How to Make Money Selling on Facebook Marketplace
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Want or need to make some extra cash? I’m sharing some tips on how to make money selling on Facebook Marketplace! Whether you’re selling things you already have or are buying and flipping items, you’ll find something helpful.
Can you remember when the “swap pages” first started on Facebook? The were these groups you had to join that acted like a big online garage sale, there were moderators or admins, and best of all…some rules!
Most of the time, you had to go in the order of who had commented on your post or listing and when. If they expressed interest, you would give them 24 hours to get back to you and then set up the time to do the exchange of goods.
Then along came Facebook Marketplace and the whole system got turned upside down. You can still list in individual community groups, but your post also goes into some abyss of a “marketplace” for anyone to see. Instead of people commenting on your post, they will message you. In some ways this is cool because you can kind of pick and choose who you get back to first—after all, how will they know?? The drawback, though, is people get trigger happy and push that “Is this still available?” button way too easily and then, a lot of times, have no intention of actually buying the item. The majority of the time when I answer them back, they apparently ghost me.
Even with all the hassles and kind of weirdos out there in Facebook Marketplace Land, I still like using it to sell items I don’t want anymore or to flip things I’ve found at the thrift store.
Flipping on Facebook Marketplace
I know this might seem like a very random picture for me to be sharing here on a home decor blog, but hear me out…
I was thrifting with a friend a couple of weeks ago and came across this Under the Weather Sports Pod and couldn’t believe it! If you’ve never seen one before, it’s basically a little collapsible tent that you can use for sporting events, so that you don’t freeze or get drenched in inclement weather. They’re so genius and everyone seems to be wanting one, now that all the outdoor sports are back up and running.
There are different options that you can get, depending on what size you need. When I looked it up, I found that this particular one sells online for $140. I got it for only $14!
I had originally thought that I might keep it and use it as a painting tent, so I won’t get paint everywhere when I spray paint in the garage. Then I thought that it would be nice when I go to my nieces’ soccer games. Of course, in the end, extra cash in hand won out…and I decided to flip it.
I wanted to be fair about the pricing (giving the buyer a deal off the online price), but still make a good profit—this is highly sought-after, after all! I landed on $100 and felt good about that.
I actually just listed the pod this morning, had several inquiries (always makes me think I should have asked for more money), and sold it right away! A profit of $86 isn’t too bad for an item that required no attention or effort.
I sell pretty much anything and everything on Facebook Marketplace, including things I want to get rid of around the house and items I find at the thrift store that I buy to thrift.
Now, I don’t want to fill our house up with things that may or may not sell, so I try to be choosy about what I pick up. The Under the Weather Sports Pod was a great item to buy to resell—it’s popular, I had plenty or room on the price to make money and still sell it for less than it sells online, plus now is the perfect time to sell it. Outdoor sports are in full swing and lots of people are looking for this particular item—at a deal price.
Sports equipment and clothing, in general, does very well. Even if you’re not a parent or don’t have kids currently in sports, you can still do well with selling sports-related items on Facebook Marketplace.
Other items that I have had success in selling include, outdoor furniture/accessories, electronics, shoes, bedding linens, mirrors, and home decor. Whether you’re selling your own pieces or from the thrift store, name brands are always a good bet!
More Online Selling Resources
Apparently, I’m passionate about selling on Facebook Marketplace because I have two more blog posts about it, including a week-long selling challenge and eleven tips for success in selling.
While it’s relatively easy to see on Facebook Marketplace, one of the toughest things about it, sometimes, can be actually doing it. I’m really bad about putting things off…even something fun like making money. So, I made a little game out of it.
I'm sharing my tips and tricks for my Facebook Marketplace Challenge HERE.
Whether you’re brand new to selling on Facebook Marketplace or just want some new tricks, I’m sharing eleven tips for success HERE! I’ve found that even when I think I’m good at something, I love learning the strategies that other people use. A quote that resonates with me is that “you never want to be the smartest person in the room”. It’s totally true! There is always something to learn, so don’t be too prideful thinking you know it all—you could be leaving money on the table!
This was a quick blog post, but I wanted to make sure I got these tips into your hands so you can start selling on Facebook Marketplace as soon as possible. Don’t overthink it and don’t worry about failing. The worst that will happen is that you’ll finally have your clutter cleared out and you can donate it!
I don’t think you’ll be donating everything, though…I have faith that you’ll have success on your local swap pages and Facebook Marketplace! I didn’t even touch on the option of putting shipping on as an option. I don’t do it, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t. If you decide to offer shipping, instead of just selling locally, you will open up so many more opportunities for sales!
If you decide to start selling on Facebook Marketplace, or already do, drop a picture of your recent sales in your stories on Instagram and tag me so I can see! You can find me on Instagram at @hilaryprall!