Facebook Marketplace has become an incredibly popular platform for buying and selling new and used items. With over 1 billion monthly active Facebook users, Marketplace gives sellers access to a massive audience of potential buyers. However, Facebook does impose some limits on how many items a user can list for sale at one time. In this article, we’ll look at the item limits for Facebook Marketplace and discuss some strategies for working within those constraints.
What is the item limit for Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook currently allows each user to have a maximum of 500 active Marketplace listings at any given time. This limit applies to both new and used items across all categories. Once you hit the 500 listing maximum, you will not be able to create any new listings until you delete some of your existing ones. The 500 item cap is in place to help ensure a good experience for buyers by preventing any one seller from flooding Marketplace and crowding out others’ listings.
How does Facebook count listings toward the limit?
Facebook’s system counts each individual item as one listing, even if you post multiple quantities of the same item. For example, if you have a listing for “5 designer t-shirts” or “set of 4 coffee mugs”, that will count as just 1 listing against your limit. However, unique items are each tracked separately. If you list a phone case, a bicycle, and a dining table, that’s 3 separate listings right there. The item limit also applies across any separate Marketplace seller profiles you have for your personal, business, or organization accounts. The counts get aggregated across all of your profiles.
What happens when you reach the limit?
Once you’ve reached the maximum of 500 live listings, Facebook will prevent you from publishing any new listings to Marketplace. You’ll see an error message that states “You’ve reached the limit for active listings” if you try to create a new listing. Your existing listings will remain live and visible to buyers. But you won’t be able to add anything new until you delete some current listings to free up space under your limit again.
How long do sold listings stay in your count?
Listings for items that have already sold will continue counting against your limit for 30 days after the sale. This prevents sellers from skirting the item cap by quickly selling and re-listing the same items over and over. After 30 days pass, sold listings will automatically stop counting toward the 500 item maximum.
Strategies for maximizing your Facebook Marketplace listings
While 500 active listings may sound like a lot, frequent Marketplace sellers often bump up against this limit. Here are some tips for making the most of your allowed listings:
Offer bundles and bulk listings
As mentioned earlier, grouping multiple quantities of the same item into one listing only counts as 1 item against your cap. So consider selling items in packs, sets, or lots. For example, create a listing for “lot of 10 used books” versus individual listings for each title. Just make sure to specify exactly what buyers will receive in your listing description.
Take advantage of Marketplace’s variants feature
Facebook allows sellers to create product variants within a single listing. You can use this to cover multiple colors, sizes, materials, etc. without having each option take up its own listing. For example, create one “T-shirt” listing then set up variants for different colors and sizes. This lets you cover a lot of product ground within each listing.
Group items into themed listings
Consider grouping similar or related items into a single themed listing like “Assorted vintage cameras” or “Mix of designer brand purses”. This lets you sell a variety of products together rather than one-off listings for each individual item. Just be sure to include detailed descriptions and photos of everything included.
Use multi-picture listings
Facebook allows up to 20 photos per listing in Marketplace. Take advantage of this to show your items from multiple angles and give buyers more visual information. The more photos you use, the less need for multiple similar listings. One well-photographed listing can sometimes replace several single-picture listings of very similar items.
Cross-list in other places
Don’t limit yourself to just Marketplace. Cross-promote and list your items for sale on other platforms like Craigslist, eBay, and dedicated shopping apps. This allows you to keep selling even when your Marketplace limits are reached. Just make sure to monitor your inventory closely so items aren’t double sold.
Remove sold listings frequently
Get into the habit of regularly checking your Marketplace account and removing listings after items sell. Don’t wait the full 30 days before sold listings stop counting against you. Removing them as soon as possible will free up more space for new listings sooner.
Avoid listing low-value or giveaway items
Don’t burn up your valuable allowable listings on cheap or free products. Focus on quality over quantity and use your 500 listing limit for your best, highest-value items. Unless you operate a charity or donation program, freebies just eat up your listing capacity.
List on a consistent schedule
Get a feel for how frequently you hit the 500 listing limit based on your sales volume. Then build a routine for removing sold listings and publishing new ones on a set timeline. This keeps you from constantly bumping up against your caps.
Appealing the Facebook Marketplace item limit
If your selling activities outgrow the standard 500 item limit, it is possible to request an increase from Facebook. Here is how the appeal process works:
Where to request a higher limit
You can request a Marketplace listing limit increase through the “Commerce Manager” section of your Facebook business settings. This is currently only available on desktop, not the mobile app.
How much of an increase can you get?
Facebook does not publish the maximum limits available. Approval and increased allowance is handled on a case-by-case basis depending on your selling history and volume. In general, expect that extremely high limits beyond a few thousand listings are unlikely to be approved.
Who is eligible for a limit increase?
Facebook evaluates a variety of factors to determine limit increase eligibility. High volume sellers who have a strong history of compliant activity on Marketplace typically have the best chance of approval. Low activity accounts or those with policy violations are less likely to receive higher listing caps.
What happens after you request an increase?
Once requested, Facebook will review your account and stated reasoning for needing more capacity. This may take several days to a few weeks. If approved, you will receive a notification of your new higher limit. If denied, you will have to continue operating within the standard 500 item restriction.
Can the increased limit be reduced again?
Yes, Facebook warns that any granted listing limit increases can be revoked at any time if you violate Marketplace policies or exhibit other concerning behavior. Having an expanded limit is a privilege, not a right, so tread carefully if you receive more allowance.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace’s 500 item listing limit per account helps balance the playing field for all sellers. While power sellers may bump up against this cap, a variety of listing strategies can help maximize your reach. For extremely high volume sellers, requesting a limit increase is an option if your account history warrants it. But in most cases, creatively bundling products and frequently clearing out sold listings will keep you operating smoothly within your allotted capacity.
With smart listing management and quality products that buyers want, Facebook’s vast Marketplace audience remains open for business despite the 500 item restriction. The cap encourages selectivity and helps curate Marketplace, which ultimately benefits both buyers and sellers seeking to connect.