To learn more about how the fascinating world of Uninspiring Adverts came to be, we reached out to the group’s creator, Owen Dawson, and he was kind enough to have a chat with us. “In September 2017, I was a new father with all the irregular sleeping patterns and lack of time that entails. Facebook was my escape; I used Marketplace quite a lot for second hand baby stuff but quickly found myself distracted by the weird and bad quality ads that kept popping up on my feed,” he told Bored Panda.
“I started Uninspiring Adverts mostly for my own amusement, thinking a few friends would be tickled by the ads I shared, but it grew rapidly from the start, so I guess it struck a chord!” Owen continued. “I think creating something that makes people smile is one of the most positive things anyone can do, so I'm delighted that so many people are enjoying it. I do have a lovely team of admins as well who help keep the group a friendly and funny corner of the web.” The group has certainly been a success, amassing an impressive 45k members over the past few years.
We were also curious what the community of Uninspiring Adverts is like. “About 25% of the membership actively posts ads and comments/reacts,” Owen told Bored Panda. “We have a core of about 50 or so ‘regular UAers’ who have been with us since the early days. Generally, the members share the same rather ‘British’ sense of humor. They appreciate irony, wordplay, wit and surrealism, so seem to enjoy the group on those terms. Ads range from mildly amusing typos or misspellings, to the outright jaw dropping bizarre. You never know what's going to be waiting on the approval list next!”
Owen also broke down the several components that make for the perfect “uninspiring ad”. “Ideally, it should be for a low value or poor quality item and include a blurry or irrelevant photo,” he explained. “The description should have several spelling and grammatical errors, and an unrealistically high price tag. Bonus points if the seller confidently announces ‘I know what I've got.’ Ads for used clothing should state 'Never worn’ whilst accompanied by a photo of the garment clearly being worn. Elite level ads will offer buyers the chance to remove some awkward or large item from the seller's property (such as a derelict shed) that would otherwise be disposed of at a municipal tip, and pay them for the privilege.”
“The Holy Grail of UA, though, is a single ad featuring a ‘Chester Draws,’ ‘Nester Tables,’ ‘Otter Man’ and 'Walldrope’,” Owen shared. “We have a standing prize offer for anyone who posts that ad. A few have come close but so far, no joy. My own favorite ad was for a dog walking service, but a rather unfortunate typo gave it a whole different meaning. I can't really elaborate, but if you are British or Australian, you'll know why I still chuckle about it to this day.”
“Like so many things, the Internet and social media have democratized the art of sales and marketing, which are otherwise skilled and complex sectors to operate in,” Owen told Bored Panda. “I guess everyone thinks they're an entrepreneur now, and why not? If you can persuade someone to part with £30 for your ‘TABEL WITH 1 LEG MiSSING’ then good on you. Business is business.”
In a previous Bored Panda article discussing Facebook Marketplace, we reached out to Olivia White, an Australian entrepreneur, mother, and speaker, who has detailed on her blog how she was able to make $15,000 selling items on Marketplace. As far as Olivia’s experiences on the platform go, she says they’ve been mostly positive. “We’ve sold so much over the last few years, especially through growing children and moving/renovating houses!” she told Bored Panda. “It’s been a great tool for both selling and buying. We’ve sold cars, baby furniture, even our shed we were knocking down, we sold and had taken away! Really, you just need to give it a go, as you never know what people see value in!”
We also previously asked Olivia if she has ever encountered anything particularly shocking on Marketplace. “Of course, there are always going to be some dodgy dealings, like counterfeit products and scams, but I think the rule always needs to be, ‘If it seems too good to be true? It likely is!’” she shared.
