Facebook Marketplace- A Digital Approach towards Buying and Selling

| Updated on February 14, 2024

Buy and Sell Locally with Facebook Marketplace

Who doesn’t love to shop while relaxing on their couch? At least, I do. I don’t personally believe in taking time out just to travel and shop from the malls or supermarkets when I can do the same on my phone without getting tired. This is why e-commerce was introduced in the first place, isn’t it?

Facebook is one such place where people connect but today it is not just about chatting or scrolling through pictures. Imagine 2.5 Billion users just interacting throughout the day, such a waste of time! Correct me if I’m wrong. 

Facebook also acts as a market for buying and selling. I will be amazed if it is new to you but the Facebook marketplace is ruling the e-Commerce world for quite a few years now. 

To laymanize, I would say ‘Marketplace on Facebook is one of the convenient ways to buy and sell items to people near you’. You will easily find the things that you love and can part your ways with the stuff that no longer interests you. 

“Approx. 2 Billion People log in to Facebook every day!” What more could you ask for as a businessman? Undoubtedly, the best way to reach out to the maximum number of potential customers in a single day, nothing can beat that. 

From my perspective as a user, I like when I have so many options and love it when they can be combined with what I am already busy at”.

Didn’t understand? 

“Shopping combined with Facebooking” ☺

I hope it’s clear by now.

But that’s not it.

If I get into facts and figures,

  • More than 80% of the population on the internet use it for selling and purchasing.
  • 71% of the shoppers (including me) believe that they get better deals while shopping online rather than going to a store.
  • 54% of Facebookers use it to browse online stores.
  • For 47% of shoppers, FB plays a major role in what they buy.
  • 2.37 billion active users every month

Let’s go for a deep-sea diving,

Facebook Marketplace- What’s the Hype? 

FB marketplace was introduced long back in 2016- not too long actually. The motive was just to bring people closer to buy and sell stuff. Now, in 2020, it has expanded to the whole world. Explore the things you love, connect with people, set up a business and start earning- that is what marketplace is all about. 

One in every three people in the US uses the marketplace every month to buy everything from clothes, shoes, furniture to cars. The marketplace was not introduced all of a sudden and people were earlier involved in Facebook selling groups. A better version of the selling groups is what we know by the name of ‘Marketplace’.

Currently, “800 million people from 70 countries use Fb marketplace every month”.

Facebook has always been trying to create its own version of every popular activity on the internet. For the first time, Marketplace was introduced in 2007 mainly for classified listings but it didn’t earn much popularity. In 2009, it even transferred the control to Oodle but it was shut down in 2014. In October 2015, Facebook tested the ‘Local Market’ feature that eventually evolved into the marketplace used by millions today. 

3 Key Features of Facebook Marketplace

There is no rocket science, just three words- Buy, Sell and Explore!

  1. Effortless Buying- You can buy what you like from the people of your community. The listings are ranked on the basis of relevancy as a result of tags people add to their listings, Facebook’s text analysis together with the pages you browse and like on marketplace. Negotiation is simple using the automated messages like “Is this item still in stock?” or “What condition is this item in?”
  2. Sell and Earn- Click a photo of your item, add a description, set a price, and publish your listing, that’ all. No need to create a new profile or so.
  3. Explore your Community- Searching made easy. Browse specific categories like clothing, household, appliances, electronics, or search using the filters like location, price. You will see the most relevant items if the correct filter is used. 

Facebook Marketplace Categories- What to Buy and Sell?

You will find the products divided into the following categories:

  • Housing
  • Vehicles
  • Clothing and Accessories
  • Electronics
  • Hobbies
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Entertainment
  • Deals
  • Classifieds

How to Find the Item You Are Looking for on FB Marketplace?

It’s easy to find items on Marketplace, you can search for something specific or browse by category. Sort and filter your results, or change the location of the items you’re looking for.

To browse categories: 

  1. Go to facebook.com and click on ‘Marketplace’ in the top left.
  2. Click on a category in the left column to browse different categories.

To search for something specific:

  1. Go to facebook.com and click on ‘Marketplace’ in the top left.
  2. Enter the thing you are looking for in the search box and click on the search icon.

By editing the location or distance:

  1. Go to facebook.com and click on ‘Marketplace’ in the top left.
  2. In the left menu below ‘Location’, enter location of your choice.
  3. Select the distance you are comfortable to cover.

By adding filters to categories:

  1. Go to facebook.com and click on ‘Marketplace’ in the top left.
  2. From the left menu, click on ‘Categories’ and select one of them.
  3. Filter the category you’re browsing with the filters given on the left such as Price.

As and when you find something interesting, tap on the image to see more details from the seller. The details will include product description, name and profile photo of the seller as well as their general location. Don’t forget to save the item to find it later.

How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace?

If you have finally decided to be a seller on the FB marketplace, it may be a big decision. I will tell you how to enter the marketplace and how to be a pro at selling. 

Step-1 Once you log in to Facebook, you will notice a ‘shop’ like icon, click on that to enter the marketplace. You will further see some information.

Step-2 On moving forward, Facebook will ask you to add a picture of the stuff you want to sell. They never charge for adding multiple photos to listings. Add the clearest picture of the item and make sure to give as much information as possible.

Step-3 Enter a title that shouldn’t be too long and must clearly describe what you are selling. Remember only 100 characters are allowed.

Step-4 Add a description for your item including as much detail as you can such as size, color, condition, etc. 

Step-5 Add price for your item that will be displayed in your local currency. Edit this later, if required.

Step-6 After entering all the details, now, you need to choose a location to advertise and the category that your product belongs to. 

If you have reached here, it implies you are done with the process. Facebook will set your item to active so that it can be seen by people. Your product will be sent to the management area where you can interact with buyers and edit your items. This is how Facebook marketplace works.

Benefits of Joining Facebook marketplace

When you do something, you must know the underlying benefits. If I am asked to tell one of them- it is free of charge. Facebook Marketplace never charges any amount from anyone. I even find Facebook better than Craigslist for many reasons, some of them are listed below:

  • Create listings through your phone, unlike Craigslist. Facebook marketplace app makes it easier than ever to put an item for sale.
  • Again, it is safer than Craigslist. FB Marketplace is directly connected to the person’s Facebook account. Those can be fake too but still, you can check the authenticity by checking the person’s profile in and out.
  • My success rate for selling items on Facebook Marketplace is around 65%. I’ve even sold things the same day I’ve posted them.
  • There is no need to share your personal info like a mobile number or email address. You can just interact via Messenger that also allows for a phone call. 

Businesses That Actually Got Benefited by Using FB Marketplace

It may look unnecessary boasting to you, But I have some examples with me of those who have outgrown their businesses by being a part of Facebook Marketplace. Here’s the proof:

  • “I was approached by BigCommerce at first, not really knowing about the opportunity. After further research, we discovered Facebook Marketplace has $0 listing fees with an automated data feed from BigCommerce. It was a no-brainer, really.”- Danette Martin, Owner, Sweetums Signatures.

“Our sales have increased dramatically. It also gave our Facebook Business page a better presence,” said Danette.

  • Libero Gruppioni, owner of Hats Unlimited, reports that they’ve had great success ever since.

“In the last few months we have seen sales growth of 20-30% attributable directly to Facebook Marketplace.

  • Spearmint LOVE is a leading retailer of children and baby clothes and accessories,” says John Lott, CFO and COO of Spearmint LOVE.

“Adding Facebook Marketplace was a natural extension.

We are focusing on making it easy to connect with our partners where they are, and making the checkout process as seamless and easy as possible.”

Facebook Marketplace Rules and Return Policy

All items that are purchased or sold on Facebook Marketplace need to abide by the rules as set by the social media giant. All the rules, policies and regulations set by Facebook apply to: 

  • Marketplace
  • Buy and sell groups
  • Page shops
  • Instagram shopping

If you are wondering what can’t be sold on FB, here are some examples:

  1. Anything that is not a physical product such as posts, jokes, news, etc., is not allowed to be sold.
  2. Selling a service or event ticket is only allowed with Facebook’s written permission.
  3. The photo of the item must be in accordance with the description and title of the listing.
  4. Selling animals on FB Marketplace or buy and sell groups is a big no. 
  5. Health care items can be sold either on the marketplace.
  6. You cannot show a before and after picture to sell a product on the marketplace. 

Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with what you purchased from a store on Marketplace, here is what you need to do:

  1. Go to Payments History and click on the order you want to return.
  2. Move down and click on ‘Return Order’. If there is no such option as ‘Return Order’, you would not be able to return the product.
  3. Follow the instructions to initiate the return process.

To Initiate Returns on Marketplace

Most of the items can be returned within 30 days of delivery except when the sale is final. Check the return policy for a particular item by clicking on the ‘Shipping and Returns’ section of the product page or your order confirmation. Buyers also include the shipping costs of returns, except when the return is covered by Purchase Protection. If you have multiple items in your order, you have to request a return for each of them separately. 

Tips While Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Now, if you are ready to sell on Marketplace, I want to recommend you some of the best ways to use FB marketplace for your business. 

  1. If you want your item to get sold quickly, the pictures you post need to be clear and professional. 
  2. Confused about what selling price you must set? You can price them for high but be ready to negotiate. Or you can price them reasonably and fix it. 
  3. You have a few items to list? No, problem. Just list them separately and not in one mega-moving-sale listing.
  4. Unlike Craigslist, Marketplace is linked to your FB profile. What I mean is you need to make your profile look trustworthy and add as many genuine details as you can. 

Final Words

As always, competition is ever-increasing. Every other day a new marketing strategy hits the market. Businessmen look for opportunities to expand and diversify their sales channel. Facebook Marketplace is one such opportunity that lets people discover, buy and sell items. 

List your item and reach the potential buyers, the process is quick, easy, cost-effective and informative. This will open up new business opportunities and people will automatically reach your doorstep.
“If you have an offer that they can’t refuse, the item will be sold in the blink of an eye”.

FAQs about Facebook Marketplace

How to get Facebook marketplace app downloaded?

Facebook Marketplace is already built into your Facebook app or you can use the desktop version via facebook.com. There is no need to download any separate app for it.

How to turn Marketplace notifications on or off?

Turn your Marketplace notifications ‘on or off’ from notification settings:

  • Go to facebook.com, click on the top right corner.
  • Then from the drop down menu, click on ‘Settings’.
  • From the left side menu, hit ‘Notifications’.
  • Click on ‘Facebook’, then go to Marketplace and click Edit.
  • Click ‘On’ or ‘Off’ for notification type and then select ‘On’ or ‘Off’ to change it.
Can I report something on Marketplace?

Facebook lets you report a seller, buyer, or even hide or report a listing if you don’t find it suitable.

How can I manage my listings on Marketplace?

You can manage your listings on marketplace by editing the details, marking your listing as sold or pending or by deleting your listing.

How can I mark my item as sold?

To mark your item as sold:

  1. Go to facebook.com, click Marketplace in the left menu.
  2. Next, click ‘Selling’ on the left and click ‘Mark As Sold’ given next to the listing.


Adam Green

With more than 3 years of experience as a software and tech writer on GetAssist.net Adam has been writing articles, blogs, and featured stories centered around the software and tech niche since he graduated from Virginia Tech University. He writes savvy articles, tutorials, and reviews that explain difficult concepts to readers of all levels. His expertise includes software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Through simple and engaging writing, Adam constantly delivers useful insights that enable readers to feel at ease in the ever-changing technological scene.

Related Posts
×