RVN – Marktplaats (Ebay) Deal Gone Wrong: Reality vs Narrative (my experience)
Narrative (what the seller pushes and many people swallow):
“A better offer came in, so I can break the deal. You’re unreasonable because you didn’t pay immediately. I’m the victim, you’re the angry buyer who suddenly changes terms. €150 was just a ‘guide price’, not a real deal.” 😇
Reality (how it actually went – from my side):
I saw a nice Leolux sofa for €200, bid €150 → bid accepted! 🎉
Pickup appointment today 15:00 – I was ready with my own car (nothing rented), stuff moved aside, time cleared. He knew that.
This morning suddenly a message: “higher bid came in”, wants to break the deal or raise the price. 🤨
I tried to keep it civil: “ok, let’s meet in the middle at €175?” – showing goodwill, right?
Seller kept pushing: “other buyer”, “offers €225”, “minimum €200” “you didn’t pay so no official deal”.
I gave ultimatum: €175 or I’m out. He only replied at 15:00 (while I was already waiting!): turning the blame (“you’re upset”, “you changed last-minute”, “not fair to other buyer”). Gaslighting at its finest.
Later even: “other buyer wants to pay €2000 coach” – seriously? 😂
That obviously referred to the new retail value of the sofa (Leolux easily €2000+ new), but he knows damn well €200 second-hand is already a great deal. The market for used designer sofas has almost no traction – no other bid visible in the ad.
Legal fact (Dutch law, art. 6:213 BW):
Accepted bid + concrete appointment = binding purchase agreement. Period.
I had the right to the sofa for €150. Seller unilaterally changed the rules and likely bluffed about the “other buyer” (no proof, no visible bid).
The real pattern – why this is not a coincidence:
Marktplaats = centralized platform with gatekeepers. Narcissistic behavior thrives here:
- Accept bid → later claim “better offer”
- Turn blame when you’re right
- Play victim when you sabotage yourself
This is not an isolated incident. I see it everywhere: price hikes after acceptance, ghosting, gaslighting. Centralized platforms reward this: no real arbitration, no transparency, no sovereignty for buyer or seller.
Why OIM makes the difference here:
On a decentralized, sovereign platform (own node, blockchain escrow, peer-to-peer reputation, smart contracts):
- Bid = binding via code – no “I suddenly change my mind”
- History immutable and traceable – no gaslighting possible
- No gatekeeper deciding who’s right – rules transparent and shaped by users
- I keep control over my data, payment and reputation – no dependency on Marktplaats algorithm
This is not “just a story about a sofa”.
This is a microcosm of why centralization fails: abuse of power, lack of transparency, emotional manipulation.
And why OIM is needed: sovereignty back to the individual – in trade, communication, knowledge and everyday trust.
https://openinternetmanifest.org
Stop depending on gatekeepers. Build your own rules – and your own freedom.
What do you think – recognizable pattern, or just bad luck with an annoying seller? Share your Marktplaats dramas 😅 #RVN #Marktplaats #Narrative #OIM #Sovereignty
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