How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace for Beginners

Understand The Background Of How To Sell On Facebook Marketplace Now ! Selling on Facebook Marketplace isn’t easy, it’s cheap too. We’ve gathered our experience to put together the definitive guide to making the most money on your sales.

Looking to try something new in the market, or shift to something you already have? Facebook Marketplace is the place to go. Not only can you list things to sell, you can also buy stuff, and the whole process is super quick and easy.

So if you’re willing to join in, but “How does Facebook Marketplace work?” Like burning questions. or “Does Facebook Marketplace charge a fee?”, You’re in the right place!

We’ve got the answers to everything, plus the best tips for selling on Facebook Marketplace and getting the best possible price for your items.

  • What You Know About How To Post On Facebook Marketplace And What You Don’t Know About How To Post On Facebook Marketplace.

    man-hold-phone-facebook-on-screen-plant-laptop-in-background
    Credit: Chinnapong – Shutterstock

    To post your item on the Facebook Marketplace, go to the ‘Marketplace’ section of Facebook and then click ‘Create New Listing’.

    Once you have selected your listing type, you are ready to enter all the relevant details. You’ll need a title for your item and a price for it, along with a description and a description stating its condition. This will include its full name and product specifications, as well as colors and other relevant details.

    For a successful sale, put yourself in the place of a potential buyer and make sure you provide all the information that you If you are shopping online from any retailer then you want. This level of detail will make buyers more interested if you’ve just listed the product name and condition.

    Once you’ve gone through the bargain, make sure you close your deal with the buyer on Facebook Messenger to make sure you’ve come to an agreement on the price of the item and where you’ll find it.

    If you’re having trouble selling, you can also join facebook selling groups for your area, making it very easy to find the right person for your item.

  • Does Facebook Marketplace charge a fee?

    One of the best things about Facebook Marketplace is that it mostly free to use. There is no listing fee and, in most cases, Facebook will not deduct your sales.

    However, as of January 2022, there is now an exception to this. If you choose to send items by direct mail through Facebook Marketplace rather than exchanging products in person, you will pay a 2% fee.

    It is calculated as a percentage of the total cost of the item plus postage. So, if you sold something for £10 and the delivery cost is £2, you would pay 2% of £12 (24p). And note that this rule still applies regardless of whether it’s you or the customer actually paying for the delivery.

    Facebook says the introduction of this fee will ensure sellers can reach more potential buyers, and will help fund customer support and purchase protection. But even if you don’t want to pay, you can still avoid the fee by simply using the collection option when making a sale.

  • Facebook Marketplace Rules for Sellers

    young man sitting on a chair near the desk looking at the laptop screen
    Credit: Jacob Lund – Shutterstock

    Like any site like this, there are some restrictions. Here’s what can’t be sold on the Facebook Marketplace, plus other rules to consider:

    • You may not sell items that are not a ‘real item’ (the physical product). This means you can’t list jobs, eg.
    • You are also unable to list services like cleaning.
    • You must ensure that the photo matches the title and description of that item, otherwise your listing may be removed.
    • You may not sell animals (or list one for adoption) on the Facebook Marketplace.
    • No listings about healthcare items are allowed. Therefore, do not list your first aid kit or any extra packets of paracetamol.
    • Listing with before and after photos (such as fitness/weight loss) will also be removed from the Facebook Marketplace.
  • Take good pictures of your products

    Making sure you have good photos on your listing is one of the key factors in being able to sell quickly and at a higher price.

    First of all, if your phone has a decent camera, we suggest using it.

    But it’s not just about quality – quantity is just as important. When it comes to the Facebook Marketplace, the more photos it is, the better. Try capturing your item from multiple angles so the buyer can see what they’re getting if they choose to buy it.

    natural light Looks great too. We’ve found that lighting the product from a nearby window works, and you can also create a background with other products that show the piece in a real-life situation.

    For example, when we were trying to sell a vase, we put some dried flowers in it and placed some plant pots and decorations nearby, focusing on the main item.

    Lastly, we’ve found that it can help to edit the photo later to finalize it. We’re not saying you should put Snapchat filters on it, but play around with things like the brightness of the image.

    Most smartphones should have a feature for this on your Photos app, but if not, try downloading a free app from your App Store for help. Or, upload your photos to your computer and use one of these free photo editing software.

  • Market Research Examples Research What to sell at

    woman holding a pound coin and putting it in the wallet
    Credit: Yulia Grigoryeva – Shutterstock

    If you want to get the best possible price for your item, do a little research beforehand.

    The first thing we’d recommend is to see how new the item sells for, and then compare this price to the condition of your item. It’s worth considering how much you Will pay for this online.

    Afterwards, see what other people are selling this item for online on both eBay and the Facebook Marketplace. This should give you a good idea of ​​what kind of price you should be paying for your item.

  • List your item at a higher price

    We would always suggest that you list your item at a price slightly higher than what you are actually willing to sell for, just to give yourself some wiggle room.

    For example, if you want £15 for your item, try listing it for £20. That way, if someone actually buys it for £20, great – you’ve made more money! But, in the unlikely event that the buyer tries to bargain, you can still get the amount you want. really wanted to.

    In our experience, bids are usually in increments of £5 – so, to use the same example, if you listed your product for £20, they can go straight in and offer you that £15. Can do what you secretly wanted.

    This is a win-win situation because you will receive the money you really expected, and the buyer feels as though they have struck a bargain.

  • Not local? Mail your items

    Woman doing parcel packaging with notebook and tape scissors
    Credit: insta_photos – Shutterstock

    Facebook Marketplace has made a name for itself for buying and selling items in your local area. However, you may find that some buyers will ask if you are able to post them if they cannot find you. You can say yes depending on how you want to play it.

    If you do, you Payment must be taken before sending, We recommend providing either your PayPal details or bank details for the transfer. This is separate from the Facebook Marketplace’s own distribution system and is entirely at your own risk.

    Please note that in person, in lieu of cash, is generally more secure as you will know for a fact whether or not you have been paid. Scammers will often send fake paypal email to ‘confirm’ that your account has received funds, and then ask you to send the item as soon as possible. By the time you find out they haven’t actually paid, you may have already shipped the item.

    It’s up to you whether you charge for postage on top of that – but generally, buyers are up to it. Be sure to check the Royal Mail website for letter and parcel prices so you can charge the seller the exact amount.

    Selling online comes with its risks, especially if the buyer doesn’t receive (or doesn’t claim to!) the item. It’s best practice to obtain proof of postage when you ship the parcel — that way, if you don’t have delivery. If you have a problem with or need to track the item, you will be able to.

    Also, if Royal Mail loses your item on a standard service, you may be able to claim up to £20 for it (on standard delivery).

  • Take a Friend to Safety

    Meeting up with a local buyer can often be a scary experience, as you never really know who’s on the other end of a Facebook profile.

    For safety’s sake, try to make the meeting place public and, ideally, away from where you live. Take a friend along for added security and make sure they give you the right amount of cash (if they haven’t already transferred the money to you).

    On your way back home, make sure your surroundings are safe! We are not here to scare you, and hope the whole experience goes smoothly, but it is still worth doing in an open space to make sure the transaction is as secure as possible.

    The Facebook Marketplace can be the ideal place to make a profit from your home furnishings – take a look at our guide to the best things to make and sell.
  • Compare Facebook Marketplace with Other Sales Sites

    Phone buy and sell labels with Facebook Marketplace and Tabs
    Credit: Air Elegant – Shutterstock

    If Facebook Marketplace isn’t working well for you, there are many other selling sites you can use to make money online.

    Just note that if you decide to sell on eBay, there are some fees attached. So, although your item may sell for a bit more on eBay, you’ll have to account for the seller’s fee and postage (and the hassle of taking it to the post office) – at the end of it, you may only make a few quid.

    That said, we’ve found that eBay sometimes runs promotions offering listings for a £1 seller fee or even completely free. You can activate it on your account but, usually, eBay will promote it on a banner on their homepage. Or, just keep an eye on the Student Deals section of our website as we roll out these offers!

    If you’re selling your old CDs and DVDs, it may be easier to sell them on a site like MusicMagpie. You probably won’t get as high a return, but it will take all the hassle out – see our guide to selling CDs, DVDs and games online for more information.

    In the end, if you’re looking to sell handmade items, you might be better off selling them on Etsy.

  • Donate to Freecycle

    If your item is listed on the Facebook Marketplace (or any other site) and it’s not selling as fast as you’d like, consider donating it to Freecycle.

    Freecycle is a site where anyone can list any item they want to remove quickly, and you’ll receive messages from people nearby who can come and pick it up for free. Better than going to a landfill site, that’s for sure!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top