How to Post a Garage Sale On Facebook Marketplace [2024 Guide]

In simpler times, a garage sale meant fishing for unused items in your house, putting them out on tables on the lawn, and making a hefty profit.

Anything that could be sold would be sold. And let’s not even talk about the thrill of a heated bargain. But times change, and so have garage sales.

As one of the world’s most popular and successful social platforms, in 2016, Facebook decided to take a step toward e-commerce.

What followed was an online marketplace allowing users to discover, buy, and sell items on the website.

You may not be able to have an epic bidding war with your favorite neighbor, but in return, there are no hassles in setting up items outside on a lazy Sunday.

But how does it work? And how do you reach potential buyers? In today’s guide, we will give you a detailed 101 on how to post a garage sale on Facebook Marketplace!

How to List a Garage Sale On Facebook Marketplace?

So, how to post a garage sale on Facebook Marketplace? Posting a garage sale on Facebook Marketplace doesn’t take a lot of effort. To get started, simply follow the steps we’ve listed below.

1. Log in to your Facebook account on your desktop or create a new one if you haven’t got one already.
2. On the left side of your news feed, click on the shop icon with the name “Marketplace.“
3. This will take you to a page showcasing other postings with their pictures. Click on “Create New Listing” on the left side of the page.
4. Next “Choose Listing Type” for the items for sale and fill in the other details along with the “Title” of the item.
5. We also suggest adding a description and pictures or videos of products to gain traction.
6. Choose a “Category” for your items. Keep in mind, there is no garage sale category on Facebook marketplace!
7. Set the price to zero. Since you are having a garage sale, it is better to leave the customers to have an option to bargain.
8. Add your “Location” and click to add the “Condition” of the item used – like new, good, or fair.
9. Finally, click “Publish” and you should be good to go.

How to Advertise a Garage Sale On Facebook Marketplace

So you’ve posted the garage sale, but that won’t always be enough to get attention from people. To convert potential customers into buyers, you will need good marketing strategies.

While marketing knows no bounds, there are a few key methods that can make your garage sale the talk of the town.

1. Using Facebook Ads

Facebook ads are a great tool to market products to your target audience. You can use them to promote your garage sale — or any other event you want people to know about.

There are many different types of advertising options, including text ads, video ads, and sponsored posts. You can even create custom audiences based on your data.

2. Instagram and Twitter

Although you are setting up the sale on Facebook, you can always use other platforms for advertising, such as Twitter and Instagram

Additionally, try posting at different times. As long as you provide quality content, you should get high engagement.

3. Promoting Via Emails

If you don’t have a lot of time for social media marketing, then email marketing is an excellent option.

Email marketing campaigns often generate higher conversion rates than social media marketing. In addition, they provide detailed analytics, so you can monitor your campaign progress.

Once you have created your email list, send out correspondence talking about your items for sale.

Include images, links, and call-to-action buttons to encourage engagement. Add a subject line relevant to the email’s content.

Sending direct messages is a great way to not only start conversations with potential customers but also target them individually.

A buyer is less likely to make a purchase unless you have a friendly conversation with them and gain their trust.

4. Asking Friends For Help

A friend in need is a friend indeed. You can make a lot more profit if your garage sale reaches more people. Ask your friends and family to share the sale and ask their friends to do the same.

Although it may not seem like the best method out there, using your social circle to publicize the sale can be effective.

5. Create an Event On Facebook

If you plan on having a physical garage sale, then creating an event can be an effective way to get the word out.

6. Discounts and Facebook Strategies

People love discounts. And if you have them, you’ll likely gain a larger audience. You can draw in more potential customers by giving them incentives.

For instance, make a flat discount for first-time buyers on Facebook Marketplace. This can increase your sales.

Which Products Sell Well On Facebook Marketplace?

Several factors make a product sell well in the marketplace. It may be that the advertising was good, which made the product popular in the first place for the whole community.

Although there are myriad categories to choose from, there are a few products that capture everyone’s fancy. From selling your own crafts to useless household items, you can sell almost anything on Facebook.

In a nutshell, the following items sell the best on Facebook Marketplace:

• Furniture
• Kids’ Clothing
• Kids’ Toys
• Books
• Sports Items
• Fitness Equipment
• Electronics
• Tools
• Home Decor Items
• Gardening Related Items

Precautions to Take as a Seller On Facebook Marketplace

Selling things online can be a good way to make some money. However, you need to take a few precautions as a seller on Facebook Marketplace. This is primarily because of the safety concerns when selling online.

For instance, you may get scammed or your page could get flagged if you’re not careful.

To help you steer clear of any probable issues in your selling endeavors, we’ve made a list of precautions to take.

1. Don’t List Items that Aren’t Allowed

Facebook marketplace is user-friendly for the most part. However, there are a few things that aren’t allowed on the website. If you sell them, your listings will be rejected. These include:

• Alcohol
• Animals
• Adult Products
• Tickets
• Gift Cards
• Medicines
• Illegal Drugs

2. Don’t Disclose Your Personal Information

The first rule of selling on the internet is to make sure you do not disclose personal information.

For larger items like cars that you cannot easily ship, be sure to verify the buyer’s identity and meet them at a safe location.

3. Decide The Payment Details Before Meeting

Often enough when both parties do not communicate about the money beforehand, it can lead to issues and even a fight in extreme cases.

Just like you decide the destination, also decide the total cost for the purchase before the meeting. The buyer may request you to delay it for later until he has inspected the quality of the item.

In this case, you can ask him to tell the cost if the item’s condition will be satisfactory.

This ensures that you won’t end up selling your item for cheaper than it is worth, simply due to the bargaining.

4. Check the Buyer’s Facebook Profile

You may receive messages from fake profiles trying to buy a product. We advise you to avoid such accounts, especially if you plan to meet for a transaction.

A fake profile will likely have no pictures or little to no friends. Although these aren’t hard and fast rules, they apply for the most part.

5. Meet In Public Places

If you plan on meeting up with the buyer, we suggest meeting in a public place, like a gas station or busy parking lot. As long as there is a crowd, you should be safe.

However, it is still recommended to do business via contactless pickup. These are much safer, and with the recent pandemic, the last thing you need is unnecessary interaction.

6. Use Online Transactions

Whether you meet with the buyer in person or send them the product via a delivery service, request money through online transactions.

This is primarily to avoid scams since this ensures that the buyer won’t skip out when it comes to payment.

You can use direct bank transfers or payment apps such as Wise, Paypal, and Zelle.

7. Buyer Scams

Buyer scams have been growing a lot recently, and these can happen to anyone.

The buyer might request your Zelle account details to send the money. Sometimes, they will not even ask for a quality check and will simply try to get your account details.

This is a fraud tactic that could end up with the seller paying the buyer as part of the scam.

How to Post a Garage Sale On Facebook Marketplace: Conclusion

Using Facebook Marketplace to have a garage sale can be rewarding. It allows you to reach a larger audience, and you can get better deals than you’d do in person.

In this guide, we discussed how to post garage sales on Facebook Marketplace along with precautions to take when selling products online.

Remember that to get better sales, advertising is key. You can use Facebook ads, send emails, and incorporate several other methods to get your items on the top page of the marketplace.

To turn potential customers into buyers, make sure you pitch properly and upload pictures with a clear description of the product.

That brings us to the end of this guide.