How to use Facebook Marketplace: for business, limits, scams

Facebook Marketplace is a platform for buying and selling second-hand items that work within Facebook. It has the advantage that anyone who has an account on Facebook can use it without having to leave the website or mobile application. However, it has some limitations, such as the fact that it does not offer payment solutions and the lack of options for businesses. Read on to find out more about what it has to offer and how to use it.

How does the Facebook Marketplace work?

Facebook Marketplace was launched in 2016 in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Since then, it has positioned itself as a strong competitor to retail websites such as Craigslist, Gumtree, and eBay, It has approximately 49 million unique monthly visitors. The platform provides its users with products that are for sale in their immediate environment. Communication between buyers and sellers is through Facebook Messenger.

While it is available via a mobile application, the service is also accessible through its dedicated Facebook interface. It is important to note that sales groups on Facebook keep their website and are kept separate from the platform.

Contrary to some other popular marketplaces, the one proposed by Facebook provides neither a payment nor a delivery solution for those who trade using its service. Rather, it simply acts as the channel through which the contact is made between buyers and sellers, leaving the logistics of the exchange in their hands.

Since Paypal's integration to messenger, Marketplace users can make use of it to perform payments. By clicking on the Paypal button in the app, users can send and request payments related to their Marketplace sales.

What are the benefits and limitations of Facebook Marketplace?

One of the advantages of Facebook Marketplace is that it can facilitate the connection between buyers and sellers. The interface allows visitors to search by category and by the distance around their current location. Buyers can also limit the geographic distance from which they may be located.

Facebook Marketplace uses the profiles of its users on the social network to provide a more transparent transaction: all buyers have access to the profiles of sellers. Its chat service, Messenger, is used to facilitate communication between the two parties.

One of the biggest limitations of the service is the lack of payment methods and delivery or shipping options. However, PayPal's integration with Messenger can help address this issue, especially by providing a secure payment experience.

Another limitation is the fact that neither buyers nor sellers can give or receive ratings, making it difficult to judge the credibility of others using the service.

How to use Facebook Marketplace as a business?

The current format of the platform is not adapted for business use. For example, Business Pages do not yet have a specific space within the Platform and ads cannot be linked to a Facebook Store.

However, in some countries, real estate and automotive companies already use Facebook Marketplace. For example, real estate agents offer their homes and apartments for rent or sale through the platform, and used car dealers post ads for cars and motorcycles.