If you’re having trouble publishing or listing items on Facebook Marketplace, there are a few common reasons why this might happen. Here are some quick troubleshooting tips to help get your listings posted.
Your Account or Listing May Not Meet Requirements
Facebook Marketplace has certain rules and restrictions around who can buy and sell on the platform. Here are some of the requirements your account or listing may not be meeting:
- Your Facebook account needs to be in good standing and have no restrictions. Make sure you haven’t violated any Facebook policies.
- Your account needs to be at least 30 days old before you can create listings.
- You must be at least 18 years old to use Marketplace.
- Listings must comply with Marketplace commerce policies – no prohibited, restricted or illegal items allowed.
- You can only list a maximum of 100 items at one time.
If your account or listings do not comply with these rules, you will not be able to publish your listings on Marketplace.
Your Location May Not Allow Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is not available everywhere. Here are some location restrictions:
- Marketplace is only available in certain countries/regions. Check if your country is supported.
- Some US states prohibit Facebook from facilitating peer-to-peer sales of firearms, alcohol, and more. Your state laws may restrict certain listings.
If your location does not permit Marketplace listings, this will block you from publishing.
Technical Issues May Be Preventing Publication
Sometimes technical glitches can get in the way of publishing a Facebook Marketplace listing. Here are some issues that could be preventing your listings from going live:
- App or site bugs – try clearing your browser cache and cookies, force quit and relaunch the Facebook app, or update the app and restart your device.
- Temporary outages – Facebook services can occasionally go down. Try again later.
- Connection issues – check that you have a stable internet connection.
Troubleshooting technical problems may require some patience and trial and error.
Your Payment Account May Not Be Valid
If you’re trying to list items for sale (not free), you need to have a valid payment account connected to your Facebook profile. This is because Facebook’s payment services facilitate transactions made through Marketplace listings. Here are some potential payment issues:
- No connected payment method – you need to connect a payment account in your Facebook payments settings.
- Invalid or expired payment details – your connected card or payment info may be expired or otherwise invalid.
- Unverified payment account – if your payment method isn’t verified, listings may not publish.
Check your account’s payment settings and update the information if needed.
Your Listings May Be Blocked Temporarily
If you try to publish too many listings in rapid succession, Facebook may temporarily block you from posting new listings for a period of time. This is to limit spam and abuse. Some things that could trigger a temporary block include:
- Posting many listings very quickly, like automated uploads.
- Duplicate or repetitive listings.
- Listings that are flagged as spam by others.
A temporary block is usually 24-48 hours. You will need to wait for the block to lift before you can publish new listings.
How to Troubleshoot Facebook Marketplace Publishing Issues
If your Facebook Marketplace listings won’t publish, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Make sure your account, location, and listings comply with all Facebook Marketplace guidelines.
- Check for technical issues and try restarting your device, reloading the page/app, clearing your cache and cookies.
- Ensure you have a valid, verified payment account connected.
- Wait out any temporary blocks on your account before trying to publish again.
- Report persistent issues through the Facebook Help Center for personalized troubleshooting.
Reasons Listings May Get Blocked After Publishing
Sometimes listings can initially publish but then get removed by Facebook later on. Here are some reasons published listings may get blocked or taken down:
- Violating Marketplace policies – listings may be reviewed and removed if found in violation.
- Copyright violations – listings removed for using copyrighted images or info.
- Illegal/dangerous goods – prohibition on drugs, weapons, hazardous items, etc.
- Inauthentic accounts – fake or duplicate accounts may have listings removed.
- Court orders – law enforcement or legal requests may result in removal.
- User reports – listings flagged as inappropriate by others may get taken down.
If your listing gets removed after publishing, you will receive a notification from Facebook as to why. Make sure your listings follow all policies.
Best Practices for Publishing Facebook Marketplace Listings
Here are some top tips for successfully publishing and maintaining Facebook Marketplace listings:
- Thoroughly read Facebook’s commerce policies and make sure your account and listings are compliant.
- Provide detailed, honest descriptions and images representing the actual item for sale.
- Set a fair, competitive price based on Marketplace price guidance and similar listings.
- Respond promptly to interested buyers and arrange meet-ups or shipping quickly.
- Avoid prohibited, dangerous, counterfeit, or otherwise questionable items.
- Don’t post duplicate or back-to-back identical listings to avoid blocks.
- Consider boosting engaging listings for broader visibility.
Following best practices will help your items successfully list and sell through Facebook Marketplace.
What to Do If Your Listing Gets Removed
If one of your Facebook Marketplace listings gets removed, here are some next steps to take:
- Check your notifications to understand why Facebook took the listing down.
- Read through the commerce policies again to identify any prohibited elements.
- Modify the listing accordingly if possible to comply with policies.
- Submit an appeal through the Help Center if you believe the removal was an error.
- Wait out any restrictions or blocks before trying to relist the item.
- Avoid reposting an identical listing that was already removed.
With some adjustments, you may be able to successfully relist an item that was initially removed by Facebook for policy violations.
Conclusion
Facebook Marketplace is a great platform for buying and selling locally, but listings must adhere to certain rules and restrictions. Common publishing issues stem from account restrictions, location limitations, technical problems, invalid payment methods, over-posting, or policy violations. Following Facebook’s commerce guidelines, troubleshooting errors, and appealing removals can help get your listings posted and avoid blocks.
With some diligence, patience, and good listing practices, Facebook Marketplace can provide a robust channel for connecting sellers with local buyers.