell items in your group because their group isn’t taking off
35. Had to read a member’s cryptic code-like post a few times to understand what they’re saying because it is the laziest written communication you have ever seen with whole letters and words missing and yet other members totally get it
36.  You’ve shortened group rules and made them into a graphic used as the group’s cover photo to make reading the rules easier
37.  You’ve seen things for sale you would never have imagined someone would post
38. You’ve spotted amazing freebies (hello new slide!) before anyone else noticed them
39. You’ve reported a member to WIC
40. You’ve read something and then face palm

What did I miss? I know there’s more! Please, please share your “know your an admin when . . .” comments below!