How To Sell on Facebook in 2024: A Beginner’s Guide

Facebook has evolved beyond a social networking platform into a powerful marketplace.

Facebook shops and marketplace are goldmines for businesses looking to reach and engage potential customers.

Facebook Shops offers an easy way to list, promote, and sell products under one roof. Businesses can use it to find new customers and build relationships with existing ones as they look to expand their online communities.

This beginner’s guide will walk you through different ways of selling on Facebook. From selling on Facebook Shops to marketplace and Facebook groups, this guide covers everything in detail.

Let’s get started…

Why Sell on Facebook?

With over 2 billion active monthly users, Facebook Marketplace allows people to discover, buy, and sell items. By listing on Marketplace, you can reach buyers where they already are.

Unlike typical marketplaces, Facebook makes selling things to people in your local area seamless. Shoppers don’t even have to leave Facebook to purchase stuff.

Plus, Facebook ads allow custom and lookalike audiences in its ad groups, which can be leveraged for better targeting.

Selling on Facebook is a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. Facebook Ads are relatively affordable, with a typical minimum budget starting at around $10 daily.

Ways to Sell on Facebook

Facebook offers many ways for businesses to sell their products or services. Here are some effective ways to use Facebook for sales:

Facebook Shops

Facebook Shops allow businesses to create customized online storefronts on Facebook and Instagram.

You can showcase products, customize the look of your shop, and engage with customers right on the platform.

With features like in-app checkout and integration with your eCommerce site, it simplifies the buying process for users.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a local buying and selling platform where individuals and businesses can list products for free. It’s great for reaching nearby customers and offering everything from everyday items to real estate and services.

With billions of monthly users, Marketplace provides a vast audience for both casual sellers and businesses.

Facebook Buy and Sell Groups

Facebook Buy and Sell Groups are community-driven platforms where members can list items for sale within a particular group.

These groups often cater to specific niches, allowing sellers to reach a more targeted audience. It’s a great way to sell within trusted communities and build relationships with repeat customers.

Now that we know a few ways to sell on Facebook — let’s see how it’s actually done–starting with Facebook shops.

How to Sell on Facebook Shops

Selling on Facebook Shops is ideal for small businesses, such as a business selling T-shirts. To sell on Facebook without making your visitors leave Facebook, you need to start by creating a Facebook shop.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Create a Facebook business page

If your business doesn’t already have a Facebook page, you must create one.

• To create your Facebook business page, log in to Facebook.
• Select the Menu button.
• Select Page from the Create menu.

• Set the name of your shop.
• Set the category of your shop.
• Add a bio and explain what you will be selling.
• Click on Create Page when you’re done.

• Add your contact information.

• Set up your store with all the relevant information.
• Click on “Done” to Start your business page.

Your business page is not ready, so the next step is to connect your business page to your shop.

• Next, Go to the Create Your Shop page and click Next.

• If you’re already selling on Shopify, you can create your shop by syncing your products.
• If you are not a seller on any platform, click” I don’t use these platforms”.
• Click Next.

Note: Meta applies a standard processing fee of 2.9% for credit card transactions.

If your Facebook shop is linked through Shopify, Facebook will directly import all the information needed from your shopify store.

• Update your country and click on Next.

• Connect your Facebook page to your shop and click Next.

• Create your business portfolio. You only need to add your business portfolio name and email address.

• Create your catalog and add products you want to sell in your shop.
• Add any products you want to sell.
• If you’ve synced your Shopify store with Facebook, Shopify will automatically add products to your Facebook store.
• Click on Next to continue the process.

• Select your delivery options and return window. You can update or add specific categories later.
• Select the types of addresses you deliver to.
• Select the number of working days between receiving an order and marking it as delivered in the Orders tab.
• Set the number of days customers have to return products, starting when they’re delivered.

• Give a final look to your Shop, portfolio, settings, and delivery settings.
• Click on “Finish” to create your store.

At this point, your shop has been created!

• You can later change your settings on your Facebook page.

How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace?

The Facebook marketplace is ideal for both casual sellers and businesses. For example, if you want to declutter your house, you can sell pots and pans, shoes, or whatever you want on the Marketplace.

Here’s how to sell on Facebook Marketplace:

1. Create your listing

Log in to Facebook. Click the Marketplace button on the left side menu. Then click Create New Listing.

2. Select an Item for Sale

• Choose the type of item you want to list to sell.

• Add a high-quality photo of your product, an engaging product description, and its price, condition, and any additional details.
• Once you’ve added all your product info, click Next.

• On the next page, you’ll see a preview of your Facebook Marketplace listing, along with a list of local groups you can join.
• Click Publish to list your product on Facebook Marketplace.

How to Sell Through Facebook Buy-And-Sell Groups

Facebook buy-and-sell groups are a popular platform for individuals and businesses to sell items online. Here’s how you can maximize your sales through buy and sell groups:

Join Relevant Facebook Buy and Sell Groups

• Use the Facebook search bar to find buy-and-sell groups related to your location or niche. You can filter groups based on your interests.

• Many groups require admin approval. To avoid being declined, follow the group rules and review the group’s guidelines for posting, selling, and interacting with members.

Prepare Your Product for Sale

• Take Clear Photos to make your listing stand out. Provide detailed information about the product, including condition, price, size, brand, and any important details and publish the post.

Engage With Interested Buyers

• Answer questions from potential buyers quickly. Fast responses often lead to quicker sales.
• Agree on a meeting point or delivery method. Ensure it’s a safe public location for pickups.
• Most buyers prefer cash, but you can also use payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer if agreed upon.

Mark the Item as Sold

• Once your item is sold, mark it as “Sold” to avoid confusion and further inquiries.

Products That Can’t Be Sold on Facebook

As big as Facebook Marketplace is, it has its fair share of restrictions. While the platform provides a huge audience for buyers and sellers to connect, there are some limitations on things that can’t be listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

1. Illegal, Prescription, or Regulated Products

The most obvious items prohibited on Facebook Marketplace are illegal substances or products that require a prescription. This includes but is not limited to:

• Selling controlled substances such as marijuana (wherever illegal), prescription medications, or any other drugs is strictly forbidden.
• Cigarettes, cigars, vaping products, and related accessories are not allowed for sale.
• Guns, ammunition, and explosives, including fireworks, are banned to prevent dangerous and unregulated transactions.

2. Animals

While many people use online platforms to buy or adopt pets, Facebook Marketplace prohibits the sale of live animals.

This ban includes household pets like dogs and cats, as well as livestock or exotic animals. You may, however, list animal-related products like pet food, toys, and accessories.

3. Services

Facebook Marketplace is designed for the sale of physical goods, not services.

This means that if you are a professional offering services such as house cleaning, plumbing, or graphic design, you can’t list these services for sale.

To promote services, Facebook recommends using other parts of the platform, like Facebook Pages or Groups.

4. Healthcare Products

Items that could pose a health risk are prohibited from being listed on the marketplace.

This includes products like medical devices that require a prescription (like CPAP machines), healthcare products like contact lenses or hearing aids, and any recalled health-related products.

5. Alcohol

Selling alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, or spirits is not allowed on Facebook Marketplace.

This restriction helps prevent the underage sale of alcohol and ensures compliance with local and international laws regarding alcohol distribution.

6. Entertainment Platform and Subscriptions

While digital services and products have grown in popularity, Facebook Marketplace does not allow the sale of intangible items such as software licenses, online subscriptions, or digital downloads. You can’t sell Netflix accounts, game keys, or other virtual products.

7. Counterfeit Items

Counterfeit goods, including fake designer clothes, knock-off accessories, and imitation electronics, are strictly prohibited.

Facebook takes intellectual property rights seriously, and listings suspected of infringing on trademarks or copyrights will be removed.

Selling such items could result in account suspension or legal action.

8. Hazardous Materials

Certain materials and items that could pose a safety risk are also banned from being listed. These include chemicals, explosives, flammable materials, and pesticides.

Anything that could cause harm if handled improperly is prohibited to ensure the safety of Marketplace users.

9. Stolen Goods

It goes without saying, but selling stolen property is illegal and strictly banned. Facebook actively works to prevent the sale of stolen goods, so it’s essential to ensure that anything you list is legally yours to sell.

Summary

Selling on Facebook is a great way to reach your target audience, promote your products or services, and build brand awareness.

Facebook has the largest user base of any social platform. If you are looking for a cost-effective way to sell your products or services online, Facebook is a great platform to consider.

In this guide, we covered three main ways to sell on Facebook:

1. Facebook Shops
2. Facebook Marketplace
3. Facebook Buy and Sell Groups

If want to sell fast products even faster and in a targeted way, you can leverage Facebook ads. No matter which approach you take, organic or paid, Facebook is a great platform to sell your products.