How I Made $246 Selling on Facebook Marketplace

If you are looking for an easy way to turn clutter into cash, selling items on Facebook Marketplace is a great option! I have made $246 selling mostly small things here and there over the past several months - and I've learned a lot. If you've done some serious stress-sorting lately (this is my go-to when I'm feeling any kind of antsy), check out this post for tips on how to turn your clutter into cash.

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I don't know about you, but when I feel stressed or overwhelmed, cleaning up my physical space absoulutely translates to a better mental space too.

During business closures and social restrictions due to the Covid-19 times that we're all living through, I still made $84 selling things on Facebook Marketplace. $84!!

That's money made from just cleaning out my closets and drawers here and there, and it's helping me feel like I have a tiny bit of security in this time of economic uncertainty.

Instead of meeting, I often set the item on my porch (this is what "PPU" refers to, if you've ever wondered! "Porch Pick Up"), and the person picking it up will leave the cash in my mailbox or Venmo me - easy as that!

I have been lucky to have gotten to live in a few different dorms and apartments over the past several years, and with a lot of moving comes a lot of stuff-analyzing. We've all gone through these questions in our head like "Do I need this Keurig?" or "I don't really have room for this end table at my next place."

Am I right or am I right.

There are always opportunities to assess what you need, and what you don't.

Selling items on Facebook Marketplace has been a great solution for me, and maybe it could be for you too!

Reasons Why I Prefer Facebook Marketplace over Other Selling Apps

Facebook Marketplace has been a game-changer for me when I'm looking to sell something small quickly. I also often check the listings on this platform first before I buy something new!

Here are the top 3 reasons why I prefer to sell using Facebook Marketplace.

The benefits of a profile

People usually have a full profile on Facebook, which is not true for other selling apps (think Mercari, OfferUp, etc.) that may not even require even a profile picture.

It's easy to feel much more secure when you can view someone's full social media profile and get a sense of the person I'm meeting, instead of just a person's name and potentially no photo at all.

I can get a great sense of whether or not a person seems "sketchy" or not from scrolling through their Facebook profile - this is a big perk to me!

Response times

People are usually way more responsive on Facebook Marketplace, because they're already scrolling on Facebook!

We're all on social media way more than we'd like to be, and this is actually a plus for selling on this platform. I have found that people respond much faster than on the other selling-specific apps, and in turn, I often see their message earlier and respond faster too than I would if I were using a specific selling app.

It's a win-win!

Time from posting to cash-in-pocket

Similar to reason #2, people are scrolling on Facebook often, so my items often get more responses (and sell faster) than on the specific stuff-selling apps like OfferUp.

Basically, people use the stuff-selling apps to search for things that they already know they want to buy.

But on Facebook Marketplace, people are more likely to just be scrolling through, see something they like, and message you asking to buy it!

Tips for Selling Your Stuff Online

Some of these may be obvious, but they still need said! Others are specific tips that I've learned by selling on Facebook Marketplace for several months.

I've sold 15 items and have learned a lot, and I want to share it with you so you don't have to start from scratch.

Always meet in a public place

This sounds "duh," but sometimes it can be hard to stick to if you are in a hurry. I often give the address of my local grocery store and meet people at the front of the store, so that I don't have to give out my home address.

With more awareness and caution about meeting someone in person due to the Coronavirus, people are sometimes less inclined to go out or meet up in person.

This is where porch pick ups (somehow known non-obviously by the acronym of PPU on Facebook Marketplace - now you know!) have become the pickup option of choice.

Sometimes if you are selling something large, like a couch or maybe exercise equipment, the best option is for the buyer to come pick it up themselves.

Be aware, if you decide not to meet someone, either because the item won't fit in your car or you don't want to drive somewhere and risk getting stood up, the buyer may try to ask you to reduce your price since they are doing the driving.

Whether or not you accept is totally up to you! If someone is significantly undercutting the value of what you're selling, it's okay to let them know you can't accept their price, and wait until another person expresses interest.

Bring a buddy!

Again, safety is always the most important thing, and the buddy system is always a good idea!

If you can't bring a buddy, send your buddy the address where you will be going, the name and description of the person you're meeting, and what time you will be meeting them. Then tell your buddy when you've arrived at the address, and when you've left so they know you are safe.

Your nonnegotiable safety policy

One thing to avoid is going into someone else's home. Even if they seem super normal online, doesn't mean that going into their house is a fool-proof plan. Most people are trustworthy, but not everyone.

I say this because I once made this exact decision against my instincts. Although nothing horrible happened, my decision still gives me the absolute creeps to this day thinking about what oculd have happened when I ignored my safety-first policy.

Here's what happened: I met a woman at her house (No), in a neighborhood that I didn't know (No), by myself (No). I went to pick up a desk that was sitting in this woman's living room, and she couldn't move it out the front door herself (the whole time I was reminding myself of SVU and that it could be a ploy and I still stupid went in!).

If your good naturedness every betrays you in this way, my advice is to pause, check your guts ("Hm yes, I DO feel internally terrible about this decision"), and politely offer to come back another time when someone else can help you. I did tell my boyfriend where I was going, but I still should have passed on the desk.

Anyway, you get it - safety first even if it means being rude! I'd always rather be rude than kidnapped.

Now on to more tips!

Do your research

Check the category that your listing would be in and see how much money people are asking for similar items.

I'd rather post something for a reasonable price, then price high and have to field a bazillion messages asking me if I'd take a lower price.

But that's just me! If you love negotiating and want to wait for the highest price, you can certainly do that too (you have more patience than I do!).

Automated messages are a thing

Some people will send the message, "Is this still available?" and then never answer your message back that yes, it is indeed available.

Why?

This is an automated message that Facebook lets people send to sellers.

Basically, if you click on an item, Facebook prompts the buyer with something like, "Message this seller to ask if this item is still available." So people click that button, sometimes with no real intention of buying the thing.

It can be definitely be annoying, but now you know!

Be specific in your descriptions

When you're selling something on Facebook Marketplace, I'm telling you this simple trick will save you a ton of time.

I often write in the item description what the item is, what it can be used for (helps people picture themselves using it - For example: "Iron planter box, can be used in the garden or inside as rustic decor"), whether my price is firm, where to meet up, and how to pay (cash or Venmo).

This saves so much time!

Now, you don't have to answer messages from people asking where you would like to meet up or if you accept cash or Venmo.

Definitely don't skip this step!

Bundle the small things

If you have a bunch of small things that wouldn't be worth selling on their own (think scissors, colored pencils, folders, unused notebooks, etc.), list them as a bundle for a couple bucks!

This will give you a better chance of selling all the things, and make it more worth the buyer's trip.

Remember though, this has hte best chance of working if the items are related.

If you bundle random things like a coffee mug, dinosaur toy, and a stapler, you might still have a hard time finding someone who is interested.

Time for Productive Stress-Sorting!

And that's it!

Now go through your closets, drawers, and cabinets and see what can make you some extra monies and de-clutter your mental space and your actual space!

Marie Kondo would be proud.

Yours in side hustling for positive financial feels,

Emily Rose /// Miss Magnolia

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