Facebook Marketplace: Discover A New Channel For Your Brand’s Growth

Facebook marketplace has expanded from peer-to-peer shopping to include merchant selling. Online shopping has grown dramatically recently, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic has changed many of our daily habits. As millions of people stayed home in early 2020 to contain the spread of the virus, digital channels have become the most popular alternative to crowded stores and in-person shopping.

With roughly 2.89 billion monthly active users in the second quarter of 2021, Facebook is the biggest social network worldwide. Though Facebook is best known as a social media and advertising platform, Facebook Marketplace is one of the fastest-growing online channels for buyers and sellers. Let’s see how to sell on Facebook Marketplace and get the most of this new channel for your brand’s growth.

What Is Facebook Marketplace?

Facebook Marketplace is Facebook’s answer to Ebay’s small private ads. Here, everyone can sell or give something for free and view the offers of other users.

Introduced in October 2016, the platform has been a safe and user-friendly space to offer goods to local buyers. Now Facebook allows eligible sellers to offer nationwide shipping for products in specific categories. The Marketplace is similar to a Facebook feed. The main difference is that the user already has the motivation to make a purchase. The purpose of the Marketplace is to facilitate the sale and purchase of goods and connect trade to local communities. Buyers will outline the boundaries within which they are ready to go for the right thing, and transactions will mainly be made within the same area.

Categories available on Facebook Marketplace:

• Classifieds
• Clothing & Accessories
• Deals
• Electronics
• Entertainment
• Family
• Hobbies
• Home & Garden
• Housing
• Vehicles

Who should sell on Facebook? Everyone! The platform is popular among those who want to get rid of extra stuff and physical stores, handmade artists, and other eCommerce businesses. Facebook allows you to connect with people around you to grow your business. No additional fee is required since Facebook offers this trading platform for free for all users locally. The seller is only charged 5% of the sale price if the order is placed for shipping.

To start selling is easier than ever – you need to have an active Facebook account. If you plan to ship your products, you also need to add your payment and shipping information.

Benefits of Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Why should you pay attention to this digital Marketplace? Here are a few reasons to keep in mind:

• It is safe and user-friendly. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, everyone is connected to a specific Facebook account.
• It is free to start selling. Facebook does not charge anything for creating an account and starting selling. 
• Instant communication. Buyers and sellers communicate with each other through Messenger. 
• It allows you to post your listing to relevant “buy & sell” groups in your area to boost organic reach.
• You can use Facebook Marketplace on a mobile device on the go.
• It allows you to reach out to billions of users.
• You can outsell your competitors taking into consideration a vast Facebook audience. 

Essential Steps to Sell on Facebook Marketplace

1. Log in to your Facebook account. If you do not have one, create a new account and sign in.
2. Navigate to the Marketplace tab on the left-hand side of your Facebook homepage.
3. Click ‘Create New Listing.’
4. Choose your listing type (‘The Item for Sale’ section is chosen for our example). You have the following choices:
   • The item for Sale;
   • Vehicle for Sale;
   • Home for Sale or Rent;
   • Job Opening.
5. Add the category, product information, and upload images.
6. Review the listing and click Next.
7. Choose your delivery method.
8. Choose where to list the product – either a Marketplace only or a Marketplace plus local groups.  
9. Click Publish to get the listing public.

Facebook Marketplace for BigCommerce merchants:

1. Go to your BigCommerce store control panel, navigate to your Channel Manager and select Facebook from the list of icons.
2. Click the ‘Yes, I am interested’ button in the box with the Marketplace’s rules.
3. That’s it. You will now be in Facebook’s Marketplace review process to understand if your product is suitable for the Facebook marketplace. 

BigCommerce merchants categories on Facebook Marketplace:

• Accessories
• Apparel (Men & Women)
• Baby & Kids
• Bags & Luggage
• Beauty (Women)
• Home Furnishings

The merchants who grew with Facebook Marketplace are Sweetums Signatures, Hats Unlimited, Spearmint LOVE, and others. 

Facebook Marketplace Policies

According to Facebook Marketplace Commerce Policies, some products are allowed and prohibited for sale. Below you will find the items you cannot sell on the Facebook Marketplace:

• Adult products
• Alcohol
• Animals
• Body parts and fluids
• Digital media and electronic devices
• Documents, currency, and financial instruments
• Gambling
• Hazardous goods and materials
• Human exploitation and sexual services
• Ingestible supplements
• Jobs
• Medical and healthcare products
• Prescription products, drugs, and drug paraphernalia
• Products with overtly sexualized positioning
• Recalled products
• Services
• Stolen goods
• Digital products and subscriptions
• Tobacco products and related paraphernalia
• Weapons, ammunition, and explosives
• Anything that is not a physical product.

The photos of the products must match the title and description you entered. Before-and-after pictures are prohibited.

8 Tips to Increase Sales on Facebook Marketplace

1. Product research is a crucial step. Sometimes even the most thorough analysis cannot predict the consumer’s reaction. And yet, if it is not a guarantee of success, at least it allows you to count on it. Three main points to consider are profitability, demand, and competition. Determine your potential profit, use data from eBay and Amazon to get an idea of what is selling, and optimize your listing to stand out from the competition.
2. Use Facebook ads to achieve higher ROI and an increase in sales. Facebook collects a lot of data. Maybe even more than you think. Your favorite pages, topics, friends, date of birth, current geolocation, your vacation last year, and more. Imagine what value such a data bank can create for you as an advertiser seeking to attract specific users. It is possible to identify your target customer accurately and show ads only to those inclined to buy your product or service.
3. Include the right keywords in your product listing. Yes, the same SEO principles apply to Facebook Marketplace. Your title and product description should include the right keywords to sell effectively. The appropriate tools are used to compile a list of the most relevant keywords to your business offer. The task is to show your ad in the search results when a user searches for a product or service related to your offer.
4. Take care of the visual appearance of your listing. eCommerce has the greatest dependence on the quality of photos than any other sales channel since it significantly differs from the usual experience of making purchases offline. Take some time to take great high-quality images to showcase your product. A good photo adds credibility, which in turn forms the buyer’s trust. Avoid dull, poorly lit, or blurry pictures; they will never help you sell an item.
5. Boost your listings. Move your listing to the top of Marketplace search results with the help of the ‘Boost Listing’ tool. Set your daily budget and boost duration so Facebook can estimate your audience reach. Afterward, you will decide on how much to spend. All the necessary analytics will be provided after your boosted ad starts to run.
6. Promote your products in local selling groups. Let local customers know about your product. Add your listing to the buyer/seller groups to get immediate attention.
7. Renew your post. If your item has not been sold for a week, it is time to renew the posting. With a few clicks, you will get your listing to the top results at no charge.
8. Include shipping/delivery. Some people avoid buying on Facebook Marketplace due to the delivery process. Include shipping/delivery to give your target audience a wow experience. Add a few dollars to your base price, and your products will disappear right in front of your eyes.

A Few More Tips, Tricks, and Security Information

• Never share your bank details with anyone you do not know. Before confirmation, it is not recommended to send or provide your bank account number and other financial information.
• Take cash to avoid scams. It is safer than using PayPal, cheque, or bank transfer.
• Always mark the items as sold after they are sold. Otherwise, you will continue to receive messages about your product.
• Do not enter incorrect information about your product to sell it faster.
• Set the right price for your product. To avoid overpricing/underpricing, check out other marketplaces to get a better idea of the right cost for the product you offer. Also, you can go through similar items listed in local Facebook groups and compare the prices.
• Expect to communicate and negotiate with buyers. To increase the chances of making a sale, reply to buyers’ messages as soon as possible. Use the Facebook messenger app to communicate with your audience on the go. They will try to lowball you – communicate your lowest price and stay firm.
• Be cautious when handing off a product to a local buyer and follow the essential safety tips. Facebook allows you to report suspicious people or activity on the Marketplace as well. 

Conclusion 

The retail world has become more multi-channel with more and more opportunities for sales in different places, and Facebook Marketplace allows brands to benefit from the interaction already available on Facebook.

Facebook Marketplace represents a new channel for growth and allows your brand to sell products on one of the largest social networks in the world. All you need to have is an active Facebook account. Then, choose the best features and capabilities to showcase your products and run your business on a platform that will scale with you, not hold you back.

Make money on Facebook with the help of a top Facebook marketing agency.