How to Use Facebook Marketplace for Your Business

Selling on Facebook Marketplace as a business is a fast way to reach buyers and move inventory. Unlike Etsy and eBay, Meta’s Marketplace doesn’t charge listing fees, making it an excellent sales channel for brick-and-mortar retailers.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Shops for your business, including setting up your account, understanding fees for local pickup versus shipping, and determining what sells best. To enhance your social selling strategy, explore these tips for selling on Marketplace and deciding when to use an alternative.

What is Facebook Marketplace?

Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace is a large peer-to-peer platform for individuals and businesses to sell new and used items. It’s the top social commerce channel by revenue, popular with all age groups, and according to Capital One Shopping, “over a billion shoppers visit Facebook Marketplace monthly.”

Selling on Facebook: Profile vs. page 

The fastest way to sell on Facebook Marketplace is through a personal profile or a profile with professional mode enabled. Selling on Facebook Marketplace as a business page requires an account, a Facebook Business Page, and a Facebook Shop. 

Through a profile, you can use Marketplace checkout for payments and payouts. You must provide shipping labels and upload tracking information. Conversely, sales connected to Shop inventory go through your business website checkout process, not Facebook’s. Professional profiles and pages are the best options for Facebook monetization.

Facebook requirements for sellers

Shops can’t post vehicle or real estate listings, whereas profiles can. Facebook's terms and policies restrict the sale of various items, including gift cards, digital media, event tickets, and certain healthcare items. Before investing time, read Meta’s community and commerce policies to ensure your physical products meet the guidelines.

Facebook Marketplace fees and payouts

Facebook Marketplace has zero listing fees. Transactions completed outside the platform, like local payments and pickups or PayPal payments, don’t incur selling fees. Purchases that use Facebook’s checkout system cost 10% of the total price (including shipping and sales tax) or a minimum fee of 80 cents. This covers purchase protection for shipped items, payment processing, and customer support.

With a Facebook Shop, all sales go through your e-commerce site or checkout page. You don’t pay Facebook fees for listing, processing, or shipping. Before selling on Facebook, consider your total costs for each sales channel. After you mark the sold item as shipped, it takes up to 20 days to receive payout.

How to sell on Facebook Marketplace from a profile

Profiles have a Marketplace icon on the left-hand menu. Click on the icon to create a new listing. Provide photos, a description, and price.

When selling as a business, follow your Facebook marketing playbook by using on-brand images and putting your business name in the listing title and description. Select the item’s condition and preview your listing before clicking “Publish.”

How to use Facebook Marketplace as a sales channel

Business pages can open a Facebook Shop and use Marketplace as a sales channel. Start by logging into Facebook Commerce Manager. You can create a shop, sync an online store or e-commerce platform, and add products to your catalog.

During setup, Facebook will instruct you to add a website checkout URL and configure shipping profiles as needed. To enable Marketplace selling, choose the option under shop settings in the Commerce Manager.

What types of products perform best on Facebook Marketplace?

According to current guides, resale data, and Reddit, the best things to sell on Facebook Marketplace include:

• Furniture and storage: shelving, dressers, and solid-wood items.
• Fitness: bikes and adjustable weight sets.
• Baby and kids: strollers, ride-ons, and swings.
• Electronics: current generation consoles and phones.
• Yard and DIY: power tools, trimmers, and mowers.

To spot the fastest-selling items on Facebook Marketplace, search by category and filter to “Listed in the last 24 hours.” Those with multiple saves or active chats suggest higher interest. Combine this information with sales data when forming your business Facebook strategy.

How Facebook Marketplace compares to other online sales platforms

To decide between Facebook Marketplace versus Etsy or eBay, consider whether your stock-keeping units (SKUs) are better suited for local pickup or shipping. Bulky or used products generally net more per sale through Marketplace. Alternatives with higher fees might be worth it for niche or shippable SKUs.

Here’s how Facebook Marketplace alternatives stack up:

• eBay: Best for national reach when selling parts, collectibles, and small electronics. It offers robust buyer/seller protections. Unlike Marketplace, eBay’s final value fee varies by category, averaging 13% to 15%.
• Etsy: Best for craft supplies and handmade, vintage, and custom goods backed by storytelling and product photography. It charges 6.5% per transaction, plus payment processing, and off-site ads can increase costs.
• Mercari: Best for mobile-first shoppers wanting apparel, home goods, and small electronics that ship well. The 10% seller fee is the same as Facebook Marketplace, but Mercari charges an extra fee for buyer protection.

Tips for selling on Facebook Marketplace as a business

Selling as a business on Marketplace can boost traffic to your local store and help grow your Facebook audience.

Expand your reach and improve listings using these tips:

• Optimize listings for search: Put searchable terms in the title and description, including brand, model, size, and material.
• Describe products concisely: Add specifications buyers often request, like dimensions and compatibility, along with accurate condition notes.
• Measure Shop analytics: Analyze Facebook stats to track what listings get clicks, saves, and messages. And use data to refine titles, photos, and pricing.
• Ensure timely shipping: Upload clear images showing the front, back, product size, scale, and any flaws.
• Promote Marketplace listings: Develop targeted Facebook campaigns, and use Ads Manager with Marketplace placement to show your page alongside organic listings.
• Respond quickly: Create professional templates to remain consistent and build trust when answering questions sent through Facebook Messenger.
• Publish FAQs: Address common concerns based on customer service, sales, or billing department feedback, such as accepted payment methods and return policies.
• Go live on Marketplace: Interact with viewers and enable real-time shopping by livestreaming on Facebook.
• Avoid scams: Sell safely on Facebook Marketplace by avoiding fake buyers with new accounts or scammers wanting to pay by gift card.
• Cross-promote listings. Reach look-alike audiences using unique posts, videos, and hashtags on Instagram and TikTok.

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