🔥 Why a $5 Amazon FireTV Took Weeks to Sell — Despite 210 Views and 39 Interested People

Team at LSH
May 11
2 min read

You’d think pricing an item at just $5 would guarantee a quick sale, right? That was the plan when I listed a first-generation Amazon Fire TV on Facebook Marketplace, for selling a used item not for profit. It’s a known brand, works just fine, and I priced it lower than a cup of coffee. Sure, the remote didn't work, but the device works.

But here's the twist: Despite 210 views and 39 direct people interested and 45 messages, it sat unsold for nearly 5 weeks.

This isn’t just about a slow tech sale. It’s a deeper look at perceived value, digital trust, buyer behavior, and the surprising gap between attention and action.

📊 The Numbers Were Strong

Here’s how the listing performed out of the gate:

210 views
39 directly interested people reaching out, most of which showed enough interest to buy it
Yet 0 sales until 5 weeks later

Some messages included:

“Is this still available?”
“Yeah I can go pick it up. When is a good time to go to pick up?
“Good afternoon, is this still available? Where located"

🧠 Why It Didn’t Sell Immediately (Even for $5)

1. Obsolete = Undesirable

The words "first generation" signaled outdated tech. Even for $5, people want a streaming device that feels current. For me, it still worked, but I never used it.

2. Low Price, High Suspicion

Ironically, the low price raised red flags. Several buyers messaged just to ask, “What’s the catch?” The remote not working obviously didn't help.

3. No Delivery, No Deal

At this price point, most buyers won’t go out of their way. Without delivery or extreme convenience, the interest faded. The interest was really about the entertainment device.

4. Marketplace = Passive Attention

Facebook Marketplace is filled with window shoppers. Engagement is high, but intent is low unless you spark urgency.

🛠️ What Finally Worked

I made a few key tweaks that led to the eventual sale:

✅ Clarified it works: “Yes, it works.”
✅ Added trust: Uploaded a pic of the FireTV connected to a TV.
✅ Pickup at a local popular location: Made pickup super easy—no back-and-forth logistics.
✅ Created urgency: “I have someone I’m expecting to pick up today. If that changes I can let you know.” or "Someone else is also interested". That did it. Sold the next day.

💡 The Takeaway

Engagement ≠ sale.

Even at a $5 price point, buyers want:

Trust
Clarity
Simplicity
Convenience

The lesson? If your offer—even a great one—isn’t packaged and presented in a way that removes friction, it won’t convert. It took longer than needed. I could have put a video showing it works.

✨ Want More Like This?

At Little Success Habits, we explore the small tweaks that drive big results—from online selling to productivity and habit-building. 👉 Read more at LittleSuccessHabits.com

To your success.