I swear, I only meant to try it once. There was no intention of turning it into a habit. But after my first experience, I was hooked. It all began with a dress. How did it spiral into this obsession? It was just a dress!
Let me share my journey. While chatting with a friend about finding a dress for my daughter’s school pictures, I expressed my hesitation about spending a fortune on something she’d likely wear just a couple of times. My friend suggested I check out Facebook for a “B/S/T” group.
A what? A buy, sell, trade group! These are spaces where people in your community buy, sell, and trade items like clothes, toys, and more. Intrigued, I searched for the brand I had in mind and discovered countless B/S/T pages dedicated to everything from adult sizes to kids’ fashion and even items under $50. I clicked the “join” button, and that’s when everything changed.
Once I was accepted, I was bombarded with information. Each group has its own set of rules, and trust me, you don’t want to break them. You could face public embarrassment, be muted for a day, or even kicked out—the ultimate punishment. I was terrified but determined to find that dress! After reading the rules, I dove into the shopping experience.
It’s straightforward: sellers post pictures—often collages—of items on “the boards,” which are just the group pages. They list individual items with size and condition in the comments. And oh, the condition abbreviations! They’re like a secret language. Here are some crucial ones:
- NWT – New With Tags
- NWOT – New Without Tags
- EUC – Excellent Used Condition
- VGUC – Very Good Used Condition
- GUC – Good Used Condition
- ISO – In Search Of
- DOND – Deal or No Deal
Get familiar with these, and you’re on your way! If you see something you like, comment with your PayPal email. The first person to comment gets the item—simple, right? But be careful! Once you comment, you’re committed, and no backing out (unless you want to face the wrath of the community).
Pay your invoice quickly; otherwise, you risk being publicly roasted or worse. If you ghost someone, whether as a buyer or seller, you might end up in a “buyer beware” group—a form of public shaming. You don’t want your name there, trust me.
Once you grasp the basics, you’re ready to dive in! My drink of choice? Diet Coke, paired with a Netflix thriller. I have a favorite brand whose prints are seasonal and some are considered unicorns—rare finds that fetch high prices. I often browse the pages, but the real excitement lies in live purges, where members rapidly sell multiple items.
During these purges, my adrenaline spikes. I prepare my “sold” comment and email address, ready to paste it at lightning speed. My heart races as I look for that elusive romper, sometimes spending more than I should, which I’ll have to justify later.
The community doesn’t just stop at buying and selling. Many groups have chat sections where members share pictures of their finds, seek advice, and showcase their outfits. It’s a sisterhood of women united by their love for bold prints and bargain hunting.
I’m in B/S/T groups daily. While I don’t buy something every day, I’m always on the lookout. I’ve even started selling items myself—things go fast! There’s a whole world of women, just like me, waiting for the perfect item to pop up on their screens. Sometimes, I have to make excuses when I should be cooking dinner, saying I’m “just finishing up some work”—code for “waiting for that dress to appear in the purge.”
I’m not limited to clothing groups. There’s an intense doll group I’m part of, and the beach bag enthusiasts? They’re wild! I’ve succumbed to the craze and now own one of those Crocs bags. It’s a slippery slope, but I embrace my impulse buys—I’m in too deep to back out now.
I bought my daughter that dress on my first night in the group, and that was two years ago. I can hardly remember life before B/S/T groups, nor do I want to. I find more joy scrolling through Facebook at 1 a.m. hunting for a discounted dress than I ever did shopping at regular stores. The thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of a great find keep me coming back.
I should wrap up this essay with something clever, but honestly, I don’t have the time. There’s a hot purge starting, and I have my eye on a few items.
For more insights, check out this other blog post on home insemination.
Summary
This article narrates the author’s journey into the world of Facebook buy, sell, and trade (B/S/T) groups, highlighting the thrill of the hunt for bargains, the unique culture within these communities, and the joy of finding rare items. From understanding the lingo to the excitement of live purges, the author shares the addictive nature of this online shopping experience that has transformed their approach to acquiring clothing.
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