How to sell on Facebook Marketplace Facebook’s low risk and minimal fees make it a great launching pad for businesses. Find out how to turn a real profit on Marketplace, in five simple steps. Written by Isobel O'Sullivan Updated on 27 June 2025 Our Research When recommending the best ecommerce platforms, our expert team of writers and researchers focus on the features that matter most to small businesses. We rate platforms on their value for money – including setup costs and ongoing transaction fees – design features, including store templates; inventory management; payment processing options; help and support, plus customer feedback. Written and reviewed by: Isobel O'Sullivan Startups.co.uk is reader supported – we may earn a commission from our recommendations, at no extra cost to you and without impacting our editorial impartiality. Facebook Marketplace offers a perfect entry point for businesses that want to start selling, without jumping through all the hoops associated with creating an online store.Unlike other online marketplaces like eBay or Etsy, Facebook lets you get selling for completely free, while also connecting you with buyers in your local area alongside its network of over three billion global users. Yet, since Marketplace is primarily designed for personal users, if you’re looking to grow your business beyond casual sales, you’ll need to link the platform with a Facebook business account or a website created with a low-cost or free ecommerce website builder.Fortunately, if you know what you’re doing, listing and selling products with Facebook Marketplace is almost as easy as updating your status. We guide you through every step of the process, before offering some stand-out tips to help you navigate the competition and maximise your selling potential. In this article we will cover: What is Facebook Marketplace? How to list an item on Facebook Marketplace in 5 steps Advanced selling tips Pros, cons, and costs of Facebook selling What is Facebook Marketplace?Facebook Marketplace is an online selling platform which integrates seamlessly into the popular social media site Facebook. Originally designed as a peer-to-peer selling tool helping users flog used items in their local community, the platform now caters to small businesses.Facebook Marketplace works in a similar way to marketplaces like eBay or Gumtree, but focuses primarily on local selling by leveraging Facebook’s network of users within specific geographic areas. However, the platform also extends to global sales, allowing sellers to tap into its vast three-billion-user base.If you opt for in-person deliveries, it’s generally free to list and sell products on the platform too, offering a huge advantage for small businesses interested in lowering overhead costs. How to list an item on Facebook Marketplace in 5 stepsFacebook Marketplace prides itself on being easy to use. Here’s how to get your products listed and live in five simple steps.1. Create a listingWhen using Facebook on your desktop, log in to your account, and then click on the Marketplace logo at the top of the page. Then, select ‘create new listing’ on the left-hand side of the page and select one of the three options. For most businesses, you will be creating a new listing for ‘items’.You’ll then be faced with a fully editable preview of your listing, giving you a blank backdrop to customise with your product information.Meta prohibits the sale of certain goods like health and wellness products, pharmaceuticals, and alcohol on its platform, so before you list your product, you should check that it is able to be sold on the platform. Refer to Facebook Marketplace’s Restricted Goods and Services for the full list of prohibited items.While almost any product is capable of selling on the platform, certain goods like furniture and home goods, electronics, and clothing and accessories have a much better chance of selling well. For this reason, we recommend doing your research if you haven’t already decided what products to list. 2. Add photosHigh-quality, clear photos are crucial for getting your products to sell. Think of them as your virtual shop window on the platform. When taking photos of your products, make sure to capture the items from all sides – front, back, and top. This gives potential buyers a good sense of the item’s quality and dimensions. You should also include close-ups of important details, whether they be unique features or minor imperfections.To help buyers visualise how the item may fit into their own lives, we also recommend taking photos of it in its natural setting. For example, if you’re selling a rug or a kitchen appliance, you should display them on the floor of a house or a kitchen countertop. This will also help buyers determine the size and scale of the product. Good lighting is key too, so if you aren’t able to photograph your products in natural light, make sure you use an even and bright artificial light. You don’t have to use a professional camera, but if you’re taking the images on your phone, make sure your lens is clean beforehand, and tap your phone screen to ensure your item is in sharp focus.For more tips and guidelines for taking photos for the platform, refer to Facebook Marketplace’s product image specifications.3. Set a priceNext, you’ll have to decide on a price for your products. This step is vital, as if you price your item too high, it may sit unsold, and if it’s too low, you could risk leaving money on the table. Guide your pricing by researching Facebook Marketplace’s Search feature. Here, you’ll be able to check competitor listings to see how similar items are being priced. Look out for listings with similar specifications, brand, and conditions for the most accurate comparisons.Lots of sellers offer negotiable prices to up the chances of their products selling quickly. If you’re willing to be flexible, you can state “Or Nearest Offer (ONO)” in your description. Alternatively, if you aren’t willing to negotiate, we’d recommend ruling this out by stating “No Offers”, or “Firm Price” in your description. Factoring in buyer psychology is crucial during this stage, too. For instance, if you’re selling high-value items, setting a round price like £150 or £1,000 helps to convey a sense of professionalism and quality, while strategically setting your price just below a round number using ‘Charm Pricing’ makes your product seem like a better deal. Learn more about pricing strategies to consider when listing your products on Facebook Marketplace. 4. Choose your category and write a descriptionNow it’s time to categorise your item correctly and write an engaging, optimised description to help it sell.Mischaracterised items will be less likely to appear in the right search results. So, to ensure that your listing gets displayed to interested shoppers, it’s important to categorise it correctly. This can be done simply by selecting the more relevant option from the drop-down menu. If you’re unsure, browse similar items to see what categories are being used, or choose a broader category to be safe.When writing your product description, make the writing as scannable and easy to read as possible. This includes condensing the most important details in the first few lines, avoiding long, waffly descriptions, and using bullet points when outlining key features, specifications, and conditions. Descriptions can be anywhere between 30 to 9,999 characters, but as a general rule of thumb, it’s best to keep your description to a few concise paragraphs. This way, it’ll be long enough to include all the necessary details, but short enough to scan on desktop and mobile devices.Lastly, to boost the visibility of your listing, we advise integrating specific keywords that buyers would search for naturally throughout the text. For example, if you’re selling a kettle, add in key details like its type, capacity and brand. 5. Choose your location and publishFacebook Marketplace’s strength lies in connecting local buyers and sellers, making choosing the right location a key factor in your success.When setting your location, you can either search for a specific location by entering a neighbourhood or postcode, or select it on a map. Facebook will automatically suggest you use your current location, but you’ll have the flexibility to change it. It’s important to bear in mind that most users browse Facebook Marketplace for items they can pick up easily, so if you’re based in a neighbourhood that’s difficult to access, opting for a central area will likely increase the chances of your products getting snapped up.You’ll also be able to widen your radius around your chosen location to cater to buyers who are willing to travel further to pick up your products. This might be a good option if you’re selling larger items like furniture or vehicles.After you’ve filled out all the details of your listing, simply click ‘next’ and hit ‘post’. Once Facebook approves the listing after initial checks, your item will be visible on the marketplace, and you can watch the offers come flooding in! Managing orders, messages, and customer service Your selling journey hasn’t ended after you post your listing – providing excellent customer service is key in keeping buyers happy and your reputation strong. A few ways you can do this are by always being honest about the quality of your item, responding to buyers quickly, being clear and concise in your responses, always remaining polite and professional, and being open to resolutions if buyers aren’t happy with the product. Advanced selling tipsSelling on Facebook Marketplace is easy, but it can be very competitive, especially if you’re listing products in popular categories. However, there are strategies you can adopt to help your products cut through the noise and secure sales; we’ve rounded up some of our favourites below. Research trending products and high-demand items: use Facebook Marketplace’s search feature to explore popular categories and items with high views or inquiries. You can also use tools like Google Trends to gain deeper insights into trending consumer preferences.Adjust pricing based on season or demand: utilising dynamic pricing is an effective way to sell more and get a better price for your products. This involves taking factors like seasonality and demand into account when deciding on your final price.Bundle items or offer discounts: if you’re struggling to shift your products, you can make the listing more attractive by bundling related items together, or making small discounts, or stating if you’re open to the nearest offer in your listing. Track what listings perform best: get smart with your selling strategy by tracking the performance of your products. Then use insights like views, messages, saves and sales rates to improve the quality of your future listings. Boost your listings with ads: if you’re serious about increasing the reach of your listings, Facebook’s ads help to position your products in front of users with high buying intent, increasing the likelihood of that all-important sale. Learn how much Facebook ads cost here.Get a seller badge on Facebook: Facebook Marketplace dishes out seller badges such as “Very Responsive”, “Highly Rated”, and “Top Sellers” to sellers on the platform. These esteemed badges help increase the visibility of listings and the reputation of sellers, so working towards receiving one is a great way to boost your sales and standing on the platform. Pros, cons, and costs of Facebook sellingFacebook Marketplace offers a low-risk avenue for connecting with potential buyers. However, the platform’s casual nature means that it’s better suited to some sellers than others. Here are some benefits and drawbacks you need to know about before diving in. ProsUnbeatable reach: Facebook’s vast global user base of over three billion means your listings have the potential to get huge visibility, both locally and internationally, if you offer shipping. Local focus: using Facebook’s location-based features, the platform directly connects you with sellers in your area, helping you to find, connect with, and sell to potential buyers locally. Free sales for local pickups: if the buyer collects the item and you manage the payment directly, through cash, back transfer or PayPal, for example, it’s completely free to sell products on Facebook Marketplace.Cheap online sales: Facebook Marketplace charges a small 2% fee if you use their built-in payment system. In comparison, eBay charges a fixed fee of around 12.8% for business sellers after they use up their free listings. ConsFraudulent activity: like most online marketplaces, Facebook Marketplace can attract scammers, with some users trying to impersonate buyers or offer fake payment methods. No in-built shipping option: unlike with marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace doesn’t handle shipping and delivery processes in-house, requiring sellers to handle them themselves.Limited seller protection: unlike Depop or Etsy, Facebook doesn’t offer a robust seller protection program. This makes dealing with customer disputes more challenging, especially in the case of cash-based, local pickups. Informal buying process: the platform’s casual nature can result in sellers dealing with more buyers who don’t show a real interest or make offers significantly lower than the asking price. Want to sell professionally? How to connect to a storeFacebook Marketplace has evolved in recent years, offering an increasing number of features for businesses trying to connect with global and local audiences. However, the platform isn’t designed for business accounts directly, so if you’re serious about scaling your business and establishing a more professional image, we’d recommend using Facebook Shops instead.Facebook Shops lets businesses create a single online storefront that’s accessible on Facebook and Instagram. It gives businesses a way to showcase their products, manage sales processes, and make sales directly through social media platforms. It even displays products directly through Facebook Marketplace, giving you a way to utilise the platform in a more professional manner.To get started, you’ll need to set up a Facebook business page, upload your product inventory, and adhere to Facebook’s selling policies.While Facebook Marketplace is ideal for casual sellers intending to sell locally, businesses serious about expanding their horizons will benefit from setting up an online store. This option gives businesses a way to diversify their selling channels, manage large or complex inventories, and gain full control of their brand. Many of the best website builders for small businesses, like Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace, offer free and low-cost plans too, helping you keep overheads low while taking your enterprise to the next level. Learn more about the steps involved with starting an ecommerce business in our comprehensive guide. Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags News and Features Written by: Isobel O'Sullivan