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When it comes to selling things online, a dash of creativity and a smidge of imagination can make all the difference in the world. Spicing up your ad or listing with some cool comedy and genuine goofiness can make it stand out from all of your run-of-the-mill competitors. The added bonus is that if your ad is good enough, it might just get inducted into the internet hall of fame, and live on forevermore.

Some comedy, however, is completely unintentional. That’s where the awesomely hilarious r/Mirrorsforsale subreddit comes in. An online community of 171k ‘peepers,’ the group celebrates the funniest (un)intentional reflections ever to be found online. And today we’re featuring their best photos.

Scroll down to check out the funniest accidental reflections, upvote the photos that made you laugh, and be sure to spread the cheer by sending some of the funniest pics to your friends. And once you’re done with this list, you might want to take an around-the-corner peek at Bored Panda’s earlier article about people trying to sell mirrors. You’ll find it right over here.

Bored Panda got in touch with one of the moderators helping run r/Mirrorsforsale and they told us about the subreddit's history, the community, how the mods work, and how they strive to keep a positive atmosphere. Read on for the full interview. 

We also reached out to professional photographer Dominic Sberna from Ohio. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on taking photos of mirrors and other things with reflective surfaces, as well as how to potentially boost your sales by using composition to your advantage. Read on for both interviews, Pandas.

#1

This Facebook Marketplace Photo Looks Like An Art Piece To Me

This Facebook Marketplace Photo Looks Like An Art Piece To Me

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The moderator opened up to Bored Panda that they asked to be brought on to help out with r/Mirrorsforsale a few years ago because it was one of their favorite subs. However, at the time, the sub had little moderation.

"The sub was inspired by somebody attempting to sell a mirror, but their reflection was inadvertently included. The sub was born from this but can be any reflective surface, not just a mirror!" they said that a variety of photos are welcome.

We were very curious to dig deeper into the success behind the subreddit. Here's what the mod told us: "I personally think it's been successful because almost nobody wants to be caught in a mirror's reflection online and people have come up with creative ways to avoid it. Plus, some people don't really think about what can be seen in the reflection which leads to some really funny moments!"

In the moderator's opinion, how you take a picture of a reflective surface will depend on whether or not you mind showing up in the final photograph.

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"If you don't mind being seen in the picture then why not take it head-on? For me, I prefer standing a bit to the side, which allows you to photograph the full mirror while not showing yourself. Just be mindful of what you have in the background, as that's all people will see," they said.

The moderator told us that, including them and the founder, they have 3 mods overall. "I am the main active mod and have notifications on my phone so that I can check reports as soon as possible after coming in. I usually get to them within 15 minutes or less (unless I am otherwise engaged!)," they explained how they're very quick to react if there's a need for it.

"We get very few reports overall, maybe one or two a day on average. If there is a photo or comment section which receives a higher than average number of reports, I keep an eye on it just to make sure it's all okay," they continued.

#4

Just Saw This On Facebook Marketplace

Just Saw This On Facebook Marketplace

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As such, the life of a r/Mirrorsforsale moderator isn't all that bad. However, one challenge that has been coming up more recently is people making fun of how some folks look in their reflections.

"One of our rules is, 'Keep it positive!' If a photo contains someone with a noticeable feature, this tends to attract a high number of rule-breaking comments. In those instances, I do remove negative comments because it's not fair to talk about people that way when they don't even know it's happening! If it continues, I will then lock the thread."

In photographer Dominic's opinion, taking quality photos starts with awareness and attention to details. That means thinking ahead and realizing that you might end up in the photo even when you don't mean to.

"As with anything in life, be aware of your surroundings. Making sure you have the right angle to not capture yourself is key," he told Bored Panda. If you do end up in the picture and for some reason you can't retake the photo, you could always use photo-editing software.

"You may be able to edit yourself out, but that just seems like a hassle," he said that avoiding issues in the first place will save more time than fixing them later on, down the line.

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#9

A Very Handsome Salesman

A Very Handsome Salesman

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Photographer Dominic also gave Bored Panda and all of you readers some advice on how to potentially appeal to more buyers online, whether you're selling mirrors or something else entirely.

At its core, your listing should show off the item's usefulness and versatility. That's why the context of the photo and the audience are very important: you're not just selling the item, you're selling an idea to a particular subset of people online.

"Keep in mind the audience and how they might expect to see the listed item. Placing said item into a real setting can be a big help to sales," the photographer shared his thoughts.

"If the item looks like it fits into real life, you're more likely to pique an interest of a buyer," he said that photographing the item in isolation might not get too many people excited about it.

#10

Seller Says, "Goofy Child Not Included." Found On Facebook

Seller Says, "Goofy Child Not Included." Found On Facebook

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tsukighost avatar
Tsuki Ghost
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or they failed to hide a body and joke about it after seeing the photo 🥸

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#11

The Best Way To Advertise

The Best Way To Advertise

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#12

Never Skip Leg Day

Never Skip Leg Day

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rabbitcarrot avatar
Rabbit Carrot
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The MOT of the car in the mirror has expired. Might want to get on that lol.

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The ‘Mirrors for sale’ subreddit has been active since late March, 2018. In the 4+ years since its inception, the moderators have grown quite a large community of funny reflection fans and comedy enthusiasts. After all, who doesn’t like having a hearty chuckle?

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Currently, the subreddit has three moderators who make sure that all the members adhere to the rules set out in the sidebar.

Some of the subreddit’s rules are very straightforward, something you’d find on any major subreddit: being courteous to other redditors, avoiding bullying, and refraining from reposting popular posts.

Meanwhile, the moderators remind the members of r/Mirrorsforsale that all posts have to contain a photo of an unintentional reflection. (Though we’ve seen plenty that are very intentional, indeed!)

“It doesn't strictly have to be a mirror or for sale. The sub is just named after the post that inspired its creation, which was a mirror for sale,” they explain that the sub welcomes all reflections equally.

#13

Take A Look At This Fb Marketplace Listing

Take A Look At This Fb Marketplace Listing

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What’s more, the community is all about being positive. “Please spread positivity! No insults or demeaning comments, either about other redditors or about the person in the post,” the mods remind everyone that there’s no room for being a jerk.

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Finally—and somewhat ironically—the folks running everything behind the scenes remind everyone that the subreddit isn’t the place to actually try and sell your mirror. You know, in case somebody took the name of the sub too literally. “This subreddit is for accidental reflections, it's not a marketplace.”

#17

As A Horse Girl, This Is A Very Tempting Sale

As A Horse Girl, This Is A Very Tempting Sale

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The fact is that humor, whether intended or otherwise, can be a powerful way to draw in a lot of attention. Comedy helps photos and posts stand out (whether for good or for ill) in people’s online feeds. And if the joke is good or surprising enough, it’s bound to stick in the audience’s mind for some time.

Earlier, Bored Panda wrote about the power of comedy in sales and how one listing agent decided that dressing up as Bigfoot in some elaborate photos to try and sell a house in California was a good marketing ploy. We’d gotten in touch with the listing agent and he opened up about the brilliant idea.

See Also on Bored Panda

“During our initial photoshoot, the Bigfoot idea popped into my mind. The sellers immediately supported the idea, and we all hoped that it would bring a bit of levity to people on their home buying adventure,” Daniel Oster told Bored Panda before.

#23

Watching People Try To Hide When Selling Mirrors

Watching People Try To Hide When Selling Mirrors

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#24

Facebook Marketplace Does It Again

Facebook Marketplace Does It Again

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dundun avatar
DUN DUN (she/her)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

🎶If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy And I can take you for a ride🎶

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“A lot of folks are under a lot of stress now, and we were hoping to lighten people’s day and make them smile. At the same time, hoping to spread awareness of their home for sale. And that does indeed seem to be happening. We’ve had an overwhelming amount of interest in folks calling to schedule appointments to see the property. And, we are anticipating offers soon,” the listing agent said.

#25

Perfectly Framed: The Husband Working On Something While Fido Is Taking A Dump?

Perfectly Framed: The Husband Working On Something While Fido Is Taking A Dump?

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#26

Look At This... What?

Look At This... What?

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n-l-rademann avatar
Lennart Rademann
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

2 options: take one picture of the mirror, turn, take one picture of the bathroom then simple Photoshop or... .... Vampires 😱😱😱

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#27

I Wish I Knew This Person. They Seem Like Fun

I Wish I Knew This Person. They Seem Like Fun

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“I’ve been one of the most productive agents in my area since starting my career after college in 2003. I’ve never done anything like this before in my listings. Typically, just focusing on really high-end photography and targeted marketing approaches. With a combination of the right property for Bigfoot and the right timing, this seems to be going viral. I don’t anticipate doing this approach again because it could be overused. But it’s been a great success so far, and I love getting to use a bit of humor to market the property,” he explained the kind of impact that the funny photos had.

#30

Wholesome Mirror Sale

Wholesome Mirror Sale

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Have you ever sold a mirror or another reflective item and forgotten that, hey, you might end up in the final photo? What are your go-to photography strategies when taking pics of anything that reflects light? Do you think that good humor helps sell a product better? Share your thoughts in the comments.

See Also on Bored Panda
#32

Bear Selling Mirror

Bear Selling Mirror

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#33

Fb Marketplace

Fb Marketplace

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bloodyindignant avatar
Puppeteer Saint
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Riddle me this, Batman.. You saw me where I never was and where I could not be. And yet within that very place, my face you often see. What am I?

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#35

The Invisible Woman Is Selling Her Vintage Mirror

The Invisible Woman Is Selling Her Vintage Mirror

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#40

This Energy Is Too Powerful

This Energy Is Too Powerful

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anubis1 avatar
Ara
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This could have gone very differently, if not for the lighting.

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Note: this post originally had 116 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.