Facebook Marketplace Wants to Help You Sell Your Stuff (Again)
Facebook is once again taking on Craigslist with a new version of Marketplace, an in-app destination to discover, buy, and sell your junk locally.
"Facebook is where people connect, and in recent years more people have been using Facebook to connect in another way: buying and selling with each other," Mary Ku, director of product management, said in an announcement. Ku said 450 million-plus people regularly visit buy-and-sell Facebook Groups—from neighborhood merchants to global collectors.
Rolling out now to iOS and Android users 18 years and older in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, Marketplace is accessible via the shop icon at the bottom of the Facebook app. Tap to start exploring photos of nearby items for sale. Browse by categories like Household, Electronics, and Apparel, or filter search results by location, category, and price to find something specific.
Spot the perfect rug that would really tie the room together? Tap the image for more details, including product description, seller's name and profile picture (as well as mutual friends), and general location. Follow the on-screen prompts to send a direct message and make an offer, or save the item for later.
"From that point on, you and the seller can work out the details in any way you choose," Ku explained. "Facebook does not facilitate the payment or delivery of items in Marketplace."
Or, if you're looking to get rid of that skateboard you're too old to be riding, simply take a photo in the app or add one from your camera roll; enter a product name, description, and price; confirm location and select category; then post. Visit the "Your Items" section to view saved merchandise, products you've posted for sale, and conversations with other users.
Marketplace will reach additional countries and be available on desktop in the "coming months."
Facebook has tried this before. Nearly 10 years ago, it launched the original Marketplace, which sold things in four categories: "For Sale," "Housing," "Jobs," and "Other." Two years later, the company introduced a revamped version, powered by Oodle, but that was turned off in fall 2014. Last year, Facebook returned to selling by allowing Group members to sell items.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.