Facebook Marketplace is a convenient platform for buying and selling items locally. However, you may encounter various errors when trying to use Marketplace. Here are some common Facebook Marketplace errors and how to fix them.
Marketplace Not Working
One of the most common issues is Facebook Marketplace not loading at all. Here are some potential causes and solutions:
- Check your internet connection – Marketplace requires an active internet connection to load properly.
- Update the Facebook app – An outdated version of the Facebook app can cause problems. Update to the latest version.
- Clear the app cache – Too much cached data can cause the app to malfunction. Go to your phone settings and clear the cache for the Facebook app.
- Reinstall the app – If clearing the cache doesn’t work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Facebook app.
- Use Facebook in a web browser – Try accessing Facebook and Marketplace through a web browser on your phone or computer to see if that works.
- Log out and log back in – Sometimes simply logging out of Facebook and logging back in can resolve connection issues.
“Sorry, something went wrong”
This vague error message appears for various reasons. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check your internet connection and try again.
- Clear the Facebook app cache and data and try again.
- Update to the latest version of the Facebook app.
- Try accessing Marketplace from a web browser instead of the app.
- Restart your phone and try again – this can clear any temporary glitches.
- Log out and log back into Facebook before trying Marketplace again.
If the error persists, it could be due to an outage on Facebook’s end. Check the Facebook Marketplace status page to see if they have reported any known issues.
“Marketplace Isn’t Available”
This error indicates Marketplace is not accessible in your region. Here are some things to check:
- Make sure your Facebook app is up to date.
- Check that your device and Facebook app meet the minimum requirements to use Marketplace.
- Toggle your Facebook language settings and try again – Marketplace availability varies by language.
- Use a VPN to access Facebook as if you were in a different region where Marketplace is available.
- Change your location settings in Facebook to a region where Marketplace is available.
Unfortunately if Marketplace access is restricted in your country, there is no official way around it. Using a VPN or changing language/location settings are unofficial workarounds that may work.
“Please Try Again Later”
This generic error occurs for multiple reasons, including:
- Temporary technical issues on Facebook’s end – try again later.
- Too many requests from your account – slow down and try again later.
- Your account needs to be verified – confirm your email and/or phone number.
- Your account or post violates Facebook policies – review and resolve any violations.
- Your internet connection is unstable – try on a different network.
If the problem persists for more than a few hours, visit the Facebook Help Community and search for this error message to see if others are reporting similar issues.
“Listing Limit Reached”
Facebook limits each user to a maximum number of active Marketplace listings at one time. Here are the current limits as of October 2022:
| Account Type | Max Listings |
|---|---|
| Standard personal account | 100 |
| Business account | 250 |
| Commerce account | 500 |
To resolve this, either upgrade your account type or remove some existing listings. You can bulk delete old listings quickly by filtering for “Expired” listings in your Marketplace account.
Can’t Create Listings
If you can’t create new Marketplace listings, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure your account meets eligibility requirements to post.
- Clear the app cache and data and try again.
- Double check you don’t have the listing limit reached error.
- Try creating the listing on a desktop instead of mobile.
- Update payment info if prompted – expired or invalid payment methods can block listings.
If you still can’t create listings, your account may be temporarily blocked from posting. This can occur if you violated Facebook’s Commerce Policies. You will need to resolve any policy issues before your ability to post new listings is restored.
Can’t Complete Purchase
Errors while trying to buy an item on Marketplace could indicate:
- Payment issue – update payment info, contact bank if funds are blocked.
- Seller sold item elsewhere – contact seller to confirm.
- VIolation of Facebook’s policies – review and resolve flagged issues.
- Technical glitch – try again later or on a different device.
If the issue persists, report the problem to Facebook through the app and they can further investigate. Make sure to avoid sending money outside of Facebook’s payment system, which violates their terms.
Item Missing After Completing Purchase
If you paid for an item but never received it:
- Contact the seller through Marketplace messaging.
- Politely ask when they will ship and provide any missing tracking info.
- If no response after a few days, escalate to Facebook support.
- Facebook will review and determine if you qualify for a refund.
To avoid this issue, only buy from reputable sellers. Check ratings, reviews, and listings history before purchasing expensive or fragile items.
Facebook Marketplace Keeps Crashing
If the Facebook app crashes every time you try to use Marketplace, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Force close and restart the Facebook app.
- Update Facebook and your other apps in case of conflicts.
- Clear cached data and cookies for Facebook.
- Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook app.
- Restart your phone.
- Use Facebook in a mobile browser instead of the app.
If the crashing persists, it likely indicates a deeper software issue. Contact Facebook support, or your device manufacturer if crashing occurs in multiple apps.
Can’t Share or Repost Listing
Problems sharing or reposting a Marketplace listing typically stem from:
- Listing was deleted, expired, or no longer available.
- Your account lacks permission to share that content.
- The item violates Facebook’s policies.
- Technical glitch or bug.
Try sharing another current listing to see if the issue is specific to that one item. If the problem persists, log out and back into Facebook to refresh permissions.
Account Banned from Facebook Marketplace
Facebook may ban users from Marketplace for reasons like:
- Selling prohibited items
- Listing fake/misleading items
- Violating Commerce policies
- Abusing promotions and coupons
- Sharing banned content
Marketplace bans can range from temporary to permanent. To restore access:
- Review and resolve any active policy violations.
- Request a review of the ban through the Facebook Help Center.
- If banned permanently, you will need to create a new account.
Avoid further violations once your access is restored, or risk a permanent ban from Marketplace.
Listing Images Not Uploading
If your images won’t upload to a Marketplace listing, try the following:
- Compress images to under 30MB.
- Use JPEG instead of HEIC photo formats.
- Reconnect to WiFi or switch to mobile data.
- Clear the Facebook app’s cache and data.
- Close and restart the Facebook app.
- Log out and log back into Facebook.
If issues persist, try creating the listing on a desktop computer instead of mobile. Desktop browsers can sometimes handle larger images better.
Error Uploading Tracking for Sale
When selling an item, Facebook requires you to upload tracking info. If errors occur:
- Double check the tracking number is correct.
- Confirm the shipping provider is supported.
- Re-enter the info instead of copy/pasting.
- Try manually typing instead of scanning barcode.
- Refresh and retry after a few minutes.
If the tracking information is valid but not accepted, contact Facebook support for assistance entering it for your sale.
Facebook Marketplace Customer Service
Since Marketplace is part of Facebook, direct customer service options are limited. Here are some ways to get help:
- In-app support – Tap “Support Inbox” in the Marketplace menu.
- Facebook Help Community – Post questions to get input from other users.
- Online request – Submit a support request form through Facebook Help Center.
- User groups – Join Marketplace user groups on Facebook to ask questions.
- Twitter – Tweet @Facebook or @FacebookApp for help.
Phone, live chat, and email support are not available. Response times vary from a few hours to a few days.
Ways to Avoid Facebook Marketplace Errors
Here are some tips to prevent common Marketplace errors:
- Ensure your account and app meet eligibility requirements.
- Review and follow all Facebook Commerce Policies.
- Only use high quality images that meet size limits.
- List items accurately and provide detailed descriptions.
- Respond to buyers promptly and ship sold items on time.
- Avoid banned or questionable items even if not explicitly prohibited.
- Respect listing limits based on your account type.
- Provide valid payment and tracking info when required.
Carefully following all Marketplace rules and guidelines will minimize errors and issues when buying and selling.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace is a great platform for convenient local buying and selling, but various technical and account issues can lead to frustrating errors. By troubleshooting problems using the steps outlined and focusing on prevention, you can hopefully avoid most common Marketplace errors.
If problems persist, be sure to escalate issues to Facebook support for further assistance. With some diligence on policies and requirements, Marketplace can remain a smooth platform for exchanging goods and making extra cash.