Pros and Cons of using Facebook Marketplace for Business

People are spending their time and money on the internet now more than ever, particularly to shop. Facebook Marketplace is one such platform where you can buy and sell products in your locality. It has a shop-like feature like any other e-commerce platform but with a more personal touch. Consumers can interact with businesses directly, which gives them a personalised experience.

The benefits of Facebook Marketplace are endless. So, if you are a business or starting your new business and want to hop on to online selling, Facebook Marketplace is a great way to get started. But before you jump into this new world, let us guide you about a few basics and pros and cons of Facebook Marketplace.

To get started with this ultimate guide on Facebook Marketplace for business, first, let us learn,

What is Facebook Marketplace?

Facebook Marketplace is a platform for people to browse, buy, and sell products. Consumers can find products based on their location, categories, and price. Facebook Marketplace enables consumers to directly connect with business owners via Messenger before making a purchase.

Typically, buying and selling through Facebook groups is a tedious task. Instead, you can list your products on Facebook Marketplace and connect to your prospective buyers directly through Messenger.

Facebook helps you reach your potential buyers by showing your products to people with the same interests. Buyers can contact you via Messenger. This helps to build strong relationships with your buyers.

How to Post on Facebook Marketplace as a Business?

You can sell products on Facebook Marketplace as a business using your personal or business account. You can not post on Facebook Marketplace from the business page; you can only post from your personal profile.

Facebook Marketplace for business can be used to:

• Show a lot of inventory for retail items, home rentals, vehicles, etc.
• Advertise your shop or items on Marketplace to reach more people.
• Display new or refurbished items from your Facebook Page shop on Marketplace for free and enable customers to purchase without leaving Facebook.

Note: All listings on Marketplace must comply with Facebook’s Commerce Policies (which list what you can sell on Facebook) and their Community Standards (such as images and descriptions).

Below is the step-by-step process to list products on Facebook Marketplace.

How to Set Up Facebook Marketplace?
Follow the below steps to set up your listing on the Marketplace:

1. Log in to your personal or business Facebook account. On your home page, click on the News Feed option. On the top bar, click on ‘Marketplace’.

2. From the left-side menu bar, click on ‘Create new listing’.

3. You can choose from the four options to specify what you want to sell on Facebook Marketplace:

1. Item for sale
2. Vehicle for sale
3. Property for sale
4. Job opening

Choose your best fit.

4. On this page, you have to describe your product in detail. Give a catchy title. Make sure ‘price’ and ‘location’ are accurate. Add the best photos of your product, and click ‘Next’.

5. You will see the preview of your product. Once you are satisfied with the details, click on ‘Post’. Now, your product is live on Facebook Marketplace.

Once your products are ready to sell, make sure you interact with your potential buyers through Messenger. This will clear any doubts they may have, and the chances of your products selling increase.

Now you know how to sell on Facebook Marketplace as a business, let’s see what products you can sell on the platform.

What to Sell on Facebook Marketplace?

Not every product can be sold on Facebook Marketplace. To begin with, you have to ensure your product or service is not among the list of unwanted items for the Marketplace. Check the items you cannot sell on Facebook Marketplace as listed on Facebook.

There are few restrictions on what products you can sell on Facebook Marketplace. But one good thing is you can sell used items that are in good condition and you no longer need. And as a business, it is even easier for you to sell on Facebook Marketplace. Let us find out how to use Facebook Marketplace for your business.

How to Use Facebook Marketplace for Your Business?

Facebook Marketplace offers many benefits for users. Using the platform, you can:

1. Increase Awareness And Discoverability

When you list your products on the marketplace, Facebook shows your listings to potential buyers, that is, people who are interested in your products or who are searching for those products.

2. Build Trust with Your Audience

With Facebook Marketplace, you can sell directly to buyers one-on-one through Facebook Messenger. Prospective buyers can ask questions directly, and you can answer them in real-time. This helps you to give them the needed product information before they lose interest. Also, it makes prospects feel comfortable and confident in making buying decisions.

3. Track What Sells Best on Facebook

You can research what products sell best on Facebook Marketplace. Go to the marketplace and search for products similar to what you want to sell. Facebook will show ‘Top Picks’ from that category.

4. Leverage Facebook’s Personalisation

As Facebook shows your products to people likely to be interested or are already searching for those products, this helps you reach more people. You can use this feature to capitalise on sales opportunities.

5. Test What Interests Buyers

Facebook targets buyers depending on their interests and what they are searching for. You can also check if people are interested in your products by offering discounts.

Now, before you start selling on Facebook Marketplace, please go through the pros and cons of using Facebook Marketplace so you can put it to the best use.

Pros of Using Facebook Marketplace

Some of the primary advantages of using Facebook Marketplace as a platform to list and sell products are described below:

1. Connects to Your Buyers Directly

Facebook Marketplace allows buyers to contact their sellers directly through Messenger. This allows sellers to connect with their buyers, build a good rapport, and business relationships with prospects.

Connecting to buyers directly through Messenger builds a trust factor with them which helps in closing deals easily.

2. Easy-To-Use Platform

Facebook Marketplace is available via the iOS and Android Facebook apps and desktop browsers too. Posting on Marketplace is an easy five-step process, as we discussed above. So, no more wasting time on figuring out how to post on Facebook Marketplace as a business. Just take good pictures of your products, put up an appropriate category and description, and you are ready to sell.

3. Facebook Marketplace provides a Personalised Experience

Marketplace shows buyers the products they are willing to buy, depending on their browsing history, past activities, and local communities. You can add filters when you are searching for a specific product in your local area. Marketplace automatically shows you the products available in your locality, thus making the purchase process easy.

4. Facebook Doesn’t Charge You for Selling

Unlike other e-commerce sites, Facebook doesn’t charge a fee to add listings on Marketplace.

5. Convenient Shipping

As a seller, you get to decide who pays for the shipping. And if you are selling in your local area only, buyers can directly come to pick up the products ordered. This saves the hassle of shipping for both buyers and sellers.

Since Facebook Marketplace has started, a lot of businesses are experiencing growth in their local business. But there are a few disadvantages or cons of using Facebook marketplace.

Cons of Using Facebook Marketplace

Some of the primary disadvantages of Facebook Marketplace as a platform for sales are:

1. Not a lot of people are using Facebook to buy products. That’s why it will take more time to establish the marketplace.
2. Amazon and other e-commerce sites are providing better service in terms of online selling stores or business to business (B2B) compared to Facebook.
3. It does not have the same protections as eBay. Buyer protection is not available on Facebook Marketplace.
4. It can be time-consuming (listening to and answering buyers’ questions).

Final Word

Facebook Marketplace for business is one of the most affordable ways to increase your revenue. It has a huge potential to leverage your local business. So if you have been thinking of selling your products online to your local community, here is your chance. Set up your Facebook Marketplace listings and grow your businesses.

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Also Read:

1) Managing Google My Business For Local Small Businesses
2) Here’s How to attract customers on social media?
3) Podcasting is the new blogging! Here’s how to get started
4) How to Start a Business with Less Than Rs 10000?

FAQs

Q. How to post to Facebook Marketplace from a business page?

Ans: You can post items for sale using your profile, but not from your business
page.

Q. How do you use Facebook Marketplace?

Ans: As a business, you use Facebook Marketplace to sell your products by listing them.

Q. Can new Facebook users use the marketplace?

Ans: New users typically are not given access to Facebook Marketplace right away.

Q. Can I sell digital products on Facebook Marketplace?

Ans: No. You can only sell physical products on the marketplace.