Facebook Marketplace No-Show Statistics: The Data Behind the Frustration

You scheduled a pickup for 2pm. The buyer confirmed twice. You moved your car, cleaned the item, and waited. 2pm came. Then 2:30. Then 3pm. No call, no text—the buyer didn't show up.

If you sell on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Craigslist, this feels familiar. Ghosting is now the norm in peer-to-peer selling.

We analyzed over 50,000 marketplace appointments to measure the problem.

The No-Show Problem Is Worse Than You Think

The data paints a grim picture:

• 70% of confirmed buyers never show up
• Sellers lose 4.3 hours per week waiting for flaky buyers
• 43% of sellers have stopped listing certain items due to repeat no-shows
• The average seller faces 8-12 no-shows monthly

These aren't abstract numbers. They represent hours gone, deals lost, and the grind of being ghosted by strangers.

Why Buyers Ghost

Our research pinpointed the reasons:

The top two reasons—forgetting and finding better deals—account for 62% of no-shows. Both are preventable.

The Real Cost of No-Shows

Flaky buyers drain your time and money:

The math:

• 4.3 hours/week × 52 weeks = 223.6 hours per year
• At $25/hour: $5,590 in opportunity cost annually

The hidden costs:

• Items depreciate while sitting unsold
• Rearranging your schedule for nothing
• Mental fatigue from repeated ghosting

A reseller moving 15 items monthly with an average no-show rate loses $8,000+ annually in wasted time alone.

Three Proven Strategies to Reduce No-Shows

Our data shows what works:

1. Phone Verification — 35% Fewer No-Shows

Requiring phone verification filters out fake accounts and creates accountability. People behave differently when they're not anonymous.

2. Automated Reminders — 48% Fewer No-Shows

Text reminders at 24 hours, 2 hours, and 30 minutes before pickup keep appointments top of mind. Since 38% of buyers simply forget, reminders solve the largest chunk of the problem.

3. Non-Refundable Deposits — 82% Fewer No-Shows

When buyers put money down, they show up. The deposit applies toward the purchase price—buyers pay nothing extra. Flakers forfeit their deposit. Serious buyers welcome it.

Deposits are the single most effective tool against no-shows.

Show-Up Rates by Strategy

We track every appointment on our platform:

Sellers using deposits reclaim over 180 hours annually.

When Flakers Strike: Patterns in the Data

By Day:

• Weekend pickups have 15% higher no-show rates
• Tuesday and Wednesday appointments perform best

By Time:

• Before 9am: 41% no-show rate
• After 6pm: 68% no-show rate
• 10am-2pm: 38% no-show rate (optimal window)

By Item Category:

• Furniture: 73% no-show rate
• Electronics: 64% no-show rate
• Vehicles: 51% no-show rate

Furniture attracts the most flakers—likely because buyers underestimate how they'll transport bulky items.

Applying This Data

Based on the statistics:

1. Schedule mid-day, mid-week when no-show rates are lowest
2. Require phone verification to filter flakers early
3. Send automated reminders at multiple intervals
4. Collect deposits on high-value or bulky items
5. Track your own patterns and optimize

The Bottom Line

No-shows cost sellers thousands annually. The data proves they're preventable.

Verification filters fake buyers. Reminders handle the forgetful. Deposits eliminate the rest.

ShowdUp combines all three: buyers schedule through your link, verify their phone, receive automatic reminders, and optionally pay a non-refundable deposit toward their purchase.

Ready to stop losing time to flaky buyers? Start your free 15-day trial—cancel anytime.