Facebook Marketplace Guide for Resellers 2025

Facebook Marketplace (FBMP) fills a gap no other platform covers well: local sales of heavy, bulky, or awkward items without shipping hassles. Furniture, large electronics, exercise equipment—things that would kill your margins with shipping costs.

It's also useful for sourcing inventory, but this guide focuses on the selling side.

Fee Structure

Local pickup: Free. No fees whatsoever when buyers pick up items locally.

Shipped items: 10% selling fee on total transaction. This rate applies to checkout-enabled listings where Facebook processes payment and provides shipping labels.

The local pickup option makes FBMP uniquely valuable for items that don't make sense on other platforms. A $50 vintage office chair that would cost $40 to ship nets you nothing on eBay. On Marketplace, the buyer drives to you and you pocket the full $50.

When to Use Facebook Marketplace

Heavy/Bulky Items

Furniture, exercise equipment, large appliances, vintage receivers and speakers. Anything where shipping would destroy margins or create logistics nightmares.

Time-Sensitive Inventory

Items you need gone today. FBMP's local reach means serious buyers can pick up within hours if priced right. Useful for clearing space before a sourcing run.

Items with Local Appeal

Regional sports memorabilia, local business signs, items that matter more to your geographic area than nationwide buyers.

Testing Prices

Not sure what something's worth? List locally first. The response (or silence) gives you pricing data before committing to eBay listing fees.

Listing Strategy

Photography

FBMP is visual-first and mobile-dominated. Clean backgrounds, good lighting, multiple angles. Show scale—items look different in photos than in person. Include shots of any flaws.

Descriptions

Keep them factual and scannable. Dimensions matter for furniture. Condition matters for everything. Include "OBO" (or best offer) or "firm" to signal negotiation expectations.

Pricing

Check local sold listings, not just active ones. FBMP prices run lower than eBay because buyers can physically inspect items. Don't price based on eBay comps—you'll sit forever.

Response Speed

FBMP buyers are shopping casually. They message multiple sellers and buy from whoever responds fastest. Notifications on, responses within the hour. Slow response = lost sale.

Safety Essentials

Local sales mean meeting strangers. Take it seriously.

Meeting Locations

Best: Police station parking lots (many have designated "safe exchange zones"), bank lobbies, grocery store parking lots during daytime.

Acceptable: Busy public spaces like coffee shops, well-lit strip mall parking lots.

Avoid: Your home (especially for initial sales), isolated locations, after dark.

Payment

Cash: Simplest and safest. Bring exact change. Verify bills aren't counterfeit (feel texture, check watermarks).

Digital payments: Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal "friends and family" work but aren't reversible. Get payment confirmed before handing over items.

Trust Your Gut

If a buyer makes you uncomfortable—weird communication, excessive questions about your home, pressure to meet in odd locations—cancel the sale. No item is worth compromising your safety.

Common Mistakes

Ignoring Messages

FBMP buries slow-responding sellers in search results. Marketplace's algorithm favors active sellers. Even a quick "Still available" keeps you visible.

Over-Negotiating

You listed at $50, they offered $35, you countered $45, they agreed—then ghost. Don't waste time on complex negotiations for items under $100. Accept reasonable offers quickly.

Not Screening Buyers

Check profiles before agreeing to meet. New accounts, no profile photo, limited activity—proceed with extra caution or decline.

Leaving Items Listed After Sale

Mark sold immediately. Nothing annoys buyers more than messaging about items that are gone. It also hurts your response metrics.

FBMP vs. OfferUp

Both serve local markets. Facebook has larger reach (everyone's on Facebook). OfferUp has better buyer verification with TruYou badges. Use both if you're serious about local sales, but prioritize FBMP for initial listings.

For sourcing on both platforms, see our online sourcing guide.

FBMP in Your Platform Mix

Facebook Marketplace isn't a primary platform for most resellers—it's a specialized tool for specific situations. Use it when:

You have items too heavy or bulky to ship profitably, you need fast local cash flow, you're clearing space before a sourcing trip, or you want to test pricing before eBay listing.

For shippable items, eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari offer broader reach and better buyer protections.