This Website Is Home To Instagram's Hidden Marketplace

Craigslist 3.0?

You thought Instagram was just for selfies and photo of cats, but the photo-based social network may be more useful than you imagined.

A new service, going by the odd-sounding Hashbag moniker, hopes to tap into Instagram’s less narcissistic side by making it easier for prospective shoppers to access the two million 'grams posted under the #forsale hashtag every year. The site, which is not affiliated with Instagram, pulls all uploaded photos marked as ‘for sale’, making it easier to peruse Instagram’s hidden marketplace.

“I noticed that a lot of people and companies were posting things for sale on Instagram, so I did a quick search of things marked “#forsale,” 31-year-old web designer Mike Bodge, who founded Hashbag, told the Daily Beast. “When I looked at how they were selling, it was kind of a wild west. Some people would say ‘text me’ or email me, or hit me up on WhatsApp, etc.”

Hashbag charges member users a 99 cent flat fee per transaction and there appears to be quite a variety of items available for sale, from clothing to furniture to event tickets. However, things could take a turn for the interesting when less benign items begin making their way to the #forsale tag.

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