Make a Quick Buck—For a Price
You’ve cleaned out the garage, you’ve gone through storage, and now you have a handful of items to sell. Jeez, if only there was a place to unload them all…oh, right! Facebook Marketplace is a great tool for just about anyone looking to sell their tsotchkes, but it also comes with its fair share of pitfalls that turn many people away. Let’s dive into the pros and cons and see if it’s still worth it for you.
1. There’s a Massive Audience
Facebook has millions of users, and while that doesn’t necessarily mean the same number of offers, it does mean a ton of interest. No matter what you sell, there will always be someone willing to throw in their price, allowing you to get rid of goods quickly.
Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash
2. You’ll Find Local Interest
It’s much easier to sell something to a local buyer—Facebook Marketplace displays postings to those closest to you, eliminating the need for costly shipping! Local interest also makes it much easier to meet up with someone and do a quick exchange.
3. It’s a Simple Platform
Some seller platforms require a lot of paperwork and identification to get set up. Facebook doesn’t. With a profile and working internet connection, you can list just about anything with ease. It’s also pretty user-friendly, so even older sellers can navigate it.
4. Direct Communication
Direct communication can feel more like a curse than a blessing, but it does put you in contact with buyers. You don’t need to wait for their messages, either, which can make the process a little faster. If you sniff out any spam, you can also just report it and move on.
5. It’s Great for Businesses and Individual Sales
Businesses and individual sellers can advertise their items. Whether it’s a simple desk to unload or a business looking for a solid revenue stream, either party can find a good deal. The option opens a lot of doors, too.
6. Wide Variety of Products
Facebook Marketplace is sort of like eBay—you have a ton of variety! Sure, it can be overwhelming, but it can also be a seller’s market for just about anything you have in storage. Even if you think that item is useless, you’ll likely find someone who wants it on FB.
Pedro Forester Da Silva on Unsplash
7. Low Fees
Some platforms charge an arm and a leg to sell on their site. Facebook only takes a marginal amount from every sale. For businesses in particular, that’s a huge pro. However, even individual sellers can rest easy knowing they retain most of the sale.
8. It’s Available to Just About Everyone
Facebook is available to millions of people in over one hundred countries. That means just about anyone can sell something! You can filter for items by price and niche, ensuring you find what you want, but you can also broaden your horizons if you can’t find that perfect product.
9. You Can Hop on Trends
Facebook Marketplace is a full-time job for some people, and it's easy to see why. Such a popular platform comes with dozens of blog posts highlighting the latest trends—ones you can invest in. If you’re really looking to rake in the dough, you can always comb the internet for the hottest market items.
10. Mobile Use
Your listings are tied to your profile, so you can access potential buyers at any time. You can also download the Facebook Marketplace app for easier use, giving you 24/7 insight into your products. Don’t worry, you aren’t tied to your listings! But you can check whenever you feel like popping in.
Facebook is a valuable tool for many users. However, not everyone reaps the same rewards. Let’s explore some of the pitfalls of FB Marketplace and decide whether it’s the right path for you.
1. It’s Overwhelming
With so many listings in so many countries, the whole platform gets overwhelming. Even availability in your own city results in thousands of products, leaving you to wade in a sea of competition. If you’ve never used it before, the process itself might prove exhausting.
2. Anyone Can Leave a Review
FB Marketplace doesn’t really have proper seller security in place. What this means for you is that anyone can leave a review—even if the sale never went through. Anything from declined payments to no-shows can leave a nasty rating, and there isn’t much you can do about it.
3. Weeding Through Bad Offers
As you can imagine, FB Marketplace is filled with terrible offers and nonstop haggling. The odds of a one-and-done sale are pretty slim; most sellers deal with low-ball offers and nagging communication. You can always ignore someone, but that comes with its own repercussions.
4. You Might Not Score Much
Unless you commit to everyday sales, you probably won’t score much money. Vintage pieces usually go for more than, say, books or DVDs, but that requires an onslaught of items. If you’re just looking to get rid of an old blender, expect pushback on original listing prices.
5. You’re Basically On-Call
The sad reality is that 24/7 communication means you’re on-call. The second you list an item, expect dozens of messages, many of which will make you roll your eyes! Not every sale goes through without a hitch, and selling a simple TV stand can take days.
6. Safety Concerns
A lot of sales require in-person deliveries or meetups—a dicey process for some people. Women and elderly sellers might encounter more safety concerns than others, so it’s always a good idea to protect yourself. Bring someone with you. Meet in a public place. Don’t meet after dark, and don’t change the meetup spot at the last minute.
7. Getting Ghosted
Who knew that selling a throw pillow would result in ghosting? Unfortunately, not every buyer is interested, even when they go nine-tenths of the way. Sometimes, you’re left in a coffee shop without a buyer in sight.
8. There’s a Lot of Spam
With the explosion of AI, and such a massive platform, you’re bound to get spam messages. A lot of your time will go to reporting phony messages or blocking fake accounts. It might not feel like a big deal at first, but it gets old quick.
9. You Need to Sleuth for Trustworthiness
There’s no real way to tell if a buyer is trustworthy. You can comb reviews people leave on their profiles, but that only gets you so far. A lot of it boils down to blind trust, which can backfire sometimes.
10. No Seller Assistance
On FB Marketplace, you’re left to your own devices. There’s no customer service, meaning fees or costs get lost, and there’s no anonymity. If you want to protect yourself, make sure your profile’s private; the last thing you want is someone snooping through your memories.
