What’s Facebook Marketplace? It’s a public space to buy or sell nearly anything within Facebook’s e-commerce standards. The mobile-optimized marketplace showcases local goods that span dozens of categories and subcategories.
Selling on the marketplace is easy and available to casual sellers or businesses. If you want to unload some household goods or boost your e-commerce sales, the marketplace is a great spot. Learn how selling on Facebook Marketplace works and use these tips to get started.
How Facebook Marketplace Works
Facebook designed the marketplace to meet demand from buyers and sellers using Facebook Groups. Anyone can post an item for sale on Facebook Marketplace by creating a listing. All product profiles are public, meaning your post is visible across Facebook channels and on search engines.
From the Facebook app or through a web browser, you click the “Marketplace” icon, which brings up a neatly organized grid of photos with a price and location below each image. Shoppers scroll to find “Today’s Picks” or “Suggested Items.” Or they can click on “Categories” to filter items.
As a seller, the process is simple. Pull up the marketplace and tap “Sell.” From there, you can generate a new listing. Buyers communicate on the product profile by clicking “Make Offer” or “Message Seller.” As a seller, you’ll see the message under the “Selling” screen, or you can continue the conversation on the Facebook Messenger app, but it’s not required.
What You Can and Can’t You Sell on Facebook Marketplace
Facebook has a pretty extensive list of items you can’t sell. While some may seem obvious, others are less so. For example, you can’t sell that unused jug of lawn spray for bugs. Nor can you sell vitamins, supplements, or nicotine gum. Unsure if your item qualifies? Below you’ll find a list of things you can and can’t sell on Facebook Marketplace.
Items to Not Sell on Facebook Marketplace
All sellers must comply with Facebook Community Standards, meaning you can’t voice discriminatory views in your listing or thread, position products in a sexual manner, or promote gambling. Posts that suggest violence or hate or mislead people are prohibited. Plus, Facebook doesn’t allow counterfeit items or the sale of services.
There are over a dozen categories of prohibited items that you can’t sell on Facebook Marketplace. This includes self-explanatory categories, such as:
- Adult products
- Alcohol
- Animals
- Body parts and fluids
- Human exploitation and sexual services
- Prescription products, drugs, and drug paraphernalia
- Recalled products
- Stolen goods
- Tobacco products and related paraphernalia
- Weapons, ammunition, and explosives
- Gift cards or event tickets
Other categories are less clear, so if you think your item falls into one of the following groups, it’s a good idea to read the policy to see if your product is allowed. These categories include:
- Digital media and electronic devices: Items allowing illegal streaming or interfering with electronic devices, like so-called jail-broke Firesticks.
- Documents, currency, and financial instruments: You can’t sell a historic or faux property deed or virtual currency.
- Hazardous goods and materials: No flammable, corrosive, or chemical products, including pesticides.
- Ingestible supplements: You’re not allowed to sell protein bars or powders, vitamins, or comfrey.
- Medical and healthcare products: No medical or healthcare products or services, including medical devices and items with nicotine.
- Subscriptions and digital products: You can’t promote your latest e-book, digital subscriptions, or other downloadable content.
What to Sell on Facebook Marketplace
Fortunately, there are plenty of items you can sell on Facebook Marketplace. Each main category has subcategories so you can classify your product and make it easier for people to find. Categories include:
- Antiques and collectibles
- Arts and crafts
- Auto parts and accessories
- Baby products
- Bags and luggage
- Books, movies, and music
- Cell phones and accessories
- Clothing, shoes, and accessories
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Health and beauty
- Home and kitchen
- Jewelry and watches
- Musical instruments
- Office supplies
- Patio and garden
- Pet supplies
- Sporting goods
- Tools and home improvement
- Toys and games
- Video games and consoles
Facebook Marketplace Payment Details
Facebook leaves the payment details up to you as a seller. Facebook Marketplace payment options can include any payment service you or your buyer wants, but Facebook recommends cash or payment through Facebook Messenger or PayPal.
You can also use third-party delivery options, such as DeliverEnd. A local delivery service handles the payment for you, saving you time and eliminating the need to ask for cash.
How Shipping Works As a Facebook Marketplace Seller
Facebook Marketplace shipping is available once you create your account for online checkout and shipping. You’ll need to add your PayPal or bank information. If you sell over $599 per year on Facebook, you’ll also have to give your social security number or employer identification number (EIN).
Once you set up your account, you can create a listing and click on the “Shipping” tab. Facebook may recommend a shipping price based on the item weight, but you add your own cost or offer free shipping.
After you sell an item, you have three business days to ship it using any carrier that provides tracking services. To get payment, you need to add the tracking information to your listing and mark it as shipped. Facebook charges a selling fee of 5% with a $0.40 minimum per order for shipped purchases.
As an alternative, you can choose a Facebook Marketplace delivery option, such as meeting your customer in person or using a delivery service.
Can a Buyer Return Items?
If you use Facebook’s shipping options, the company provides purchase protection to buyers. For shipped orders, buyers can initiate a return for at least 30 days after purchasing your item.
However, peer-to-peer transactions, such as cash payments or through third-party payment processors, like PayPal, Messenger, or Venmo, aren’t covered under purchase protection. This means most sales are final. As a seller, you can create a return policy or agree to accept a return, but it won’t process through Facebook Marketplace.
Selling on the Marketplace: Next Steps
According to Statista, 16% of Facebook users shop or buy things from Facebook Marketplace. And with nearly 1.85 billion daily active users as of December 2020, that’s a lot of potential shoppers for your products. If you’re considering selling on the marketplace but worry about payment security or delivery safety, consider using a service like DeliverEnd.
