There is a very common rule in household management. If you haven’t used things- clothes, decorative pieces, toys, or furniture, you should discard them. But the big question when it comes to discarding items is WHERE to discard them. Throwing them out of your house is littering outside. Keeping them in storehouses just defeats the purpose of cleaning up. Knock Knock! Who’s There? Facebook Marketplace!
Another popular rule of thumb should be that something you don’t need can fulfill the dire needs of someone else. Something that has been lying around your desk can bring huge joy to someone else. This is where Facebook Marketplace comes in! Now, many ask, “How does Facebook Marketplace work?” Isn’t Facebook just to share photos and play candy crush? Well, you are wrong! (Womp Womp!)
Facebook Marketplace: The Hub
According to Meta spokesman David Troya-Alvarez, Facebook Marketplace has more than one billion monthly visits from users worldwide. Additionally, the Marketplace function appears to be flourishing even while Facebook’s daily active users are declining.
The most recent user statistics for Marketplace are not disclosed by Facebook, but the “other” division, which includes Marketplace and virtual reality subsidiary Oculus, saw the fastest revenue growth during the fourth quarter. The combined “other” revenue increased to $885 million, up 156% from the previous year. Comparatively, Amazon’s third-party vendors’ sales increased by 53% year over year to $20.4 billion over the same period.
Facebook’s dedicated Marketplace, which allows users to purchase and sell items online, was introduced in 2015. Here, the question of whether this characteristic is valuable emerges. Here, we’ll talk about whether Facebook Marketplace is a good option for making online purchases.
Simple Interface In Comparison
Craigslist was a well-established hub for re-purchasing and selling. Facebook Marketplace was one of the first attempts to “dethrone” Craigslist. When it came to purchasing and selling old things, many had attempted, but none had been able to dethrone the straightforward website.
One of the prime reasons why people leaned towards Facebook Marketplace was accessibility. There was no complex tutorial on how to sell on Facebook Marketplace. It was quite simple. Using Facebook’s website and mobile app, sellers could list their items in seconds. Likewise, with one simple search, purchasers could find their wished item in seconds.
Even Craigslist quickly debuted a smartphone app. Although the app for Craigslist does the job, it is just as very simple as the website. Although Craigslist’s simplicity is maintained by its simplicity, some may find this to be off-putting. On the other hand, the Facebook app has a slick appearance that users have gotten accustomed to by using it regularly, and Marketplace has a similar aesthetic.
Genuineness
Facebook Marketplace runs on two basic offerings- connectivity and accessibility. How does Facebook marketplace work is quite simple.
Facebook asks for access to your current location when you join up. The dominant social networking company insists on using your location to provide individualized information and ideas that are local to you. The marketplace employs the same methodology.
It will make suggestions for items nearby, making it simple to close a real purchase. Additionally, you have the choice to explore and hunt for appealing items that might not be local to you.
Paying a security deposit or fee to the app to show the product is one of the pet peeves that most sellers mention. Furthermore, This age-old practice is given a fresh perspective by Facebook Marketplace, which gives sellers the option to choose who pays for delivery.
However…
Safety Hazards
There have been several incidences where people decided to meet up as buyers and sellers, but things hit the fan. Innocent buyers who probably just wanted a chair for their backyard end up being scammed and losing valuables.
The possibility of getting robbed is quite high on such platforms. People anticipate receiving a high quality product when they pay money. Contrary to eBay Buyer Protection, there is no assurance that users will receive what has been promised. Facebook does not provide any assurances, however, you are welcome to physically inspect the item.
People anticipate receiving a high-quality product when they pay money. Contrary to eBay Buyer Protection, there is no assurance that users will receive what has been promised. Facebook does not provide any assurances, however, you are welcome to physically inspect the item.
Scammers Everywhere
It doesn’t take much time for scammers to make their homes on new applications and platforms. And Facebook Marketplace is no different. While we figure out how does Facebook marketplace work, they brainstorm over how to scam people.
Here’s a real-life incident:
Carman Alfonsi relied on Facebook Marketplace for years to buy and purchase pool tables for his Michigan billiards business. Carman’s account got hacked and then used to post 100 scam listings for phones and vehicles.
Interested customers would be contacted and transacted with, but then left with no product delivery. This leads them to flood the messages of Carman Alfonsi demanding their products. Alfonsi later contacted people on Facebook to report that he’s been hacked and his account committed fraud. To his surprise, instead of helping, Facebook banned him from Marketplace.
