Last updated: February 2026
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Local pickup sales: 0% fees — completely free
- Shipped sales: ~5-6% selling fee + payment processing
- Facebook Marketplace has the largest potential audience of any platform (3B+ Facebook users)
- Best for: furniture, large items, electronics, vehicles, local-only items
- Biggest challenge: flaky buyers, scammers, and no-shows
- Safety tips: meet in public, bring someone, use police station meetup spots
- Combine with eBay/Poshmark for a complete selling strategy
Facebook Marketplace Fee Structure
Local Pickup Sales — $0 Fees
This is Facebook Marketplace's killer advantage. When someone buys your item and picks it up locally, Facebook charges you absolutely nothing:
- No listing fee
- No commission
- No payment processing fee
- $0 total
You list it, someone messages you, you meet up, they hand you cash, done. 100% of the money is yours.
Shipped Sales — ~5-6% Total
When you ship items through Facebook Marketplace:
- Selling fee: 5% of the sale price (minimum $0.40)
- Payment processing: Built into the selling fee
- Shipping: Buyer pays (or you offer free shipping and eat the cost)
On a $50 shipped sale:
- Selling fee: $2.50
- You keep: $47.50
Compare that to eBay ($43.07) or Poshmark ($40.00) on the same $50 sale. Facebook's shipped fees are among the lowest in reselling.
Facebook Shops vs Marketplace
Facebook Shops (the e-commerce store feature) has different fee structures and is aimed at businesses selling new products. This guide focuses on Marketplace, which is where resellers operate.
Why Facebook Marketplace Matters for Resellers
The Audience Is Unmatched
Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users. Even if a fraction use Marketplace, that's hundreds of millions of potential buyers. Your listing is shown to people in your area who are actively browsing.
Local Sales = Maximum Profit
On a $100 item:
| Platform | Your Take-Home |
|---|---|
| FB Marketplace (local) | $100.00 |
| Mercari | $90.00 |
| eBay (no free shipping) | $86.75 |
| Poshmark | $80.00 |
The gap is massive. For items that sell easily locally, Facebook Marketplace is the most profitable platform by far.
Best Categories for Facebook Marketplace
Tier 1: Perfect for FB Marketplace
- Furniture — Too heavy/expensive to ship. Local pickup is the only option.
- Large appliances — Washers, dryers, refrigerators
- Vehicles and vehicle parts — Massive market on FB
- Exercise equipment — Treadmills, weight sets, bikes
- Baby gear — Strollers, cribs, car seats (local parents love deals)
Tier 2: Great for Local, Good for Shipped
- Electronics — Phones, laptops, gaming consoles
- Power tools — Milwaukee, DeWalt sell fast locally
- Outdoor equipment — Grills, lawn mowers, kayaks
- Home decor — Mirrors, art, lighting fixtures
- Musical instruments — Guitars, keyboards, amps
Tier 3: Use Shipped Feature
- Clothing (limited — FB isn't a fashion platform)
- Small collectibles (better on eBay/Whatnot, but FB works for quick sales)
- Books (low value, local bundles work best)
Facebook Marketplace Selling Tips
1. Price for the Platform
Facebook Marketplace buyers expect deals. They're not like eBay buyers who pay market rate — they want to feel like they got a bargain.
Pricing strategy:
- Check what similar items are listed for on Marketplace (not sold — FB doesn't show sold data)
- Price 10-15% above your minimum acceptable price
- Expect offers 20-30% below asking
- Include "OBO" (or best offer) to signal you're negotiable
2. Photography That Sells
FB Marketplace listings with clear, well-lit photos get 3-5x more inquiries:
- Use natural lighting
- Show the item from multiple angles
- Include a photo showing scale (put a common object nearby)
- Show any flaws upfront (builds trust)
- For furniture: photograph in a clean, staged setting
- First photo is everything — it's the thumbnail in search results
3. Write Descriptions That Answer Questions
Unlike eBay where buyers read detailed listings, FB Marketplace buyers skim. Front-load the important info:
Nintendo Switch OLED — White — Excellent Condition
- Includes: Console, dock, 2 Joy-Cons, all cables
- Screen: no scratches (was always in dock)
- Battery: holds full charge
- Factory reset, ready to go
Asking $250. Cash only. Meet at [public location].
Include:
- What's included
- Condition details
- Any defects (be honest — saves everyone's time)
- Price
- Meetup preferences
4. Respond Instantly
Facebook Marketplace is a speed game. The first seller to respond often gets the sale. Enable notifications and reply to messages within minutes, not hours.
When you get the classic "Is this still available?" message, respond immediately with:
- "Yes! When can you pick up?"
- Include your availability
- Suggest a meetup location
5. Use Facebook's "Boost" Feature Wisely
Facebook lets you boost Marketplace listings (pay for more visibility). For most items, this isn't worth it. But for high-ticket items ($500+), a $5-10 boost can get your listing in front of thousands more people.
6. Relist Every 7 Days
Facebook's algorithm favors fresh listings. If your item hasn't sold in a week:
- Delete the original listing
- Create a new one with the same photos/description
- This resets your position in search results
Some sellers relist every 3-4 days for maximum visibility.
Dealing with Facebook Marketplace Challenges
Flaky Buyers and No-Shows
This is the #1 complaint about Facebook Marketplace. Expect:
- 30-50% of agreed meetups to fall through
- "Is this still available?" messages with no follow-up
- Buyers who ghost after saying they're "on the way"
How to minimize no-shows:
- Get a specific time commitment: "Can you meet at 3pm tomorrow at [location]?"
- Confirm the morning of: "Still good for 3pm today?"
- Don't hold items without a deposit (or time-limit holds: "I can hold until tomorrow at noon")
- Have multiple interested buyers — if buyer #1 flakes, move to buyer #2
Lowball Offers
You'll get insane lowball offers. A $300 item will get $50 offers. Your options:
- Ignore — Don't waste energy on absurd offers
- Counter once — "I could do $250" and leave it
- Firm price — Add "PRICE IS FIRM" to your listing (reduces lowball traffic)
Scammers
Common Facebook Marketplace scams:
- Overpayment scam: "I'll send $500 for your $300 item, keep the extra for your trouble" — SCAM
- Fake Zelle/Venmo screenshots: They show a payment confirmation but no money actually transfers — ALWAYS verify in your bank/app
- Shipping scams: "I'm out of town, can I send a prepaid label?" — Usually a stolen credit card
- Counterfeit bills: For high-value cash transactions, use a counterfeit detection pen
Rule: For local sales, accept cash only. For shipped sales, use Facebook's built-in checkout (you're protected by their policy).
Safety for Local Meetups
- Meet in public: Police stations, busy parking lots, coffee shops
- Bring someone: Don't go alone, especially for high-value items
- Daytime only: Don't meet after dark
- Don't invite strangers to your home: Ever. For furniture, meet in your driveway or have someone with you.
- Trust your gut: If something feels off, cancel the meetup
Facebook Marketplace for Shipped Sales
How Shipped Listings Work
- Create a listing and select "Shipping available"
- Set your price and shipping details
- Buyer purchases through Facebook checkout
- You ship within 3 business days
- Facebook pays you after delivery confirmation
Shipping Tips
- Use USPS Priority Mail for most items (includes tracking and insurance up to $100)
- Facebook provides prepaid shipping labels in some cases
- Package securely — damage claims hurt your seller rating
- Ship within the window (late shipments get flagged)
When to Use Shipped vs Local
Use shipped when:
- Item is lightweight and easy to ship
- You want broader audience beyond your city
- Item is niche (may not have local buyers)
- You want Facebook's buyer/seller protection
Use local when:
- Item is heavy or bulky
- You want zero fees
- You need the money immediately (cash in hand)
- Item requires the buyer to test/inspect
Facebook Marketplace vs Other Platforms
| Factor | FB Marketplace | eBay | Poshmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local fees | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Shipped fees | ~5-6% | ~13.25% | 20% |
| Audience | Huge (local) | Huge (national) | Large (fashion) |
| Seller protection | Weak (local) | Strong | Moderate |
| Best for | Large/local items | Everything | Fashion |
| Effort | Low | Low-medium | Medium |
The Smart Multi-Platform Strategy
- List everything on eBay first (broadest reach, best protection)
- Cross-post appropriate items to FB Marketplace (furniture, electronics, local-friendly)
- Fashion items to Poshmark (built-in audience)
- Live-sell bulk inventory on Whatnot (see our guide)
If something sells locally on Facebook first, great — you kept 100% of the money. If it sells on eBay, you paid fees but got a wider audience. The platform that sells it first wins.
Advanced Facebook Marketplace Strategies
Join Local Buy/Sell Groups
Facebook Groups like "[City] Buy Sell Trade" have active communities. Cross-post your Marketplace listings to relevant groups for extra exposure. Many of these groups have thousands of members.
Use Marketplace to Source Inventory
Facebook Marketplace isn't just for selling — it's one of the best sourcing platforms:
- Search "moving sale" for people dumping inventory cheap
- Check the "Free" section daily
- Set up alerts for specific brands or items
- Negotiate aggressively (FB sellers are often motivated)
Items sourced for free or cheap on FB Marketplace can be flipped on eBay or Whatnot for significant profit.
Build a Reputation
Facebook shows your profile and ratings to potential buyers. Improve trust by:
- Completing your Facebook profile (real photo, real name)
- Responding quickly to all messages
- Getting positive ratings from completed sales
- Being active on the platform
Track Your Sales Across Platforms
Selling on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Whatnot, and Poshmark means tracking inventory and profit across multiple platforms. Missing a sale and double-selling is embarrassing and costly.
BundleLive helps resellers manage inventory across all platforms — track what's listed where, real-time profit, and sales data in one place.
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