Quick Answer
Marketplace messages do not automatically show up in your Facebook Messenger inbox. When you receive a new message from someone through Marketplace, you will get a notification on Facebook, but the message will not appear in your Messenger app or inbox unless you open it directly from the Marketplace message notification. This keeps your Messenger inbox from getting cluttered with Marketplace messages.
Detailed Answer
Facebook Marketplace allows users to buy and sell items directly through the Facebook platform. When you communicate with another user about an item listing in Marketplace, it generates a message thread that is separate from your standard Facebook Messenger app.
Here are some key things to understand about Marketplace messages:
Marketplace Messages are Separate from Messenger
– Marketplace messages live within the Facebook Marketplace platform only. They do not cross over to appear in your Messenger inbox like regular Facebook messages do.
– You cannot start a Marketplace message thread from Messenger. All Marketplace messaging must be initiated from within the Marketplace listing or your Marketplace inbox.
– If you try to send a message to a Marketplace seller or buyer from your main Messenger app, it will start a new message thread separate from your existing Marketplace message history.
Where Marketplace Messages Appear
Marketplace messages are accessible in two places:
– Within the listing itself – When viewing a Marketplace listing, you can scroll down to view any existing message history with the seller/buyer and add a new message.
– Your Marketplace inbox – This is a separate inbox just for your Marketplace messages. You can access it by clicking “Inbox” at the top of the Facebook Marketplace page.
Getting Notifications for New Marketplace Messages
When you receive a new Marketplace message, you will get a notification on Facebook as normal. However, it will specify that it is a “Marketplace Message” rather than a standard Messenger message.
You can click on the notification to open and view the message directly within the Marketplace platform. But it will not automatically appear in your Messenger inbox.
The only way a Marketplace message will display in your Messenger app is if you manually open it from the notification. This essentially forwards the message into your Messenger inbox. After that, any additional messages in that thread will also show up in Messenger.
Why Marketplace and Messenger are Separate
Facebook intentionally designed Marketplace messaging to be separate from your Messenger app. There are a couple reasons for this:
Avoid Cluttering Messenger Inbox
For active Marketplace users, keeping all those messages in your Messenger inbox would make it very cluttered and hard to keep track of your regular conversations. By siloing Marketplace messages, your Messenger app remains focused on personal conversations.
Keep Marketplace Interactions Professional
Interactions on Marketplace are intended to be professional exchanges focused on buying and selling. Facebook likely wanted to keep them separate from Messenger, which is aimed at close connections and personal chats.
How to View Marketplace Messages on Messenger
If you do want your Marketplace messages to also appear in your Messenger inbox, there are a couple of options:
Open from Notification
As mentioned above, when you receive a new Marketplace message notification, you can tap to open it which will forward that message (and any additional ones in the thread) to Messenger.
Use the Share Menu
Within any Marketplace message thread, tap the share arrow and select “Share to Messenger”. This will send the entire thread to Messenger so you can view it there going forward.
Forward Individual Messages
To forward a specific Marketplace message to Messenger, tap and hold the message bubble, select Forward, and choose Messenger.
Pros and Cons of Syncing Marketplace and Messenger
If you regularly use both Marketplace and Messenger, there are some pros and cons to consider regarding whether or not to combine your Marketplace messages into your Messenger inbox:
Pros
– View all messages in one place
– Easily continue conversations from Messenger
– Messenger has more features like stickers, gifs, etc.
Cons
– Messenger inbox gets cluttered
– Harder to separate professional and personal exchanges
– Lose Marketplace message history if you delete threads
Conclusion
Facebook intentionally keeps Marketplace messages siloed from Messenger to avoid inbox clutter and maintain a professional environment. While it is possible to forward Marketplace conversations to Messenger, most users should carefully consider if it makes sense for their individual needs before mixing the two channels. Maintaining separate inboxes may be preferable to keep Marketplace exchanges focused.