The basics of navigating the Marketplace on Facebook

Gone are the days when Facebook was just a multimedia entertainment platform. As E-commerce evolved, the social media site also became a place where people can connect in another way: through buying and selling.

When Facebook introduced an online marketplace, small businesses joined in to cater to their local communities. This marketplace on Facebook eventually morphed and became one of the fastest-growing online channels for merchants and customers to connect, especially at the onset of the pandemic. It is a convenient and accessible place for aspiring merchants to grow their businesses where they can tap millions of its users in just a click.

If you are thinking of joining it anytime soon, here are some of the basics you need to know to navigate this marketplace on Facebook.

You can sell anything here!

Well, almost. Since it is a free feature on Facebook, the marketplace allows merchants to sell almost anything from fashion items, home improvement supplies, toys, and games, to pet supplies, vehicles, and properties. Aside from new products, merchants can also sell pre-loved items. It’s kind of like a garage sale, but online. 

You can optimize your marketplace 

In this marketplace, you can simply create a new listing to sell something. A word of caution though — since a lot of merchants are already on Marketplace, it pays to stand out. So what can you do? Use quality photos for your listing, price your items competitively, and provide as many details as possible in the item description. 

You can target your listings based on location

The online marketplace can help you sell different items on Facebook right off the bat. The platform welcomes any user with image tiles of items posted within their vicinity, so they can see the items that they need straight away. But if you want to make your listings targeted, you can adjust your location and radius to capture potential customers within your area. You can also choose from its categories to further help your customers narrow down their search. 

You can easily connect with your customer

As a peer-to-peer platform, the marketplace on Facebook has devised a way to help you communicate easily with customers. All transactions in this online marketplace are started through Facebook Messenger—letting you connect with potential customers through a one-on-one conversation. Because it provides you with a real-time mode of communication, you can capitalize on their interest while it’s hot, helping prevent the customer from moving on and looking for other products.

You can integrate other E-commerce platforms seamlessly

As it is an online marketplace, merchants are given the liberty to integrate other E-commerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce with the Marketplace on Facebook. This enables merchants to leverage either platforms to expand their customer base and increase sales. 

You can pay for ads, acquire new consumers, set up a shop on Facebook to sell your products, and track the insights of customer actions when you choose to connect your marketplace store to your website.

You can choose your mode of payment

As the online marketplace does not facilitate payments or deliveries, merchants can choose payment modes for their stores. If you are an online seller in the Philippines, you’d know that cash is king and that customers would prefer Cash on Delivery. But with the growth of digital payments, some would offer online banks or mobile wallets like GCash, PayMaya, or Coins.ph to their customers.

You can also choose a logistics partner

In terms of delivering the items, you have the power to choose a reliable partner, or which method works best for you. Typically, marketplace sellers on Facebook would hand it over to the customer especially if they are within the vicinity. But to some, having a logistics partner is the best way to manage the deliveries. For one, it is more convenient. And secondly, it is easier to just have someone else deliver the items.

These are just some of the basic knowledge that you need to be equipped with when joining the marketplace on Facebook. With its massive audience and streamlined shopping experience, this online marketplace could be a fantastic addition to your E-commerce strategy in the long run. 

If you’re ready to start selling on online marketplaces, to level up your selling efforts, or just want a better handle on your strategy, Payo can be your reliable partner for it!

As an E-commerce enabler, Payo’s expertise can assist you in optimizing your marketplace, automating your processes, or even managing your logistics. E-commerce is made easier with our tech-driven tools such as our Courier Algorithm, Live Customer Support, and so much more. Plus, we can also manage your Cash on Delivery integration for more seamless and hassle-free payment transactions. Sounds convenient, right? 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up now or send us a message at [email protected] to start your marketplace journey!