For the longest time, Facebook has been home to many Buy and Sell private and public groups. It’s garnered a lot of praise as it’s an easy way to connect with people who can provide certain products and services, though without a formal storefront.
Obviously, sites like OLX and eBay have better oversight and rules in place to protect the consumer. That’s where things are changing. Facebook has launched Marketplace in select countries such as the US and New Zealand. This new function is a centralized hub for all its monthly users, which allows them to buy and sell things online.
The difference with this is, the Marketplace formalizes the formerly casual function. It also signals just how important Buy/Sell groups are for the company’s plans. The Marketplace icon will replace Messenger in the FB app, which allows it to take center stage for smartphone users. Tapping on this new icon will yield a thumbnail list of items that nearby people have for sale. From there, you can filter the search through location, category, and price. Users have control over which products they can see and want to see.
When you’re ready to buy, you can message the seller directly and make the proper arrangements. Facebook isn’t taking any kind of cut, unlike formal online markets like Amazon and eBay. However, the tradeoff is that Facebook will not take care of payment of delivery of items.
For now, only adults in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand will get access to Marketplace, but other countries will be coming soon. No word yet on when this app will reach Philippine shores.
