Facebook Marketplace allows users to buy and sell items directly through Facebook. As with many online marketplaces, reviews play an important role in building trust between buyers and sellers. But who exactly can leave reviews on Facebook Marketplace?
Buyers Can Leave Reviews for Sellers
If you purchase an item through Facebook Marketplace, you have the option to leave a review for the seller. This allows you to rate your overall experience, leave comments about the seller, and assign a 1-5 star rating.
Buyers must have completed the transaction in order to be eligible to leave a seller review. Facebook requires the purchase to have been made and the item to have been received before allowing reviews.
If you are unhappy with an item or experience, leaving an honest review can help warn other buyers. Leaving positive feedback can also help sellers establish their reputation.
Sellers Can Leave Reviews for Buyers
Just as buyers can review sellers, sellers also have the ability to leave feedback on buyers. After completing a transaction, sellers can rate the buyer, leave comments, and give a star rating.
This review system works both ways, enabling sellers to identify potential problem buyers. Reviews build accountability on both sides of each transaction.
Buyers Have a Limited Time to Leave Reviews
Buyers are prompted to leave a seller review immediately after confirming delivery of an order. However, this review window is only open for a limited time.
Buyers have just 14 days after receiving an order to complete a seller review. If no action is taken, the review window closes and they can no longer leave feedback.
This policy ensures that reviews accurately reflect the transaction and experience while it’s still recent. Old or late reviews are more likely to suffer from faded memories or confusion with other transactions.
Sellers Also Have 14 Days to Review Buyers
Just as buyers are limited, sellers also only have 14 days to leave feedback on a buyer after a transaction is completed.
Once 14 days have passed, sellers will lose the option to rate and review a specific buyer’s behavior throughout the transaction process.
This matched timeframe ensures both parties have equal opportunity to leave fair, accurate reviews based on recent experiences.
Reviews are Public and Can Affect Reputation
Reviews left on Facebook Marketplace are public. Anyone viewing a seller or buyer’s profile can see the ratings and feedback they have received.
Getting consistently positive reviews can help establish reputability. But negative feedback and low ratings may discourage future transactions.
Buyers and sellers alike should leave honest, fair reviews to maintain accountability without unnecessarily damaging someone’s reputation.
Changing or Deleting Reviews
Once submitted, Facebook Marketplace reviews cannot be edited or deleted. The only way to remove a review is to have it taken down by Facebook moderators.
If you leave a review with inappropriate, abusive, or untrue content, the recipient can report it to Facebook. After review, Facebook may remove content that violates policies.
However, simply having seller’s remorse or regretting a negative review is not cause for removal. Facebook aims to maintain review integrity, for better or worse.
Banned or Deactivated Users Cannot Leave Reviews
In order to leave Facebook Marketplace reviews, both buyers and sellers must have active, unrestricted accounts in good standing.
If a user has been banned or deactivated, either permanently or temporarily, they lose the ability to interact with other users or leave reviews.
Before re-activating an account or lifting a ban, Facebook will evaluate any policy violations that led to the restriction. Certain severe or repeat offenses may prevent re-instatement.
Reviews Only Appear for Successful Transactions
Keep in mind that reviews only become visible after a successful order completion between a specific buyer and seller. Leaving negotiations, abandoned carts, or failed transactions do not trigger the review option.
Both parties must fully follow through with the transaction for the review feature to unlock. Reviews serve to evaluate completed interactions, not just browsing.
Product Reviews Vs. Seller Reviews
Facebook Marketplace reviews focus specifically on the seller or buyer, not the item itself.
Ratings reflect the person’s behavior, communication, shipping time (for sellers), and overall transaction experience from that specific interaction.
The review system does not offer a way to leave detailed product feedback or descriptions. It centers around evaluating the transaction process.
Multi-Item Orders Get One Combined Review
If a Marketplace order includes multiple items from the same seller, the transaction still results in just a single review.
Buyers cannot leave individual reviews for each product. The rating and feedback applies to the overall order and seller experience.
This prevents sellers from getting hit with multiple negative reviews stemming from a single order with an unhappy customer.
Abusing the Review System Can Get You Banned
Facebook monitors activity on Marketplace closely to maintain a fair, trustworthy marketplace environment.
Intentionally abusing the review system can earn you a swift ban. This includes revenge reviews, excessive negativity, extortion feedback threats, or coordinated review manipulation.
Stay honest in your ratings. Only leave factual reviews of actual transaction experiences. Abusing reviews harms the marketplace community.
Reviews Don’t Go On Your Public Profile
While Marketplace reviews are publicly visible to other users browsing listings, they do not get posted on your personal Facebook profile.
Ratings and feedback are contained within the Marketplace platform itself. Your friends or broader News Feed won’t see Marketplace reviews.
Third Parties Cannot Leave Reviews
To prevent manipulation or coordinated attacks, only direct transaction participants can leave reviews on Facebook Marketplace.
Friends, family, or outsiders cannot leave feedback for a profile they didn’t directly interact with through an order. All reviews must stem from completed purchases.
How to Leave a 5-Star Seller Review
Leaving a top seller rating only takes a moment:
- Confirm delivery of your Marketplace order
- Locate the “Leave seller feedback” button
- Give the seller 5 stars under “Seller rating”
- Under “Comments” praise positive attributes like communication, shipping speed, quality, etc.
- Click “Submit Feedback”
Following these steps rewards excellent service with prominent positive feedback and maximum stars.
Leaving a Negative or 1-Star Review
If you had a poor transaction, here is how to leave negative feedback:
- Confirm receipt of the unsatisfactory order
- Click the “Leave seller feedback” button
- Give just 1 star for “Seller rating”
- Detail what went wrong in the “Comments” like slow shipping, damaged item, etc.
- Submit your critical review
This process alerts other buyers about potential issues or disappointments. Use it judiciously for truly problematic sellers only.
Following Up After Leaving a Review
Once you complete a Marketplace review, no further actions are required on your end.
You cannot edit or respond to your feedback. The only follow-up option is reporting if the other party leaves an inappropriate or retaliatory review.
Facebook may remove unacceptable reviews if reported. But in most cases, both positive and negative ratings remain published.
Improving Score After Negative Reviews
If you receive low ratings, your best recourse is providing excellent experiences going forward.
Additional 5-star reviews will gradually counterbalance and minimize previous negative feedback. But this takes time and consistency.
Rushing transactions, pressuring buyers, or offering refunds to remove critiques won’t work. Focus on legitimate service improvements.
Negative Reviews Remain on Your Profile
While receiving the occasional bad review is inevitable, too many can tank your seller rating.
But once left, negative reviews remain permanently visible on your profile. Trying to remove them typically backfires.
Let the poor reviews stand and put extra care into pleasing future customers. This gradually rebuilds your reputation over time.
Review Visibility in Search Results
In Facebook Marketplace search results, top sellers with strong reputations and high ratings are highlighted and promoted.
Profiles with predominantly negative feedback or low overall scores appear lower in results. High reviews increase discoverability.
Why Leaving Reviews is Important
Although optional, taking a moment to leave feedback after Marketplace orders has several benefits:
- Helps guide other buyers and builds marketplace trust
- Provides sellers with valuable reputation and performance insights
- Holds both parties accountable for fulfilling transactions
- Improves overall community environment and engagement
The review process seems simple, but produces a safer, more transparent place to connect.
Reporting Fake or Abusive Reviews
While most reviews are legitimate, some users unfortunately abuse the system.
If you receive a false, slanderous, or otherwise unacceptable review, tap the ellipses (…) menu next to the rating and choose “Report”.
You can then select options like “Fake” or “Abusive content”. Facebook administrators review all reports and may remove policy violations.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace reviews provide a way for buyers and sellers to evaluate transactions, promote accountability, and build trust.
By leaving fair, detailed ratings and feedback after orders, both parties help create a safer, more transparent community.
Understanding the review system’s limitations and protections also ensures you use it properly. When in doubt, emphasize honesty, restraint, and accuracy in your own ratings.