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How to sell on Facebook Marketplace
Find out how to list items, collect payment and handle shipping through this social media site.
Users can buy and sell items on Facebook Marketplace across a variety of categories. Not only is it integrated with the world’s largest social media site, but individuals can sell items on the platform without any listing fees. But watch out for scams — some posts that seem too good to be true could be a dubious attempt at taking your money.
How do I start selling on Facebook Marketplace?
If you already have a Facebook account, skip ahead to the step-by-step instructions.
To create a Facebook account visit https://www.facebook.com:
- Enter your name, email address or phone number, date of birth and gender.
- Create a password.
- Click Sign Up.
List a product through the Facebook website
1. Navigate to Facebook Marketplace. Log in to your Facebook account and click Marketplace from the menu at the left of the screen. Select +Sell Something.
2. Enter the details of your listing. Provide the details of the item you want to sell by:
- Selecting a product category.
- Entering a title for your listing.
- Entering a price.
- Providing a product description and photos.
- Specifying whether the item will be shipped or picked up only.
Click Next when you’re ready to continue.
3. Select your audience. List your items in:
- Your News Feed
- Groups you’re a member of
- Groups suggested by Facebook
List items through the Facebook mobile app
1. Go to Facebook Marketplace. Open the Facebook app on your phone. Tap the menu icon and select Marketplace.
2. Select Sell. Tap the Sell button at the top of the screen and then choose whether you want to list an item, vehicle or a home for sale or rent.
3. Create your listing. To create your listing:
- Add photos of the item.
- Provide a title for your listing and select a category.
- Enter your desired price.
- Specify where the item is located.
- Provide a description of the item.
- Enter any relevant product tags.
- Choose whether or not you’ll offer shipping.
- Choose whether you want to receive automated tips and support via Messenger.
Tap Next when you’re ready to continue.
4. Choose where to list the item. To reach more people, list your items in:
- Your News Feed
- Groups you’re a member of
- Groups suggested by Facebook
Once you’ve selected all the relevant options, tap “Publish” to finish the process.
Who can sell on Facebook Marketplace?
Individuals buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace in the US must be at least 18 years old. Businesses can also use Facebook Marketplace but the platform is limited to automotive, real estate and e-commerce businesses — and may have to pay a fee to list.
How much does it cost to sell on Facebook Marketplace?
It depends on whether you plan to use Facebook Marketplace as an individual or as a business. If you plan to sell as an individual using local pickup, there are no listing, selling or membership fees.
But if you plan to use Commerce Manager, Facebook’s online selling toolset for e-commerce merchants, a selling fee of 5% applies to all shipments over $8. Shipments $8 or less have a flat fee of $0.40.
What can I sell on Facebook Marketplace?
You can list items on Facebook Marketplace in a wide range of categories, including:
- Classifieds
- Clothing and accessories
- Electronics
- Entertainment
- Family
- Hobbies
- Home and garden
- Pet supplies
- Property for rent
- Property for sale
- Sports and outdoors
- Vehicles
Items prohibited for sale on Facebook Marketplace
While there’s plenty you can sell on Facebook Marketplace, there are also some items you can’t list, including:
- Adult products or services
- Alcohol
- Animals
- Downloadable digital content
- Gambling services
- Illegal, prescription or recreational drugs
- Ingestible supplements
- Tobacco products and related paraphernalia
- Weapons
How to find products to sell
If your house, garage or shed is full of things you don’t want or need, turn those items into cash by selling them on Facebook Marketplace.
Take some time to wander around your home and make a list of everything you haven’t used in the past year. Maybe it’s time to ditch the old PlayStation? Perhaps you’ve got some clothes you’re ready to part with. If you think it’d be worth something to someone, it could be a good candidate for Facebook Marketplace.
How to price your items
You’ll need to consider three important factors when deciding how to price your items:
- How much money you want. What did you pay for the item originally and how much profit do you want to make?
- How much buyers are willing to pay. How are similar items priced by other sellers on the marketplace, or on other lists like Craigslist and eBay?
- The haggling process. Many buyers on Facebook Marketplace will try to negotiate a lower price. If you’re going to be flexible on price, it’s worth listing items at a slightly higher price than what you plan to sell them for.
Tips for successful sellers
There are plenty of simple things you can do to maximize your chances of selling successfully on Facebook marketplace:
- Use photos. Include multiple high-quality photos in each listing so customers know exactly what they’re purchasing.
- Add a detailed description. Take the time to describe the item, its condition and your reason for selling.
- Keep your receipts. Providing things like purchase receipts, original packaging and instruction manuals for high-priced items can help you secure better prices.
- Provide good customer service. Be ready to provide prompt and polite responses to buyer inquiries via Facebook Messenger. If you’re quick to respond with helpful information, you’ll increase your chances of securing the sale.
- Improve your Facebook profile. When you list an item on Marketplace, buyers can access your Facebook profile from your listing. Check your privacy settings and find out the details sellers can access.
- Market your products. Share your sales listings with friends or join relevant Facebook groups to display your product listing to group members.
What is the Commerce Manager?
Facebook is integrated into e-commerce platforms like BigCommerce, Shopify and ShipStation. So if you have an online store set up through an e-commerce platform partner, you can sell on Facebook or Instagram without going through the steps to set up a separate store.
How to organize shipping
Facebook Marketplace is designed to connect you with buyers in your local area to facilitate pickups and dropoffs. But you can also offer online checkout and shipping, if you’d like. Keep in mind that this is only available when you post from the Facebook App — not Facebook.com or Facebook Lite.
Here’s how set up shipping through Facebook Marketplace:
- Go to Facebook Marketplace on the app.
- Click Sell, enter the product details and click Next.
- Click Set up Shipping.
- Enter your name, birthday, mailing address, and bank account information.
Facebook needs your bank account information so that it can transfer money directly into your account after the buyer pays.
You’re in charge of choosing a mail carrier and setting the shipping price for each listing — you can either use Facebook’s suggested price, which is based on the weight of the item, or enter a custom price based on your own estimate. You can also offer free shipping.
- Good to know: UPS, USPS and FedEx all have shipping quote tools available on their websites, so you can get a ballpark estimate for how much your item will cost to ship.
Also consider the following:
- Delivery time frame. After the order is placed, you must ship the item within 3 business days so that it arrives at the buyer within 10 business days.
- Shipping fee. You’ll be charged a shipping fee of 5% or a minimum of $0.40 if you opt to mail the item, which helps cover Purchase Protection for the buyer.
What types of payment does Facebook Marketplace accept?
Facebook Marketplace doesn’t have any sort of built-in payment system, so it’s up to you to negotiate a payment method with the buyer.
Facebook recommends using cash or person-to-person payment methods through Facebook Messenger or PayPal. You can also use electronic payment methods, like a bank transfer.
Since local pickup items aren’t covered by Facebook’s Purchase Protection, be wary of potential scams or fraud attempts. Learn how to spot money transfer scams to keep yourself safe while selling on Facebook Marketplace.
What to watch out for with Facebook Marketplace
Selling online has its risks. Here are a few things to be aware of when selling on Facebook Marketplace:
- Hagglers. Like many other classified ad sites, people may ask you to lower your prices. Be prepared to negotiate on price, so list items slightly above the price you want.
- Keeping track of potential buyers. If an item you’re selling attracts a lot of interest, determine who responded first or who can pick up the soonest. Many people send private messages to get your attention, and they can be hidden in your inbox if you’re not actively looking.
- Scams. Some people list items for way less than they’re worth, asking you to pay ahead of time. Don’t pay someone until you have the item, and never share your financial information or Social Security number. Be safe by meeting in a public place.
- No seller protection. Facebook Marketplace doesn’t have the same seller protections as other sites, such as eBay, so you need to be wary of who you deal with. If something seems suspicious, don’t hesitate to decline their offer.
- Linked to Facebook profile. The items you list on Facebook Marketplace are linked to your Facebook profile. Keep this in mind if you want to keep your social media account separate from your online sales.
Compare e-commerce platforms
If you’re looking to move more merchandise, these platforms can help you set up your own online store.
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