Key Takeaways
- Access the marketplace by going to your Feed > click ‘Marketplace’ on the left menu.
- Make a listing: go to Marketplace > ‘Create new listing’ > ‘Item for sale’ > Add photos & details > Publish.
- Edit a listing: go to Marketplace > ‘Selling’ > ‘Your listings’ > find the listing you want to edit > click the three dots > ‘Edit listing’ > make your changes > ‘Update’.
- Delete listing: go to Marketplace > ‘Selling’ > ‘Your listings’ > find the listing you want to delete > click the three dots > ‘Delete’.
Introduction
When it comes to sheer audience size for social media platforms, Facebook is in a league of its own.
We’re talking over three billion active users every single month.
And more and more people are wanting to buy directly through their favorite social apps (instead of through traditional means).
Do you know what that means for businesses?
A huge opportunity to reach new customers!
Selling on Facebook through their built-in marketplace gives you a direct line to all these social shoppers. And good news for you if you’re looking for a new platform to sell on: it’s a trend that’s not going away anytime soon.
In the US alone, there were over 106 million social buyers in 2023. Experts predict that by 2027, that number could climb to over 118 million (an increase of around 10%).
Like the sound of that? Great! Not sure where to start? No problem! We’ll walk you through how to sell on Facebook step-by-step.
How Does the Facebook Marketplace Work?
Facebook Marketplace started as a space for user-to-user sales, similar to other consumer-to-consumer-based platforms like Craigslist, where individuals could:
- List items for sale.
- Connect with local buyers.
- Coordinate exchanges/trades or payments directly.
This core functionality remains, drawing in a billion users monthly to buy, sell, and trade within their communities (and while less common for FB Marketplace, across the world).
Who Sells on the Facebook Marketplace?
You know how it goes – one person’s trash is another’s treasure. That’s pretty much the vibe on Facebook Marketplace.
So who’s actually selling stuff on Facebook Marketplace?
For the most part, it’s casual sellers – the ones using it to finally declutter their homes. Usually things you’d see at a garage sale: boxes of old kids’ toys, clothes that don’t fit anymore, random knick-knacks collecting dust.
Facebook’s Marketplace lets them offload that stuff to someone local who might actually want it.
And while less common, you also have the entrepreneurs, the side-hustlers, the small business owners trying to sell their products. They’re using the Marketplace as a place to advertise their products to as many people as possible (usually local).
So if you’re someone who’s trying to offload a couple of things from around the house or you’re trying to sell more products for your business, Facebook Marketplace is a great platform to use.
How Do You Sell on Facebook Marketplace?
How to Post on Facebook Marketplace
To be able to sell something on the Facebook Marketplace, you’ll first need to make a public listing which will be visible to anyone browsing Marketplace. It’ll also appear in feeds, searches, and other parts of Facebook.
Here’s how to sell items on Facebook Marketplace:
# | Step | Description |
1 | Go to Marketplace | Head to your Feed and find the ‘Marketplace’ on the left menu, symbolized by a little shopfront icon. |
2 | Start your listing | Hit the plus sign that reads ‘Create new listing’, then select ‘Item for sale’. |
3 | Show off your item | Choose ‘Add photos’ or ‘Add Video’ to upload photos/videos of your item. |
4 | Fill out the details | Fill in the details about what you’re selling.
(Setting an item to ‘Free’? Just type in 0 for the price.) |
5 | Ready to go | Click ‘Next’.
(If it doesn’t let you, double-check you’ve filled in all the required info.) |
6 | Post your listing | Click ‘Publish’ to go live with your listing on the Marketplace. |
You’re done! Now repeat steps 2-6 as many times as you need for each item you want to sell.
How Do I Edit a Listing on Facebook Marketplace?
Made a small mistake when creating your listing? No problem! You can easily edit your listing by following these steps:
# | Step | Description |
1 | Go to marketplace | Find ‘Marketplace’ directly from your Feed. |
2 | Manage sales | Select ‘Selling’ from the menu on the left side. |
3 | View listings | Choose ‘Your listings’ to see all items you’ve put up for sale. |
4 | Choose to edit | Hit ‘more’ (3 dots) on the specific listing you wish to edit. |
5 | Make edits | Click ‘Edit listing’ to change details about your item. |
6 | Update your listing | Once done, select ‘Update’ to apply the changes. |
Note: No need to adjust your listing for inventory updates in multi-quantity sales. Your listing will automatically inform buyers about the remaining count when it dips below ten.
How Do I Delete My Marketplace Listing?
No longer wish to sell an item you’ve listed and want it deleted from the platform? Here is how to delete a FB Marketplace listing.
# | Step | Description |
1 | Open Marketplace | Go to ‘Marketplace’ directly from your Feed. |
2 | Go to Selling | Choose ‘Selling’ found within the left-hand menu. |
3 | Find Your Listings | Select ‘Your listings’ to see a catalog of your active sales. |
4 | Select to Remove | Press ‘more’ (3 dots) on the specific listing you’re looking to remove. |
5 | Confirm Deletion | Hit ‘Delete’, and then confirm by clicking ‘Delete’ once more to permanently remove your listing. |
And that’s it! Your listing will now be deleted from Facebook.
FAQs on How to Sell Things on FB Marketplace
Why Can’t I Make Changes to My Listing?
If you find yourself unable to edit or remove your listing on the Marketplace, it could be because:
- Your listing is either awaiting to be approval or rejection.
- A shipping label for the item has already been created.
- Your item has already been purchased by someone.
What’s the Reason My Listing Was Rejected?
If your listing didn’t get approved, it’s likely because it didn’t line up with Facebook’s policies.
When this happens, other users on Marketplace won’t be able to see the listing.
Still not sure why you got rejected? Here is a list of the most common reasons why listings are not approved.
Is It Possible to Sell My Items to Buyers Outside My Local Area?
Absolutely! Selling your items to buyers beyond your local vicinity is not only possible but also encouraged if you’re looking to get your items seen by the most amount of people possible.
Facebook Marketplace allows you to list your items both locally and globally by selecting specific shipping options.
Keep in mind though that if you’re selling something like a treadmill (heavy, bulky, not suitable for shipping), it’s best to only allow those in your community to purchase from you. Otherwise, you’re going to deal with some pretty wild shipping costs.
Other items that can easily fit into a shipping box like jewelry or video games are great options to try and sell outside your immediate area.
What Can’t I Sell on Facebook?
As a general rule, all listings must follow Meta’s Commerce Policies and Facebook Community Standards, with all parties adhering to relevant laws and regulations.
What this means: don’t sell crazy stuff on their platform.
Said stuff includes things like:
- Non-Physical Items: Listings must be for physical products.
- Services: Offering services (like house cleaning) is prohibited.
- Animals: The sale of animals or animal products is forbidden, including adoption posts unless by approved pet adoption services.
- Adult Material: Adult content on the platform is not allowed.
- Healthcare Products: Items related to healthcare (such as thermometers and first-aid kits) cannot be sold.
- Recalled Products: Since recalled products are recalled for a reason (usually because it’s dangerous to the consumer), it is not allowed to be sold on the platform.
- Not sure if your product is recalled? You can check if your item was recalled by checking the manufacturer’s or a governmental website, such as the US Consumer Product Safety Commission or the EU Rapid Alert System.