Selling on Facebook Marketplace UK

What sells well on Marketplace

Marketplace shines for things people want to see and collect: furniture, bikes, garden and DIY gear, prams and nursery kit, appliances and big toys. Buyers are local, so there is no postage to add to the price, and a good item can go the same day.

Write a listing people find

• Title: what it is, the brand and the key detail. "IKEA Kallax 4x4 shelving unit, white" beats "Shelves".
• Photos: in daylight, the whole item first, then details and any marks. For furniture, a tape measure in shot answers the first question everyone asks.
• Description: size, condition, any flaws, and how collection works (where, and when you're free).
• Category and condition: set them properly, because buyers filter by them.

Pricing and messages

Check what similar items near you are listed at, and what they sold for on eBay. Expect people to ask "is this still available?" and to haggle; pricing a little above your minimum leaves room.

Reply quickly while someone is interested, agree a collection time in the chat, and mark the item as pending once it is promised, so you are not answering ten more messages.

How to spot the common scams

• "I'll send a courier and pay by bank transfer" from someone far away, often with a link to a fake payment page. Keep to collection with payment in person, or the platform's own checkout.
• Overpayment: they "accidentally" send too much and ask for the difference back. The original payment later disappears.
• Verification codes: anyone asking you to read out a code sent to your phone is trying to take over your account. Never share it.
• Links to pages asking for your card details "to receive the money". You never need to enter card details to be paid.

If something feels off, you can simply stop replying. The item will sell to someone else.

Collection safely

• For small items, meet somewhere public and busy.
• For large items at home, have someone else in, and bring the item to the door or front room if you can.
• Take payment before the item leaves: cash counted, or a bank transfer that has actually arrived in your account.

A Marketplace-ready listing from a photo

Snappy writes a Facebook Marketplace version of every listing: conversational and local, with the details buyers ask about. The free Chrome extension can also fill Marketplace's listing form for you on a computer; you check it and publish it yourself.

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