Facebook has announced that it’s rolling out its Marketplace buy-and-sell platform across Canada. The service, which allows users to post items for sale through Facebook, was launched back in October and was initially only available in four countries, including the U.S.
This will serve the 550 million people who visit buy and sell groups on Facebook each month. Marketplace can be found by tapping on the ‘shop’ icon at the bottom of the Facebook app.
Buying
To start, Marketplace will feature photos of items that people nearby have listed for sale. Specific items can be searched for at the top, with filters available for location, category (such as ‘Household’ or ‘Electronics’) and price. Facebook’s built-in location tool can also be used to search cities or regions.
Once a desired item has been found, tap on the image to bring up more details from the seller, including his/her name and profile picture, general location and the product description. The item can also be saved for later viewing. The seller can be sent direct message from Marketplace to express interest and make an offer. From there, it’s up to the buyer and seller to work out the final purchasing agreement.
Selling
To sell an item:
- Take a photo or use an existing image from the camera roll
- Enter a product name, description and price
- Confirm location and select a specific category
- Post
Users will also have the option to post to both Marketplace and a specific buy and sell group at the same time. Current and past transactions can be found in Marketplace through the ‘Your Items’ section.
Tips for safe shopping
Facebook has given a few suggestions for how people can be safe when using Marketplace:
- Verify the item in person before paying
- Be cautious with high value items such as cars, especially when deals seem too good to be true
- Meet in safe, public places like malls or parks
- Don’t share financial information (such as bank account information) with buyers or sellers
- Use cash or person-to-person payment methods
- Don’t buy or sell recalled items, especially since it’s illegal in many places
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