Facebook has evolved drastically from being just a social networking site with regular updates and innovative features. Now, taking a step towards e-commerce, Facebook has launched a new feature called – ‘Marketplace’ which is a centralised hub where users can buy and sell their items online within local communities.
Facebook noticed that over 450 million people already use its groups feature to buy and sell used goods every month. Now, Facebook Marketplace will serve as a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community. This feature will appear as a Shop icon at the bottom of the Facebook app.
Marketplace opens with photos of items that people nearby you have listed for sale. To find something specific, you can enter a keyword in search at the top or filter your results by location, category, or price. Next to the search icon, you will see the categories icon, where you can go to discover items under Household, Electronics, and Apparel, etc. There is also a location tool to adjust your region.
When you find something you want to buy, tap on the image to see more details from the seller, such as a product description, the name and profile photo of the seller, and their general location. You can also save the item to find it later. Once you decide you want it, send the seller a direct message from Marketplace to make an offer. Remember, Facebook does not facilitate the payment or delivery of items.
To post an item for sale in Marketplace, just take a photo of your item or add it from your camera roll, then enter a product name, description, and price, and confirm your location and select a category. You can then post it so that anyone looking in your area can find your item and message you if they want to buy it.
To keep track of all of your current and past transactions, visit the ‘Your Items’ section from Marketplace’s main screen. There, you can view all your transactions along with saved items, products you have posted for sale and all your messages with people.
Facebook Marketplace will be rolling out first in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android users over the next few days. Later, it will be rolled out to other countries also. Marketplace will also be available on desktop in the coming months.
With a huge audience of 1.71 billion monthly users, Facebook must be eyeing to expand its presence in the e-commerce field as well. Stay tuned for more updates!