7 Tips for Selling Items on Facebook Marketplace

• You can sell items on Facebook Marketplace via the desktop website or mobile app.
• Facebook Marketplace is supported in most, but not all, countries.
• You need a Facebook account to access Facebook Marketplace.

Selling your stuff online has become a popular alternative to garage sales. For casual sellers, Facebook Marketplace is a free option that connects you with potential buyers in your area. But there are restrictions to what you can sell, and it can take a bit of know-how to stand out on the platform.

Here’s what you should know about selling on Facebook Marketplace.

How to sell on Facebook Marketplace

You can use Facebook Marketplace on either desktop or mobile.

On desktop

1. Open Facebook and log in to your account if you’re not already logged in. You need a Facebook account to access Facebook Marketplace.

2. Click Marketplace, located in the left sidebar.

3. Click Create New Listing.

4. Select Item for Sale.

5. Click Add Photos and upload a photo of your item.

6. Add the information about your item, including a description, location, and price. Enter 0 as the price if you want to list it as a free item. Select Next.

8. Click Publish to post the listing.

On mobile

1. Open the Facebook app and log in to your account, if necessary.

2. Tap Marketplace, located in the center of the bottom toolbar.

3. Select Sell.

4. Tap the blue Create listing button at the top of the screen.

5. Add the information about your item, including price, description, condition of the item, and at least one photo.

6. Scroll down and enter the details of how you want to handle pickup/dropoff of the item.

7. Under Choose privacy settings, tick the box if you don’t want your friends to see your item listed for sale. Others on Facebook who are not your friends will still be able to see the item.

8. Tap Next. Select where you want your listing to be posted. You can opt to list it publicly in Marketplace, in select Facebook Groups you belong to, or both.

9. Hit the blue Publish button at the bottom of the screen to publish your listing.

What you can sell on Facebook Marketplace

Certain items cannot be sold on the Marketplace, including:

• Digital products
• Adult products
• Alcohol
• Body parts and fluids
• Weapons, ammunition, or explosives
• Animals
• Jobs
• Sexual services
• Illegal, prescription, or recreational drugs
• Ingestible supplements
• Real, virtual, or fake currency
• Misleading, deceptive, or offensive items

Facebook Marketplace payment details

The payment method on Facebook Marketplace is up to the seller. One option is Facebook Pay to get paid at the time of sale.

You can also use Facebook Messenger to chat with the buyer and decide what method of payment works best for both parties. For example, if you prefer PayPal or Venmo, but the buyer doesn’t have those, you might talk about a cash handoff when they pick up their item, provided they’re local.

Tips for selling on Facebook Marketplace 

Since many sellers are on the Marketplace, it pays to stand out. Here are some tips to help you do that:

• Add a video to your listing. The company says items with videos tend to sell faster.
• Check out the competition and price your items competitively.
• Take high-quality photos using good lighting.
• Reply to questions in a timely manner.
• Provide as many details as you can in the item description.
• Say that you are open to offers and negotiate.
• Use tags to make your listings easier to find.

You should also familiarize yourself with the acronyms commonly used on the Marketplace so you can use them as well:

• PM: personal message
• OBO: or best offer
• NWT: new with tags
• PUP: pick-up pending
• NIL: next in line