Facebook Marketplace is a free feature that allows users to buy, sell, and trade items with people nearby — kind of like a garage sale, but online. Here, you'll find all kinds of items for sale, both big and small, cheap (even free) and expensive.
In this guide, we go over how to access Facebook Marketplace on a browser or the mobile app, some troubleshooting tips, reasons why Marketplace may not be available to you, and how to sell items on Facebook Marketplace.
Important: Facebook Marketplace is available to users 18 and older in most countries, including the US and Canada. For a full list of supported countries, see the footer at the bottom of the official Facebook Marketplace page.
How to access Facebook MarketplaceAccessing Facebook Marketplace is typically a straightforward process. If you're on the Facebook website, you can access Facebook Marketplace by clicking the Marketplace icon in the main menu located on the left side of the screen.
The Marketplace icon often appears in the menu section as a shortcut. Abigail Abesamis DemarestIf you're using the Facebook app, tap the Menu icon (it looks like three horizontal lines), then tap Marketplace.
If you don't see it in the list, tap See More for the full menu.
If you're not seeing Facebook Marketplace when you're logged into Facebook, here are a few things you can try:
Like and comment on posts, share photos, and add friends.If you're unable to access Facebook Marketplace, even after following the steps outlined in the previous section, there are a few potential reasons why:
If you never or rarely use Facebook Marketplace, the icon may disappear.To sell something on Facebook Marketplace, simply go to the Marketplace section of the app or website, then select Create new listing.
For more details on what you can and can't sell, and tips for standing out, check out our guide to selling on Facebook Marketplace.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest
Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a contributing writer for Insider based in New York.
She loves a good glazed donut and nerdy deep dives into the science of food and how it's made.
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Did you know that when you type “How to sell on Facebook Marketplace” in Google, you’ll get around 1,050,000,000 search results?
Now—
Forget the remaining 1,049,999,999.
We cover all bases.
In this article:
Looking for more reads? Take a look at these helpful articles:
First things first—
Facebook marketplace is a shopping app integrated with Facebook, where people can buy and sell items, used and new, without paying fees.
Thanks to the Facebook Marketplace app, buying, trading, and selling items online has become super accessible for regular Facebook users and eCommerce businesses alike.
But is it worth a shot?
Well, just look at the numbers:
In other words, you can reach quite a number of people.
Source: The eMarketer Facebook Flash Survey conducted in June 2020 by Bizrate InsightsOne of the small business owners, Melissa South from Swingtie, had this to say about FB Marketplace:
Facebook Marketplace is a fantastic place to increase revenue. You will find that big announcements and deals soar in sales because everyone who follows you gets excited about your success. All social media forms tend to draw more business, but there are none more powerful than Facebook’s Marketplace.
Melissa South
Swingtie owner
All you need to access Marketplace on Facebook, is to log into your personal or business Facebook account via a web browser (on a PC/Mac) or a Facebook App on an iOS/Android device.
Then, depending on the device you are using, find the FB Marketplace icon:
Done!
You just entered Facebook Marketplace with one tap, straight from your Facebook page.
The best part?
Imagine your future customers can access the app just as quickly to buy your products!
Now, let’s see how to post on Facebook Marketplace right away.
Good to know…
There are a few requirements for using the Facebook Marketplace app. You have to be:
• At least 18 years old
• On Facebook for a while—the app won’t be available for brand-new users
• In a location, where Marketplace is available
Other than that, you’re good to go!
Just like accessing the app, selling items online on FB Marketplace is extremely easy.
Here’s how it works:
Did you know…?
Facebook enabled the “Hide from friends” option after users complained about their relatives and acquaintances openly commenting on their listings.
Done!
All your listings are now visible to potential buyers, so you can start a Facebook selling spree! You can easily edit and manage your products under the “Your items” tab.
You can also regularly renew your less popular listings by editing them and clicking on the “Renew” option. It will make them reappear as newly added in a specific category.
You can additionally publish Facebook ads on Facebook Marketplace once you integrate the two.
Thanks to this option, you can redirect potential buyers to your products’ landing pages instead of individual listings on FB Marketplace. Advertising your listing is not free though, and you need to pay a small boosting fee.
Depending on the category, it can be as little as $1 per day. Facebook accepts credit card payments, PayPal and direct bank transfers.
However, just posting your items and using basic Facebook Marketplace settings may not be enough to stand out from the crowd of numerous competitors.
Let’s find out how to make your Facebook Marketplace offers as appealing as they can be.
Apart from posting your items along with thorough descriptions and high-quality pictures, there are a few more things you can do to increase your sales on Facebook Marketplace.
Sometimes, small changes bring about big results—and in this section, we’ll show you how.
Facebook Marketplace provides customers with a wide range of categories to browse during the hunt for their next best buy.
The main categories on Facebook Marketplace are:
What’s the purpose of categorizing your items for sale? You know, apart from making them nicely cataloged for those who browse Facebook Marketplace search?
First of all, customers reach out to you more when you post in their searched category, so it definitely allows you to demonstrate your customer service skills.
But there are three more reasons why you should pay attention to the power of Facebook Marketplace categories.
If you want to conquer this platform, search Facebook Marketplace categories in-depth before you list items.
Do you see a listed item with lots of likes? Check it out and see how the products are presented. What are the listings in the “best items for today” feed, and what makes them the best?
The more you know, the more you understand how similar items in each category cater to potential buyers and how you can make it even better in terms of aesthetics, price, and description—especially if you want to start selling clothes online, jewelry or accessories.
Being on Facebook Marketplace already gives you exposure.
However, posting in specific categories as an expert will make your business name stick in people’s minds and help you establish a brand voice on the platform.
Here’s what Tiffany Riffer, owner of Tiffany Riffer Soap, says:
I encourage anyone who asks about the listing to check out my shop, either on my official Facebook page or my direct website link, where they see more products that may pique their interest. I’d recommend really good photos, targeted keywords, and patience for anyone who wants to try it out!
Tiffany Riffer
Tiffany Riffer Soap owner
Don’t be afraid to be seen as a “familiar local” in a specific category. Thanks to such a reputation, you have the chance to become a trusted seller and build great customer relationships.
Once you have that status, potential buyers know that you don’t engage in sketchy practices, i.
e., you don’t lowball or provide misleading descriptions of your items.
This becomes even more valuable if you want to sell your items locally.
Consequently, you earn even more trust and… sales.
Source: Petrovic, Otto, et al. Trust in the Network Economy. Springer, 2003.Trying to find out new ways to increase conversions? Read about how to increase your eCommerce sales with chatbots and automation.
If you run ads on Marketplace, your clients go to the checkout directly on your website, and the product category is mandatory because it determines the taxes they pay.
That’s not all—assigning product categories improves the ad performance, because it further narrows down the specific categories that potential clients browse.
As a result, they don’t have to search all of Facebook Marketplace, but they navigate through products they are interested in.
Communication (and messaging) is key! A somewhat social character of FB Marketplace may result in a surge of private messages with questions about the price, availability, and other details related to your listed items.
It may indicate that you are on the right path!
Andrew Pires, the owner of eCommerce from New York, The Maskie, says:
Facebook Marketplace allows for businesses to nurture a relationship with your customers, which is extremely important for brand name and consumer retention. Your goal should be to have your customers see you as a person rather than a business and feel comfortable reaching out to you about your products. As time goes on, you will see that this connection makes your customer pool grow, and more loyal customers will arise as well.
Andrew Pires
The Maskie owner
If you are a small business owner with a few products, you want to find time to answer all the messages personally in order to generate leads.
But what if you get swamped with messages and the questions repeat regularly, making you wish you hired live chat agents helping you handle all the contact requests?
There might be a solution for that, too.
It enables you to receive and answer the messages sent through Messenger in your Tidio panel that can also integrate with your website and other eCommerce platforms.
That’s not all—
You can also send automated messages from your Messenger whenever you are out of reach.
Is the asking price definite? Do you accept PayPal? Is it possible to arrange for personal pickup of the items?
You can set up automatic responses to any of these questions so your private “live chat agent” answers them for you.
I won’t list 100 benefits of trying our integration out because that’s not the point of creating this article.
I will just mention that you can see Tidio’s Facebook live chat integration by yourself and use it for free if you feel that it’s something you could benefit from 🙂
Facebook Marketplace doesn’t have a built-in system for transactions, which means you don’t pay the selling fee.
This is undoubtedly a benefit, but it also means that it’s in your best interest as a seller to arrange the most efficient way for safe payments, shipment, and pickup options.
The three tips below demonstrate what “smooth and safe” means in practice, and how you can show off your best customer service skills along the way:
First and foremost, use an instant electronic payment system that accepts credit card payments, like PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp.
One of the most popular Facebook Marketplace scams is for the buyer to cancel the payment once you’ve sent an item and you cannot retrieve it.
These systems help you avoid this by offering fraud investigation services. This additional feature makes 3rd party payment systems more appealing in terms of transaction security, both for reputable sellers and buyers alike.
Another good customer service practice is to add the payment method and shipping/pick-up information in the description, which is visible right next to the pricing of the item.
The majority of your future customers will search all of Facebook Marketplace and scrutinize the listing before making a purchase.
This means you must demonstrate your transparency in order to save their time (and make a good impression). Once the buyer reaches out to you directly, you can clarify any other details.
The more trust you gain upfront, the higher chances are that both you and the buyer can focus on the transaction itself, steering clear from worrying about the safety of your bank accounts.
Be transparent, but always stay safe and be smart about Facebook Marketplace transactions.
If something about the conversation with the potential buyer raises a red flag, don’t ignore it! Always check their profile—no friends or a stock photo in the place of their profile picture may be signs that this person doesn’t intend to buy anything, and it’s a fake profile explicitly created for Marketplace scams.
If you plan to meet the buyer in person, always choose a public place (like a busy parking lot or a café).
Your local police station may even allow you to organize the pickup in their lobby if you call them before.
Facebook Marketplace gives you easy access to a large number of potential buyers. To sell effectively on Facebook Marketplace remember to:
Are you ready to apply the tips and tricks to start selling on Facebook Marketplace? Do you think it will help you grow your business?
Don’t hesitate to let us know.
And if you want us to help you integrate your FB Marketplace communication with an intelligent, automated chat widget, reach out—we will gladly help.
Facebook Marketplace is a popular feature built into the social networking site Facebook, used by over 800 million users every month to buy and sell products and services.
The Facebook Marketplace service can be accessed directly from Facebook free of charge in the following ways:
Although the Facebook Marketplace can usually be found using the above two methods, sometimes this option may disappear entirely due to a technical issue or account restriction.
Here's what you need to know about how to add the Marketplace to Facebook and get the icon back in apps and on the Facebook website.
If you've opened the Facebook website or app and the Facebook Marketplace icon isn't showing, there could be a number of possible reasons.
This is likely to prevent scammers from creating new accounts and selling fake products shortly after previous accounts have been banned from the platform. If you don't currently have Facebook Marketplace after logging in to Facebook, there are a few things you can try to make it appear.
Sign out of the Facebook website or app, and then sign in again.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook application.
Don't know how to uninstall applications? See our articles on how to uninstall apps on iOS or how to uninstall apps on Android.
Change your country to a country supported by Facebook Marketplace . Go to your Facebook profile, click About and click sign plus to add a city, or Edit to change the current city.
Use a new Facebook account daily, comment on posts and add friends. Once Facebook detects that your account is real and not a fake account created to view products, the Marketplace functionality can be unlocked.
Visit the Facebook Marketplace website directly from a web browser. This can be a good backup option if the link doesn't appear on the main Facebook website and apps.
While there are separate apps for Facebook Local and Facebook Messenger , Facebook Marketplace functions entirely within the main Facebook app and website. If you're installing apps on a new phone or tablet, all you need to access the Facebook Marketplace is the main Facebook app.
If you've used the standalone Facebook Marketplace app in the past, it's most likely unofficial. Some people like to use these third party Facebook Marketplace apps, but they are unnecessary and often have less functionality than the main Facebook app anyway.
There is no official Facebook Marketplace app for Android to download, and for iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad.
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How to activate the Marketplace on Facebook
Recently, most of your friends have started buying and selling used items, among other things, with some success.
Intrigued as to why, he decided to ask for more information, and, between one explanation and another, it turned out that the exchanges were made through Growing from Facebook . Passionate about this topic and wanting to join this system, you decided to get more information, so without thinking twice, you opened Google and you searched for information at how to activate Marketplace on Facebook .
Is it really so? Excellent, then I am happy to report that you have chosen the right guide! In fact, below I intend to clarify all the fundamental aspects of this online trading system by teaching you how to access it and make purchases and sales in a few steps. If you're still not sure, the only requirement to access the Facebook Marketplace is to have an account on the world's most famous social network: it's essentially a completely free portal, a kind of "showcase" where you can see the objects listed to sell, and offer others, and then proceed to a direct agreement with the seller or buyer through the exchange of personal messages.
Since there is no control over money transactions, which in most cases end in cash payments and a handshake, I would like to give you a fundamental preliminary recommendation: before completing a purchase, make sure that the seller is a seller. human. a real profile and not a false one, that the object in question is in good condition and, above all, has never made money transfers, for example, via PostePay top-up or similar means, before the purchased item is in your hands, since fraud is always out of the question. mountains! All clear? Well then, let's get started.
Index
to to activate the Marketplace on Facebook using his mobile phone or tablet, you don't need a separate app, just download and install, if you don't already have it, the social network app dedicated to Android o iOS: the Marketplace section is "embedded" in it.
After installation is complete, launch the application by downloading it from Android (screen with all installed applications) or from Home screen iOS, log in (if necessary) and click the Marketplace icon in the shape of store located at the top or bottom app bar (depending on whether you're using Android or iOS). In addition, you can access the same section by pressing the button ☰ is placed on the top right or bottom right, then on item Other… is placed in the opened menu and finally in element Growing .
In the central field of the proposed screen, you can see a series of ads according to your preferences and place of residence, divided into categories: if you want Guardar one to view later, click the bookmark icon located in the preview. If desired, you can change the position by clicking on element edit position .
Help with buttons Categories es Search is located on the top bar of the Marketplace screen, you can only view listings in a specific category or search by name. To view saved items , you can click the button of the same name, located in the same section. Finally, to see the products you have for sale, the products you have purchased or the sellers you have contacted for information, and the groups you belong to that have ads, you can refer to sections Selling, buying es Follow now , available at the push of a button you .
To access the details of a particular listing, simply click on its preview: Facebook will open a summary box where you can view the details of the item for sale, as well as information about the seller and their location. By using the corresponding keys displayed on the screen, you can Request more information After sending an automatic message, start a chat Exchange messages with the seller, save the announcement or share it in a personal / group profile.
If you believe that the item you have selected does not comply with the marketplace selling rules, or if you know for sure that your seller is a fake or fraudulent profile, feel free to create a report using the Other button and votes Article Report and/or Notify seller .
Selling a product is even easier - to start showing ads, click on the field What are you selling? placed on the main screen of the marketplace, select the most appropriate category with the object you are interested in ( Objects , vehicles , Housing o Job offers ), fill out the proposed form with all the information ( name, price, location , description and so on) and at least one product photo, press button Venga , choose if you want to share the ad also on your timeline or in a group, and complete the post by clicking the Public button.
Are you more comfortable shopping on your PC, so you have every intention of activating Marketplace on Facebook for PC and accessing the storefront through your browser? There is nothing easier!
First of all, connect to the Facebook home page by clicking on this link, enter your login details in the appropriate fields on the right (email address - phone number - username and password) and click button Login to login to your profile homepage.
Once this is done, click on the element Home located in the upper right side, then find the box located on the far left of the page (which contains your name with a series of quick links to the most frequently used sections of the site), and click the element Growing abiding in it. If you cannot access the desired section in this way, you can easily click this link to log in immediately after entering, when prompted, your personal access credentials.
At this point, you should be in the Marketplace: the center box shows some items for sale recommended according to your preferences; optionally, you can use the search bar directly above the recommended field to perform specific searches on the name of the asset you are interested in (e.g. iPhone , garden table , Opel Astra so).
Alternatively, you can refine your search using control panel is located on the left: so you have the option to filter articles by minimum and maximum price, view articles for sale only in a specific location, or specify the maximum range of kilometers depending on your location and, if so, want to choose a specific category of objects to display.
To save the ad without opening it for easy reading later, hover over the ad preview and click the 9 icon0008 marker this appears in the upper right corner.
However, to see detailed information about an item offered for sale, simply click on its preview: through the field that appears on the screen, you can see the position of the seller on the map, Request more information by sending an automatic message through the corresponding button, view the seller's profile, send a message via Messenger, save or share the ad.
Saved listings can be viewed and rearranged through the section of the Collection from the Marketplace homepage. In addition, again through the main page of the portal you can see the published announcements of the groups to which you belong by clicking on the link Groups ; listings you have auto-messaged through section Buy items and items you offer for sale through section Sell .
If you think the item or seller is not in compliance with the marketplace rules, click Downward angled arrow located in the upper right corner of the article summary screen and uses the elements Report article o Tell seller notify Facebook.
