Facebook Marketplace is a convenient platform for buying and selling new and used items locally. As a seller, it’s important to understand the rules and guidelines for using Marketplace to ensure your account stays in good standing. Here is an overview of the key things to know about selling on Facebook Marketplace.
Who can sell on Marketplace
To sell on Facebook Marketplace, you must:
- Have a personal Facebook account in good standing
- Be 18 years or older
- Abide by Facebook’s Commerce Policies and other rules
Business pages cannot directly sell items on Marketplace. However, business owners can link to their business Facebook page or external website from their personal profile.
Allowed items to sell
Facebook allows the sale of most legal, non-regulated goods on Marketplace. Examples of allowed items include:
- Used clothes, shoes, accessories
- Furniture and home decor
- Toys and games
- Books, movies, music
- Sporting goods
- Collectibles
- Arts and crafts
- Electronics
- Vehicles
There are some restrictions on the types of items you can sell. Prohibited items include:
- Illegal drugs
- Weapons, ammunition, explosives
- Adult products/services
- Endangered species
- Unsafe supplements
- Stolen goods
Facebook provides a full list of prohibited content that is not allowed for sale on Marketplace.
Rules for listing items
To create a compliant, high-quality listing, sellers should follow these rules:
- List items in the appropriate category
- Use a clear, accurate title and description
- Disclose any defects, damage, or modifications
- Use real photos that you own the rights to
- Set a reasonable price
- Avoid promotional text such as ALL CAPS, emojis, or excessive exclamation points!!!!
Facebook may remove listings that do not follow the commerce policies. Some other specific guidelines around listings include:
- No dropshipping allowed – you must have physical possession of items you list
- No pre-orders for items not yet in your possession
- No listing of items in bulk without picturing the actual item for sale
Rules around shipping
For items sold and shipped:
- You are responsible for packing and shipping costs
- You must ship to the address provided by the buyer on Facebook
- You are encouraged to offer tracking information and shipping insurance
For prohibited shipped items, Facebook specifies you should only ship:
- Within your country of residence
- Using a trackable shipping method
- With proper packaging and labeling
Restricted items that require additional precautions for shipping include alcohol, supplements, and beauty/health products.
Rules around prohibited and restricted items
Facebook has strict rules prohibiting the sale of certain items completely. There are also “restricted items” that can only be sold if you follow special requirements.
Completely prohibited
- Illegal drugs
- Prescription medications
- Recalled items
- Products that violate intellectual property rights
Restricted items
Special rules for selling restricted items on Facebook Marketplace include:
| Restricted Item | Rules |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | – Seller must verify buyer’s age/location prior to shipment – Must ship using age-verified carrier – Follow all applicable laws |
| Animals | – Follow Facebook’s animal sales policies |
| Health/beauty | – No sale of ingestibles or injectables – Follow health regulations |
| Supplements | – No sale of certain ingredients like ephedrine – Comply with advertising guidelines |
| Used cosmetics | – Disclose use and sanitize when required |
| Firearms | – Follow Facebook’s firearms policy |
Things sellers should know
To successfully sell on Marketplace, keep these additional tips in mind:
- Respond to buyers promptly to complete sales
- Be wary of scams and attempted off-platform transactions
- Use safe meetup spots and take precautions when meeting locals
- You are responsible for taxes on profit from sales
- Facebook may remove listings or disable accounts that violate policies
- Get paid securely using Facebook Pay, avoid risky payment methods
Facebook’s seller protection policy
Facebook wants Marketplace to be a safe environment for buyers and sellers. They offer these protections for sellers:
- Purchase Protection – Full refund if item not received or significantly different than described
- Seller Protection – No refund required for damaged items or if buyer makes false claims
- Review integrity – Facebook works to prevent fraudulent negative reviews
See Facebook’s Seller Protection Policy for more details.
Appealing policy violations
If Facebook disables your listing or account for a policy violation, you can appeal the decision by:
- Going to the Help Center
- Filling out the Commerce Policy Violation Form
- Providing information on why the violation was incorrect or should be reconsidered
However, appeals are not always successful. Avoid future issues by thoroughly reading and understanding Facebook’s commerce policies.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace provides a big opportunity for individual sellers to connect with local buyers. But it also comes with rules and restrictions to create a safe, trusted environment. As a seller, your responsibility is to follow Facebook’s commerce policies, from how you list to what you ship. This ensures you stay compliant, continue selling without disruption, and avoid account penalties. A few key takeaways are:
- Only sell allowed items you physically possess
- Accurately represent your items in listings
- Ship safely and legally
- Avoid prohibited or restricted items
- Know your protections as a seller
With billions of users on Facebook, abiding by their commerce policies allows you to tap into a massive pool of buyers for your used goods or handmade items. Do your homework and sell successfully on Marketplace.