When I try to sell used stuff around the house, I usually start with a yard sale if I have enough quantity. Once the yard sale is over, I will put the bigger or better pieces that didn’t sell on eBay or Craigslist. Similarly, if I am looking to buy something that’s relatively cheap, I start with yard sales and those two sites. Now that I am more proficient in Facebook, and my list of friends is growing, I’ve learned there are many other uses for Facebook beyond “keeping in touch”, “playing games” and “updating my status”. Facebook is a good tool to buy used stuff for cheap or to sell your used stuff. How do you access the used Facebook marketplace? Let’s take a look.
The first and quickest way to start is to simply use your status update feature to announce to all your friends that you have something to sell or that you are looking for a specific item. This is quick, easy, and painless. However, the audience is limited to your friends and you may not have too much success, particularly if most of your friends live hundreds of miles away and you are trying to sell a refrigerator.
The next place to go is the new or used Facebook Marketplace. This site was launched earlier this year and allows you to find items for sale or to sell your used stuff. The site is powered by oodle. Stefan covered oodle at length in his March 2009 article Oodle – Another Craigslist, But Slightly Better. To list items for sale, you have to allow Marketplace permission, like other Facebook applications. The site has four primary categories: items for sale, housing, jobs, and vehicles. Beside each category is a small “+ post” button for you to add a post.

Marketplace is as easy to use as Craigslist, and to me, easier than ebay, since you don’t have to bid and wait. Via the Facebook interface, you can comment and ask questions about the items up for sale. When you go to the main screen and begin browsing, you can set your location and search area to limit the distance you want to search. You may find a deal 500 miles away, but shipping costs or a trip to pick it up may make it less cost effective. Once you select your location, a section of the resulting page will show you pictures and a brief description of the latest items listed for sale.
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