How to Sell on Facebook: 3 Ways to Make Quick Cash

Tips for Listing Your Item on Facebook

Whether you’re going to be selling to family and friends, a group, or in the Marketplace (or all of the above!), there are universal best practices you should follow for selling on Facebook. A lot of these tips may seem like common sense but once you start selling on Facebook you’ll quickly see how frequently people make these mistakes.

A Photo is Worth a 1,000 Words

Include at least 1 good photo of the item you’re selling. Obviously, the word “good” is subjective but I think we can all agree that when you’re trying to sell something good lighting, multiple angles, and clear images are essential.

Facebook allows you to post multiple images (even in the Marketplace you can post up to 10) so be sure to take advantage of that feature and really showcase the goods! 🙂

When taking photos, ensure that the item you’re selling is the focal point of the photo. Remove additional items from the frame so potential buyers aren’t distracted or even confused about what you’re selling.

Tell a (Short) Story

Describe the item you’re selling. When crafting your description, you want to strike a balance between comprehensive and concise. Providing enough information will help you avoid answering endless rounds of questions from potential buyers. However, providing too much information will have people skimming your description and still asking you questions.

Here are some things I recommend including in the description of everything you sell on Facebook:

• Price (see the next section for tips)
• Condition (be honest!)
• Age
• Dimensions
• Price of the item new (if possible)
• Link to the item new (if possible)
• Brand
• Model
• Purpose (what it does)
• General location

I like to include a one liner about what the item is for (or a really cool alternate purpose if applicable) because someone who sees the picture may not automatically know what the item is.

When writing your description, it is important to be as clear and honest as possible. If the item has a small stain, say so. If the item is fraying around the edges, say so. Being upfront will keep you in good standing with the group (or your family and friends) and keep you from wasting your time with buyers who want something that is in mint condition.

Don’t Be a Rebel

If you’re posting in a group, be sure to follow the rules. Don’t post items that aren’t allowed. Don’t spam the board. If you aren’t sure what the rules are and can’t find them on the group’s page, ask an admin.

The Customer is Always Right

If someone publicly comments on your listing or asks a question, be sure to reply promptly. If you’d rather only discuss a matter privately (ex. the person is trying to negotiate a lower price), simply reply with something along the lines of “I’ve sent you a private message in regards to this” or “please private message me in regards to this.”

Even if you’ve already answered the question in the description or one comment above, be responsive!

Pro Tip: If someone sends you a private message and you are not “friends” with that individual it may show up in your message requests folder. Be sure to check there frequently to see if a potential buyer has contacted you. On the Facebook Messenger app, go to the “People” tab and click “Message Requests” to see these messages.

Going… Going… Gone!

Once an item sells on Facebook, be sure to remove the post. If, for some reason, you are unable to delete the post, update the description to say “SOLD: THIS ITEM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.”

How to Set a Price When Selling on Facebook

Knowing what to price an item at can be tricky. You will definitely need to do some Internet sleuthing in order to set a fair (but profitable) price. Start by hunting for the item online and seeing what it is priced at on other sites. Try looking on:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Google’s “Shopping” section
• Walmart.com

I would also recommending looking around on Facebook to see if anyone else in the local area is selling the item and what they have priced it at.

Once you have a range of prices, take into account the condition of your item. Is it still in the packaging or does it still have the price tags on? Is it used?

You may be able to mark the product up a little bit in the name of local availability. What I mean is that buyers can get the item from you right now instead of having to order and wait for it to be delivered (assuming you aren’t shipping the item).