Here at SDM we often answer the question of how sell items using Facebook marketplace.
In this post we will talk about what the marketplace is, how to create a listing, and show you some important selling and safety tips.
What is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook marketplace is part of Facebook’s website and is an application that allows users to offer items for sale.
Users with Facebook accounts can make free listings, selling virtually any item. They can also choose how to deliver the item, including public and private meetups.
It is important to realize this service is designed for sales between two people, as opposed to something like Amazon, which is an online store. A good way to understand this is to compare them to real stores. Marketplace is more of a yard sale, whereas Amazon is a more like Walmart. Another analogy is the way cars are sold, buying from an individual versus from a car dealership.
How to sell items
First go to Facebook’s website or open the app.
Next click on the Marketplace tab on the bottom bar. If you do not have a Marketplace tab, click the three lines on the right and choose it from the menu.
Once clicked, you will see listings from people in your area. In order to create your own listing, press the sell button on the top left of the page. Here you will see information about your listings, as well as the ability to create a new one.
To create a new one press the blue “create listing” button on the top of that page.
Choose the type of item you are selling.
Once pressed it will then lead to the next page where all of the items information will be input.
As you continue along there are options for adding more technical information about what is being sold. This is under the “more listings” option.
You can also designate the delivery or pickup method.
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Selling and Safety Tips
The first aspect of selling on marketplace is to gauge the competition. Search for similar products to see what others are selling them for and what condition they are in.
You also need to have Facebook Messenger installed. All correspondence including offers go into a special marketplace section in Messenger. This separates your personal messages from the ones related to your sales.
Also be sure to check the seller or buyer’s main Facebook page. Try to verify the page is legitimate and that they are not scammers. Remember there is little or no regulation within Marketplace. Buyer Beware.
If meeting up with someone alone, doing it in a public place and/or with someone else, is ideal.
If anything feels off about the meetup, keep safety a priority. It’s similar to Craigslist and could easily be used to lure someone in.
If you have questions How to use Facebook Marketplace, or our services in general, just call or email. We’re happy to assist you! Feel free to use our contact form to send us a message. Thank you!