Local buyers in huge numbers, plus shipping across the US. You need quick photos, fast replies and a safe place to meet.
The kit our builder picks for a typical Facebook Marketplace seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
Storage
Holds tubs or boxes floor to ceiling in a small footprint.
Label printer
Prints 4 × 6 inch shipping labels with no ink.
Scales
Weighs anything from a card mailer to a boxed pair of boots.
Each step in the order you'll need it.
You list from the Facebook app with photos, a price, a category and your rough location. Buyers nearby see it in their feed and in search, then message you to ask questions or arrange pickup.
Speed matters more than polish. Buyers message several sellers at once, and the one who answers first usually gets the sale.
Local pickup is free, so a $100 dresser paid in cash leaves you $100. Shipped orders pay 10% per shipment, or $0.80 on orders of $8 or less.
That makes Marketplace the cheapest place to sell large items. For small shipped items, compare what you keep against Mercari or eBay before you choose.
Clear a wall or a corner of the garage and shoot large items in daylight. Show the whole piece first, then close-ups of wear, drawers and labels.
Add a measurement photo with a tape measure across the top. Buyers need to know it fits their space before they drive over.
Kit for this step
Agree a time and place in the chat, and confirm the morning of the pickup. For furniture, ask the buyer to bring help and a vehicle that fits.
Keep small sold items by the door in a labeled bag, so a pickup takes a minute.
Turn on shipping for small items that pack easily. Weigh the item packed so the shipping you set matches the label.
A padded mailer and a roll of tape cover most shipped Marketplace orders. Fragile items need a box with bubble wrap.
Store listed items together, with a tag on each one showing the listing price. When someone messages, check the tag and answer.
Large items take up space fast, so list them the day they come in and lower the price after a week without interest.
Kit for this step
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Step-by-step help for the jobs that come next.
Facebook Marketplace puts your listing in front of people nearby, and most sales are local pickups paid in person. Furniture, tools, kids' gear and bulky items that cost too much to ship do best here.
Local pickup carries no selling fee. When you turn on shipping and the buyer pays through checkout, Facebook takes a 10% selling fee per shipment, with a $0.80 flat fee on orders of $8 or less. For the room, you need a clear spot to photograph larger items, a phone that answers messages fast and a plan for safe meetups.
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
Local pickup sales have no selling fee. Shipped orders paid through checkout carry a 10% selling fee per shipment, or $0.80 on orders of $8 or less. Check Facebook's Marketplace fee page before you list, because Meta changes these terms from time to time.
Sell local for anything large, heavy or fragile, since there is no fee and no packing. Turn on shipping for small, easy-to-pack items where your local audience is too small.
The buyer pays through checkout and you get a prepaid label or upload your own tracking. Ship within the time Facebook shows on the order, and the payout follows after delivery.
Meet in a busy public place in daylight, and many police stations offer a marked exchange spot. Bring someone along for large items, and take cash or a payment you can confirm before you hand anything over.
Keep messages and payments inside Facebook, never share a verification code and never ship before checkout payment clears. Be wary of buyers who offer to overpay or ask for your email or phone number.
Most buyers browse by photo and price. Use a bright cover photo, a fair price and a title with the brand and item type, then reply within the hour when someone asks.
Yes. Many sellers list bulky items on Facebook Marketplace and smaller items on Mercari or eBay too. Mark the item sold everywhere as soon as it goes.
