ºÚÁÏÃÅ

A Beginner’s Guide to Selling on Facebook Marketplace

There are aÌýlot ofÌýways toÌýsell products online these days. From Amazon toÌýEtsy, ´Ç°ùÌýyour own online store, online sellers have noÌýshortage ofÌýopportunities. One relative newcomer toÌýtheÌýrealm ofÌýonline sales isÌý. Users onÌýFacebook Marketplace can find anything from kitchen appliances toÌýfurniture toÌývehicles onÌýtheÌýplatform. It’s anÌýeasy platform toÌýuse, andÌýisÌýgreat f´Ç°ùÌýconnecting with local buyers.

But many people have questions andÌýconcerns about using Facebook Marketplace. IsÌýFacebook Marketplace safe? How much does itÌýcost toÌýsell onÌýFacebook Marketplace? And how doÌýyou get started onÌýFacebook Marketplace?

This guide will answer every question, from how toÌýsell things onÌýFacebook Marketplace, how toÌýpost onÌýFacebook Marketplace, andÌýhow toÌýstay safe onÌýtheÌýplatform.

How toÌýsell online
Tips from e-commerce experts f´Ç°ùÌýsmall business owners andÌýaspiring entrepreneurs.
Please enter aÌývalid email address

How Does Facebook Marketplace Work?

Facebook Marketplace isÌýfairly intuitive andÌýeasy toÌýuse. All you need toÌýget started isÌýanÌýactive Facebook account. Facebook Marketplace was introduced inÌý2016ÌýandÌýquickly became aÌýmuch more popular alternative toÌýpre-existing local marketplaces like Craigslist.

Navigating Facebook Marketplace isÌýrelatively straightforward asÌýlong asÌýyou are familiar with Facebook’s user interface. Users post items f´Ç°ùÌýsale andÌýset aÌýprice. For shoppers, theÌýFacebook Marketplace homepage features aÌýgeneric assortment ofÌýpopular andÌýin-demand items f´Ç°ùÌýsale inÌýtheir area. Users can use theÌýsearch feature toÌýfind specific items, andÌýcan also filter results toÌýexpand ´Ç°ùÌýdecrease theÌýsearch radius.

Facebook Marketplace isÌýgreat f´Ç°ùÌýselling anÌýextremely wide range ofÌýitems. However, there are some things which onÌýFacebook Marketplace. Most notably, Facebook Marketplace does not allow f´Ç°ùÌýtheÌýsale ofÌýservices andÌýhealthcare items.

What isÌýSKU onÌýFacebook Marketplace?

IfÌýyou have explored Facebook Marketplace f´Ç°ùÌýbusinesses, you may have come across theÌýacronym “SKU”. This stands f´Ç°ùÌýÁª²õ³Ù´Ç³¦°ì-°ì±ð±ð±è¾±²Ô²µ unit” andÌýitÌýisÌýaÌýstandard method f´Ç°ùÌýkeeping track ofÌýretail inventory.

´¡²ÔÌýSKU isÌýtypically anÌý8ÌýtoÌý12Ìýcharacter alphanumeric code that can beÌýused toÌýdifferentiate products byÌýaÌýnumber ofÌýcharacteristics. SKU codes usually factor inÌýthings like product size, shape, color, price, andÌýstyle f´Ç°ùÌýinventory purposes. For instance, aÌýgreen sweater might use theÌýletters “GR” f´Ç°ùÌý“green” andÌý“SW” f´Ç°ùÌýsweater asÌýpart ofÌýits SKU code.

Does Facebook Marketplace Charge Fees?

“Is Facebook Marketplace free?” isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost frequently asked questions about theÌýplatform. Compared toÌýother online marketplaces, like Amazon andÌýeBay, Facebook Marketplace charges fewer fees. For instance, there are noÌýlisting fees onÌýFacebook Marketplace. This means that itÌýcosts nothing toÌýpost anÌýitem toÌýFacebook Marketplace.

However, Facebook Marketplace does charge after sales have been processed. These fees are typically quite low. Facebook charges either 5%Ìýper shipment, ´Ç°ùÌý$0.40ÌýifÌýtheÌýshipment isÌýless than $8.

So, while Facebook Marketplace isÌýnot free toÌýuse, sellers are only charged fees after aÌýsale has been made. This means there are noÌýdirect costs, asÌýyou will only beÌýcharged aÌýcommission onÌýtheÌýmoney you earn. And theÌýfees are minimal when compared toÌýtheÌýlikes of.

How toÌýSell onÌýFacebook Marketplace f´Ç°ùÌýBeginners

Want toÌýget started selling onÌýFacebook Marketplace? Here isÌýaÌýstep-by-step guide onÌýhow toÌýpost onÌýFacebook Marketplace.

Login toÌýFacebook Account

The first step isÌývery straightforward. Simply login toÌýyour Facebook account, ´Ç°ùÌýcreate one ifÌýyou don’t have one already.

Select “Marketplace”

The “Marketplace” tab should beÌýlocated onÌýtheÌýleft hand side ofÌýyour screen onÌýtheÌýdesktop website. OnÌýmobile displays, Facebook Marketplace can beÌýfound onÌýtheÌýbottom toolbar.

Click “Create New Listing”, Select “New Item For Sale”

Again, you can find theÌý“Create New Listing” button onÌýtheÌýleft hand side ofÌýyour desktop screen. OnÌýmobile, you will click “Sell” atÌýtheÌýtop, andÌýaÌýpop-up will appear allowing you toÌýcreate aÌýnew listing.

This will bring you toÌýaÌýnew page where you select theÌýoption “New Item f´Ç°ùÌýSale.”

Enter Product Information andÌýChoose Delivery Method

Once you have opened theÌý“New Item” page, you will have options toÌýprovide pictures, enter product information, andÌýchoose your delivery method. Product images are very important asÌýthey prove that theÌýitem you’re selling isÌýreal andÌýinÌýgood condition. The item description section can beÌýused toÌýprovide more information, such asÌýtheÌýquality andÌýcondition ofÌýyour item.

Choosing aÌýdelivery method may beÌýneeded f´Ç°ùÌýsome items. You can either deliver theÌýitem in-person inÌýaÌýsafe location, ´Ç°ùÌýhave itÌýshipped toÌýtheÌýbuyer. You may choose whatever delivery method isÌýbest andÌýmost cost effective f´Ç°ùÌýyou.

After that, there isÌýnot much toÌýit. Simply publish your post andÌýwait toÌýbeÌýcontacted byÌýanÌýinterested buyer.

How toÌýSell onÌýFacebook Marketplace AsÌýaÌýBusiness

Facebook Marketplace may beÌýmore well-known asÌýaÌýplace f´Ç°ùÌýindividuals toÌýbuy andÌýsell items locally. However, ItÌýisÌýalso available toÌýbusinesses. The process f´Ç°ùÌýselling onÌýFacebook Marketplace asÌýaÌýbusiness isÌýfairly straightforward. The main difference isÌýthat, instead ofÌýusing aÌýpersonal Facebook account, you will use aÌý. From there, theÌýprocess isÌýnot dissimilar toÌýtheÌýordinary process f´Ç°ùÌýindividual sellers.

However, there are aÌýcouple ofÌýnotable restrictions f´Ç°ùÌýbusinesses who sell onÌýFacebook Marketplace. Most notably, business accounts can not sell vehicles ´Ç°ùÌýreal estate properties onÌýFacebook Marketplace.

How toÌýSell onÌýFacebook Marketplace Locally

Selling locally isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýthings Facebook Marketplace was designed for. InÌýorder toÌý“sell locally” all you need toÌýdoÌýisÌýlist your location. Shoppers onÌýtheÌýmarketplace can filter byÌýsearch radius, expanding upÌýtoÌý500Ìýmiles. This means your products are potentially searchable toÌýanyone within that radius.

For more information, here are some general tips onÌýtheÌýbest practices andÌýhow toÌýsell onÌýFacebook Marketplace safely.

Research Local Pricing

InÌýorder toÌýmake money onÌýFacebook Marketplace, you should price your items fairly andÌýcompetitively. This will require some research into what other merchants are charging f´Ç°ùÌýsimilar items inÌýyour area. You should try toÌýset price points that are profitable toÌýyou, but competitive compared toÌýother sellers inÌýyour area.

BeÌýResponsive andÌýConsiderate

Shoppers onÌýFacebook Marketplace might have aÌýnumber ofÌýquestions about your products andÌýtheir quality. This isÌýreasonable, asÌýsome sellers onÌýtheÌýplatform have been known toÌýsell subpar items. Buyers will appreciate your service, andÌýbeÌýmore likely toÌýbuy from you, ifÌýyou are respectful andÌýresponsive toÌýtheir questions.

Provide Up-to-date, High Quality Pictures

Another way toÌýearn customer trust isÌýbyÌýproviding good quality images that present your items honestly. Product listing images are theÌýonly means shoppers have toÌýverify theÌýlegitimacy ofÌýaÌýlisting onÌýFacebook Marketplace. All reputable merchants should strive toÌýprovide high quality images f´Ç°ùÌýevery product listing.

Use Tags

Using tags can help users find your products inÌýtheir searches. This makes itÌýmuch easier f´Ç°ùÌýyou toÌýconnect with interested customers, andÌýdramatically increase your revenue when selling onÌýFacebook Marketplace.

Meet inÌýCrowded, Neutral Public Places When Selling inÌýPerson

Businesses who sell onÌýFacebook Marketplace usually rely onÌýdelivery. However, ifÌýyou must meet inÌýperson f´Ç°ùÌýsales, Facebook recommends meeting inÌýwell-lit, crowded public spaces f´Ç°ùÌýsafety reasons. You can read Facebook’s complete guidelines toÌýresponsible selling practices .

Use Delivery When Available

Facebook Marketplace uses asÌýits official delivery partner. Setting upÌýdelivery onÌýsold items isÌýeasy andÌýstraightforward. While itÌýdoes come with aÌýsmall fee, theÌýamount (5% per shipment) isÌýoften negligible, andÌýyou will still make aÌýprofit. This isÌýboth theÌýsafest andÌýmost convenient option f´Ç°ùÌýmost vendors, especially businesses.

Make Money onÌýFacebook Marketplace andÌýOther Platforms

Want toÌýlearn about how toÌýmake money onÌýFacebook Marketplace? ºÚÁÏÃÅ’s guide toÌýselling clothes onÌýFacebook provides insights onÌýhow toÌýrun aÌýclothing business with Facebook Marketplace. OrÌýread about how toÌýsell onÌýother platforms like eBay ´Ç°ùÌýEtsy toÌýdiscover more ecommerce opportunities. IfÌýyou’re ready toÌýopen andÌýoperate your own online store, you can get started with today.

Ìý

About The Author
Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at ºÚÁÏÃÅ. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs’ daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

Start selling on your website