Finding Treasures on Facebook Marketplace

One of Facebook’s most underutilized features (in my opinion) is the Marketplace.

In my post talking about china I mentioned it, so I thought I would write a more in depth post on how I use it to get the most out of this feature.

Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find big ticket items for cheap prices. Things I typically search for are furniture, china, wine glasses, and rare or vintage items I might not be able to find elsewhere. For instance I found a woman selling nine place settings of a beautiful Noritake Christmas China set for $50. This was a steal for a treasure that I will use for many years to come.

Tips for Searching

Think of different phrases for what you are looking for

For instance, if you are looking for some kind of glasses, you might have to search “glasses”, “stemware”, “crystal”, “wine glasses”, “goblet”, etc. People will call them whatever they want to call them so for the best results try to think of all possible names of what it is you are looking for. You can also find inspiration from things you’ve been eyeing online. Say you like a certain chair from Target. You can use terms that they use to describe it for searching Facebook marketplace. You can also use the brand to search for items, too.

Need help figuring out what to search? Check out my post: The Reason You Are Not Finding Good Home Deals

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Persistence and promptness are key

If you are looking for something particular it may take a while. A daily search might be necessary. It also pays to be quick. When I picked up that china set I mentioned earlier the lady told me that I was lucky I was quick, she had at least 7 inquiries after me. So if you really want something, you have to be on top of your searches and be ready to pick it up as soon as possible. In my experience as a buyer and a seller, the item will usually go to the person willing to pick it up the soonest.

Filter

Use the different filter options so you aren’t scrolling through endless options. There are different categories to choose from and you can customize your price range and location range. There is also a “sort by” drop down. I typically sort by newest first since I am checking daily, that way I am not seeing the same thing over and over. The Facebook app is usually the easiest way to shop, there you can find a section called “Newly Listed in Your Area” which I check daily.

Other Tips

The pickup

Of course, this does require meeting up with strangers, so use caution. When possible I suggest taking a friend with you. At the very least let someone close to you know where you are going. Since it is connected to Facebook, you can check out their profile which I always suggest doing first.

Read descriptions carefully

To avoid disappointment, make sure you are carefully reading the descriptions and looking at pictures for any damage. There may be minor flaws, so look for them or ask if that information is not disclosed.

Arrange for payment ahead of time

Cash is almost always accepted but a lot of people will take Venmo, Cash app, Zelle, etc. It is always better to ask the person ahead of time what kind of payment they prefer and plan accordingly.

Try your hand at selling

Of course you can also try your hand at selling on Facebook. It is a great way to get rid of things you don’t need around the house anymore and make a little cash.

My Favorite Facebook Marketplace Finds

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Have you used Facebook Marketplace?

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