How to sell on Facebook Marketplace: a beginner's guide

What do I need to start selling on Marketplace?

You need a personal Facebook account, the item you want to sell, and a phone to photograph it. Marketplace is part of Facebook, in the app and at facebook.com. If you cannot see Marketplace, your account may not have access yet, and Facebook's Help Centre explains the reasons.

Before you list, give the item a quick clean, find any parts that go with it, and measure it if it is furniture. These few minutes answer most of the questions buyers would otherwise message you about.

How do I create a Marketplace listing?

1. Open Marketplace. In the Facebook app, tap Marketplace. On a computer, go to facebook.com/marketplace.
2. Start a listing. Tap Sell or Create new listing, then choose Item for sale.
3. Add photos. Put your best, brightest photo first, then show every side and any wear. See Photos that sell.
4. Write the title. Include the brand, the item and the key detail, such as "Oak dining table, seats 6". See How to write a listing that sells.
5. Set the price. Check what similar items near you are listed for, then adjust for condition. See How to price second-hand items.
6. Choose the category and condition. Pick the closest category, and the condition the item is really in. See Choosing the right condition.
7. Describe it. Cover the size, age, condition, faults, what is included and how pickup works. A few short lines are enough.
8. Check your location and publish. Marketplace shows buyers an approximate area, not your address. Read the listing once more, then publish.

Does it cost anything to sell on Facebook Marketplace?

Listing an item for local pickup on Marketplace is free. In countries where Facebook offers shipping with checkout, Facebook takes a selling fee on items sold that way. Check Facebook's Help Centre for what applies in your country before you offer shipping.

What sells well on Marketplace?

Things that are bulky, useful and expensive to buy new tend to find buyers locally, because people would rather collect them than pay for delivery. Common examples include:

• Furniture: tables, chairs, drawers, shelving, desks and outdoor settings.
• Baby and kids' gear: prams, cots, high chairs, toys and bikes, which children outgrow quickly.
• Appliances and electronics that work: washing machines, fridges, TVs, monitors and consoles.
• Tools, garden equipment, sports gear and exercise equipment.

Some items cannot be sold on Marketplace at all, including animals, weapons, alcohol, tobacco, medicines and adult products. Facebook's Commerce Policies list everything that is not allowed.

How should I handle messages from buyers?

A few simple habits keep buyer messages easy to manage:

• Reply quickly. Buyers often message several sellers, and the first clear answer usually wins the sale.
• Answer the question they asked. If many people ask the same thing, add the answer to the listing.
• Agree on everything in writing. Confirm the price, pickup time and payment method in the Marketplace chat.
• Keep the conversation on Facebook. Be wary of anyone who wants to move to email or another app straight away.
• Mark the item as pending or sold as soon as it is spoken for, so you stop getting messages about it.

Many first messages are Facebook's ready-made "Is this still available?". A short, friendly reply with the pickup area and times moves things along.

How do I get paid safely?

For local sales, cash on pickup or an instant bank transfer is the simplest way to get paid. Whichever method you use, confirm the money has arrived in your own banking app, or count the cash, before the item leaves your hands.

Never trust a screenshot, an email or a text that says a payment is waiting for you, and never pay a fee to receive money. These are signs of a scam. How to avoid scams when selling on Marketplace covers the common tricks and how to spot them.

How do I arrange a safe pickup?

To keep local pickups safe and straightforward:

• Share your exact address only once a time is agreed, or meet somewhere public for small items.
• Arrange pickups in daylight, and have someone else at home for larger items.
• Put the item by the door or in the garage, so the buyer does not need to come inside.
• Let the buyer check the item, then take payment before they load it up.

How can I sell things faster?

Most slow listings have one of three problems: dark or cluttered photos, a vague title, or a price above what similar items near you are listed for. Fix those first. If a listing gets views but no messages after about a week, lower the price a little.

Post a few listings at a time rather than dozens at once, especially from a newer account. Facebook can limit accounts that post a lot very quickly. Listing safely on Marketplace explains how to pace your listings.

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