Do you have stuff in your home that you want to get rid of? Before you decide to trash or donate the items, consider selling them on Facebook Marketplace! Today, I am sharing the best tips for selling on Facebook Marketplace. Learn how you can make money on Marketplace by selling things you no longer want!
Why Sell on Facebook Marketplace?
Do you have perfectly good things that you no longer want but that someone else might? Are you trying to get rid of stuff in your home and would like to make a little extra cash?
Facebook Marketplace is an easy way to sell your things! In the past, Craigslist and E-Bay were the main two places to sell your things online. Each of those places have their benefits, but truly Facebook Marketplace is the easiest place to sell you stuff!
There are many reasons to sell on Facebook Marketplace:
- It is an easy to use platform if you are already on Facebook.
- It takes seconds to list an item for sale!
- There is no cost to list an item!
- If you sell an item locally, there are no sales fees. Meaning that Facebook does not take any of the cut of your payment.
- If you decide to ship your item, Facebook has low shipping fees and makes it easy to navigate the shopping process.
- Facebook Marketplace is used by over 1 billion users per year! Talk about a huge audience of potential buyers!
How to Make Money on Facebook Marketplace
It is not too hard to get started on Facebook Marketplace. If you need help on how to list an item on Facebook Marketplace, read these getting started instructions. But, actually making money on your items, takes some strategy and a little bit of luck. You want to keep in mind that you are essentially posting a commercial for your item. So you really want to have a good item and you also want to have a killer listing!
1. Make sure it is a good item to sell!
Sure, you can sell just about anything on Facebook. Although, there are a few things you can not sell. So be sure to check out this list of things you can not sell on Facebook Marketplace.
But, there are items that go crazy on Marketplace and other things that do not sell well.
Some of the best items to make money on Facebook Marketplace in 2022 include:
- Furniture: If your furniture is priced right it will sell! Be aware of big times to sell furniture including the fall (when kids go back to college) and spring time (when renters typically move into new apartments). But in general, furniture is always a good item to sell on Facebook Marketplace.
- Toys: If you’ve got kids, you’ve got a lot of toys. But people are always on the hunt for new toys! The best times to sell toys are before Christmas and holidays. The only month that is usually tough to sell toys is in January. So keep those times in mind when you sell toys!
- Baby Clothes and Supplies: Baby items are ALWAYS in demand. So, you can be pretty confident that your baby items will sell. One thing to note is that parents can be picky on baby items so be sure you are selling items that are in very good condition!
- Tools: People are always on the hunt for used tools in good condition. Be sure to price your items right and you will sell tools very quickly!
- Trendy Home Decor: One of the most popular Facebook Marketplace items is home decor! If you have on trend home decor in good condition it is most likely to sell.
- Seasonal Decorations: If you can be ahead of the game and sell seasonal decorations in advance of the holidays, you will sell your items. Think about selling Christmas decor in November and Halloween decor in September and early October.
- Trendy Clothing: While clothing in general can be hit or miss for selling on Facebook Marketplace. However, the clothing that does sell is usually higher end and on trend. If you’ve got good condition Nikes, Converse or Vans, these brands will usually sell. Also, designer purses and higher end clothing are popular on Facebook Marketplace.
- Lawn and Garden Supplies: Another seasonal category that sells well is home and garden. In the winter time, you can sell your shovels, snow blowers and fire pits. In the summer time, patio furniture and lawn supplies do really well. Try to get ahead of the competition and sell your things at the beginning of the seasons.
2. Price Your Items Right
If you really want your items to sell and to sell quickly, you have to price things right! Be realistic on pricing and you are more likely to get your things out the door quickly! If you are unsure on what to price something at, you can do a search on Facebook Marketplace for similar items. Sell your items at the same or below the prices of similar items.
Sometimes people price too high because they spent a lot of money on the item. But your customers do not care what you spent on the item. They are looking for a good deal!
When you set a good price, you will get a lot of offers. Last summer, we sold a couch for $150 and I had upwards of 50 offers. I could have probably gotten $25-50 more based on the offers. But I wanted it gone before garbage day! My husband couldn’t believe we got any money!
If you are selling “hot” items on Facebook, like the categories mentioned above, and these items are not selling, it is most likely because you are priced too high!
You can always start off at a higher price point and then be willing to lower the price. But again, your time is valuable, so the more time the item isn’t selling, the more work on your part to try to sell it!
3. Create a Good Listing
You have a lot of ways to really make your listing shine!
First, make sure you take good pictures! Did you know you can include up to 10 pictures on your Facebook Marketplace listing?
Tips for Good Pictures on Facebook Marketplace
- Make sure you take the picture in good lighting. You can even take the photo outside against a plain backdrop, like your garage.
- Your listing should include 3-4 good quality pictures. Take pictures in different angles. Include a few close up shots and one or two farther away from the item.
- Remove any clutter in the background. You want the item to pop. Plus, you don’t want it to appear that you have a messy or dirty house. (Yup people look at those pictures closely!)
- Wipe down, dust or clean your item. Make sure the product looks really good and you have it in the best possible shape!
Another element of a good Facebook Marketplace listing is a good title and description. The title and photos are the first thing your potential customers will see! So be sure to have a detailed and eye catching title. Instead of saying Dining Room Table and Chairs, you might include say Beautiful Solid Oak Dining Room Set with 6 Chairs 72 inches X 36 inches. Be as detailed as you can in the title to make it easier for buyers to know if they should click on the post.
Next, you need a detailed description. This is your chance to really showcase the product. Include everything someone might ask about the item including size, condition, color, age, where it was bought, etc. You will get questions from buyers. So, the more you can provide detail upfront, the less you are answering the same questions over and over.
Determine the best “category” for your item. Facebook Marketplace will require that you categorize the item into one of their categories. You will get some suggestions when you are filling out the description but you can decide which exact category is the best fit. Think about how your potential buyers will find you!
Give an Accurate Condition Rating. It is really important to give an honest rating on the condition of the item. Did you know that buyers can actually leave you a rating? So, you do not want to be a bad seller and over promise the condition of the item. If in doubt, always rate it down. In most cases, an item that is used will usually be good or fair. The “like new” category should only be used for items that you really have not used!
4. Be a Responsive Seller
If you want items to sell quickly, be ready to check your messages a few times a day.
The most traffic than comes for your posting is usually within minutes after it goes up! So, stay near your phone and check on any messages within the first hour.
It is important to be kind and friendly in all of your responses. You will want to use full sentences and polite greetings. It goes a long way if the seller knows that you are a nice and genuine person! It is important to be completely honest with your answers. You do not want to have unhappy customers!
5. Lower Your Price If Needed
Did you list your item and no one is interested?
There could be several reasons why your item did not sell. First, keep in mind, Facebook does have use an algorithm with their listings. Facebook would like you to “boost” your post and pay some advertising fees. You do not need to boost your posts unless you really want to. I have never used this feature and I have sold thousands of dollars of items. So, there is a part of being seen on Facebook that will be out of your control.
Be aware of the time of day you post as there are times people are on Facebook more than others. This will depend on the items you are selling and who you think will buy the products. Typically, the best time to post on Facebook Marketplace is in the morning, late evenings and on weekends.
Lastly, the best way to make money on Facebook Marketplace is to have cheap prices! If an item does not sell after a few days, consider lowering your price! When you lower your price, your listing will be refreshed as a new listing. So that means, more people will see your post!
If you are serious about getting rid of things, you need to be serious with your prices! You will know when you are priced right (or even too low) that you will get multiple offers! Sometimes, people will even offer you over the asking price. Be careful about accepting these offers. These offers can sometimes be too good to be true. The best way to find out if it is a scam is to ask questions to the potential buyer.
Additional Tips on Selling on Facebook Marketplace
- Be aware of scams. Typically, you will get scam messages as soon as you list the item. They will ask for your address and phone number. Never give out your phone number. Also, you should not give out your address until you have confirmed the customer is a definite buyer.
- Be clear in your posting that you will not hold items. It is not uncommon to get people to ask to hold the item for several days. This often turns into several more days and then they never come to pick up the item. Now, you are back to square one and you have to list the item again. General rule of thumb is to allow up to 2 days for the buyer to come and then you will let them know you need to move on to the next customer.
- You can use Venmo and Paypal to secure payment. If someone does want you to hold the item, you can request that they pay you through Venmo or PayPal to secure the sale.
- Keep track of your sales. It is really nice to see the money add up. So, keep a running tally of your Facebook Marketplace sales!
Get Ready to Make Money on Facebook Marketplace
Are you motivated to sell your stuff on Facebook Marketplace. These tips will help you make money on Facebook Marketplace. Remember, that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! As a buyer of things on Facebook Marketplace, I can say it is a great feeling when you score that perfect deal! So not only will you make some money, but you will make someone else very happy!
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Great advice- we have sold some furniture there!