Facebook Rolling Out A Classified Ad Service

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While I was searching for information related to Facebook Ads, I came across an article about Facebook releasing a new classifieds service.

I checked out the Facebook newsroom and it looks like they're rolling it out over the next few days "to everyone over 18 years old in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android."

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. This activity started in Facebook Groups and has grown substantially. More than 450 million people visit buy and sell groups each month — from families in a local neighborhood to collectors around the world.

To help people make more of these connections, today we’re introducing Marketplace, a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community. Marketplace makes it easy to find new things you’ll love, and find a new home for the things you’re ready to part with. We’ll continue to build new options and features to make this the best experience for people.

To visit Marketplace, just tap on the shop icon at the bottom of the Facebook app and start exploring.

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Discover Items for Sale Near You

Marketplace opens with photos of items that people near you have listed for sale. To find something specific, search at the top and filter your results by location, category or price. You can also browse what’s available in a variety of categories such as Household, Electronics and Apparel. Use the built-in location tool to adjust the region you’re looking in, or switch to a different city altogether.

When you find something interesting, tap on the image to see more details from the seller, including a product description, the name and profile photo of the seller, and their general location. You can also save the item to find it later.

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Decided that you want it? Send the seller a direct message from Marketplace to tell them you’re interested and make an offer. From that point on, you and the seller can work out the details in any way you choose. Facebook does not facilitate the payment or delivery of items in Marketplace.

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Post Items for Sale in Just a Few Steps

Selling an item in Marketplace is just as easy as browsing for one. Simply:

  1. Take a photo of your item, or add it from your camera roll
  2. Enter a product name, description and price
  3. Confirm your location and select a category
  4. Post
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Now anyone looking in your area can find your item and message you if they want to buy it. You can also choose to post to Marketplace and a specific buy and sell group at the same time.

To keep track of all of your current and past transactions in Marketplace, visit the Your Items section. There, you can view your saved items, products you’ve posted for sale, and all your messages with people.

Now in Four Countries, With More to Come
Over the next few days, Marketplace will be rolling out to everyone over 18 years old in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android. We will continue expanding to additional countries and make Marketplace available on the desktop version of Facebook in the coming months.

Article Source: http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/10/introducing-marketplace-buy-and-sell-with-your-local-community/
 
Just saw this 10 minutes ago, could be an interesting move forward for FB.
 
Great share, didn't know of this, seems to be a great thing for sellers and small ecommerce people
 
Join groups
Add photo of your product
Add description
Add link in description
Earn :D
 
Seems interesting.
What do you say?
As much as I don't like Facebook, I'm interested in trying this out as soon as I can. I have a ton of new and used OEM Mercedes parts and other used goods that I've been meaning to sell, so I can start with that.

Join groups
Add photo of your product
Add description
Add link in description
Earn :D
I'm not too familiar with commerce on Facebook, but based on the first 2 paragraphs from Facebook's newsroom article, it looks like it's an attempt to streamline the commerce process while competing with the current classfieds sites. I suppose if it proves to be successful, Facebook could add in a feedback score for buyers and sellers.
 
From what i could see, it seems it is limited to certain countries.
But overall, this seems like a fight with eBay
 
I noticed this a couple weeks ago when something was posted in 2 places not one.
 
From what i could see, it seems it is limited to certain countries.
But overall, this seems like a fight with eBay
Yeah, they've only limited it to iPhone and Android users in 4 countries for the initial release, although they're planning on releasing it to other countries and people using the desktop site "in the coming months".
Over the next few days, Marketplace will be rolling out to everyone over 18 years old in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android. We will continue expanding to additional countries and make Marketplace available on the desktop version of Facebook in the coming months.
 
So, eBay Purchased Gumtree and to compete with that FB just made their own online ads site within FB :)

Nice. Gumtree can be a pain in the rear with people messaging anon and wasting your time so at least with FB you'll be able to check out the details of the person sending it. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Shez
 
So, eBay Purchased Gumtree and to compete with that FB just made their own online ads site within FB :)

Nice. Gumtree can be a pain in the rear with people messaging anon and wasting your time so at least with FB you'll be able to check out the details of the person sending it. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Shez
I've never used GumTree, although I've sold used goods in the past on Craigslist. The reason I no longer do so is because, as you put it, "people messaging anon and wasting your time". There was also that time where some dirty broke woman tried offering me a handjob for a used tyre, and that other time where some paranoid guy kept asking if a power supply I was selling worked (I had photos and videos of it powering a computer).

People are less likely to pull those stunts on Facebook.
 
UsaToday and Vanityfair also had articles on this. I saw the USAtoday one yesterday and am already working on how to game it. Had a chat with a buddy about it and what we thought the impact may be on FB's groups as they stand now.

Looks like a CL/eBay hybrid at this point but I could see FB, if it gets some traction, setting up a Pseudo Paypal as well in order to complete the move as that is a profitable little enterprise and they have the membership base and the capital to pull that off.
 
Well that is interesting, but it's Facebook that we're talking about. I guess it's not surprising that they would come up with that kind of marketing strategy. After all buying and selling are already happening there like you said. Great share t.
 
probably can become bettr than gumtree or craiglist. its only available to prime countries . I have to wait longer to try it as im not from any of those countries listed at mo.
 
Do you guys remember that member who was trying to sell a baby here? Looks like he's doing it on the Facebook Marketplace now.

If you open an Internet site to the public, how long before the lowest common denominator shows up? As Facebook (FB) found out this week, the answer isn’t days, but hours.

Shortly after opening its new Marketplace section, Facebook was hosting ads offering all sorts of illicit and strange items for sale. Some were clearly jokes (such as a posting for a £5 note for $10, when the exchange rate values the British banknote at about $6.40) but others advertised illicit products such as drugs and human babies, as well as guns and animals, ranging from birds to baby hedgehogs.

View image on Twitter
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Zack Neiner @ZackNeiner

Thank you Facebook Marketplace for giving me the opportunity to buy babies or guns...

4:08 PM - 3 Oct 2016


The rocky rollout isn’t an auspicious start to Facebook’s latest attempt to ramp up commerce, after trying to get a similar effort off the ground about a decade ago. Facebook may also face a natural resistance from its users, who view the service as a way to connect with friends, families and communities, rather than as a shopping site. Only about 1 out of 5 consumers said they’d be interested in purchasing items directly on Facebook, according to research from research company Aimia.

For its part, Facebook blamed the illicit and odd postings on a “technical issue.”

“As we expanded Marketplace access, we encountered a technical issue that prevented our reviewing system from identifying some posts that violated our Commerce Policies and Community Standards,” said Mary Ku, director of Facebook’s product management, in a statement. “As a result, certain posts with content that violated our policies were made visible to people visiting Marketplace.”

Ku added that Facebook was working to fix the issue and would be “closely monitoring our systems to ensure we are properly identifying and removing violations before giving more people access to Marketplace.”

Even though only 1 out of 5 consumers said they would want to buy directly from Facebook, that’s a bigger share than many other social networks receive. Only one out of 10 said they wanted to shop via Twitter, for instance.

As for consumers who are looking for the Marketplace icon on their Facebook page or mobile app and can’t find it, that’s because Facebook is gradually rolling out the service over the next several days. The service will first appear on the mobile app, with Facebook planning to introduce the desktop version in the next few months.

Eventually, the Marketplace icon will replace the Messenger icon in the mobile app. The idea is to let consumers take photos of items they want to sell and post it to the Marketplace, where they can connect with buyers.

The Marketplace appears to be more akin to Craigslist than Amazon, in terms of approach and quality of products. So far, consumers don’t appear to be overly impressed by the service, with some expressing skepticism and confusion over the odd postings popping up the service. Still, given Facebook’s reach, it may only need to win over a small share of its consumer base to make the Marketplace successful.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-marketplace-opens-with-drugs-guns-and-babies/
 
Oh, now here's something interesting. Apparently, this isn't Facebook's first attempt at releasing a marketplace. They've done this before back in 2007 and 2009.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/the-new-facebook-marketplace-powered-by-oodle/57525537130/

Today, we're launching Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle—and adding even more functionality so you can easily create, share and respond to listings. Facebook first introduced the Marketplace application on Facebook Platform in May 2007 as a way for people to post classified listings on the site. Marketplace helps people buy and sell furniture and household items in a trusted environment. Late last year, Facebook turned to Oodle for its expertise in online classifieds, and Oodle has built an entirely new version of Marketplace focused on giving people a place to buy, sell or give things away to the people they know.

If you previously had the Marketplace application installed, you'll continue to see it bookmarked on the Applications tab in the lower left hand corner of your screen. And if you have an active listing in Marketplace, you'll be given the option to transfer it to the new Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle.

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You'll be able to access the Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle from the Application Directory, as well.

We're also excited to introduce new features including Sell for a Cause, which allows you to donate the profits of the items you sell to over a million participating charities including UNICEF, the Sierra Club and local organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco. For instance, I'm selling some of the toys that my kids have outgrown to support the Samaritan House, a local charity in Oodle's hometown of San Mateo, California, that supports programs for families in need. If every person on Facebook sold something for just $1, we would be able to collectively raise over $175 million for causes around the world.

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In the coming months, we'll be rolling out even more functionality and categories, so please be sure to let us know how we're doing.
 
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