How to Find the Good Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
As you all know, hunting for treasures is my favorite thing to do. And while a part of my heart will always belong to Craigslist, lately I’ve been cheating on Craigslist and am having better luck on Facebook Marketplace.
A few months ago I a got a message from my friend Rebecca asking if I had ever used Facebook Marketplace. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it was as much of a “thing” as it is and I hadn’t ever seriously explored it. Rebecca started sharing some of the things she had recently purchased for her new house (which is amazing, go check out her posts) and I was instantly HOOKED. She had gotten the best deals in Michigan, I had to explore what was going on in DC.
Here are my thoughts on Facebook vs. Craigslist. As someone who has posted on both forums to sell items in my home, posting on Facebook is SO much easier in my opinion. It is easily done from your phone through the Facebook app and the whole process is a snap. I find that logging on to Craigslist and posting through the website to be a bit more difficult. Not only that, but you have to re-list the item each week on Craigslist. That is not the case on Facebook Marketplace. And once an item is sold on Facebook Marketplace, it is usually marked as such by the seller which will stop you from having to wonder if it is still around (for the most part unless someone doesn’t mark it as sold).
Found this on Facebook Marketplace for a song! The woman who sold it to me said she got it when her husband was deployed in France years ago.
So, that is all great and good…but we want to buy. Well, I think part of the reason I have had such luck in purchases is that since the process is streamlined, making it easier for people of all ages to post their items. Even older folks.
In my experience, I have bought quite a few things from older women who don’t really know what they have, they are just trying to unload items in their home. They are well traveled and have amazing taste.
My beautiful Antique French Side Table that I scored off Facebook Marketplace in my living room.
Sold on giving it a try?
Here are my tips:
1) Search
Just like my Craigslist Tips Post, I think being sure you are searching for specific terms can be helpful. Also, just like Craigslist, you can save searches and get alerts when items become available. For instance, right now I am the hunt for bedside tables or nightstands. So my saved searches are:
pair of tables
nightstands
vintage tables
side table
matching tables
I am getting a really good assortment of items with these terms. Some don’t fit at all (getting dining room tables included with the “vintage table” search) but I’d rather get a broader range than a narrower one because I am not sure what I want and will know it when I see it.
I also have a very general search set up for “vintage” that gets a ton of hits. I like being able to search through all the items but this may be too broad for an average user to go through if they are looking for something in particular. Also think of woods, metals and other materials you are usually drawn…tiger oak, brass, cane….
Don’t forget to include search terms for styles you might like, as well. Hollywood Regency, Grandmillennial, Chinoiserie…
2) Location
Most of the searches look within a 40 mile range of your zip code. You can expand it, however. I am constantly getting on google maps to see how far so-and-so Pennsylvania is from me. If I know I am about to take a road trip, I like searching around the area I am going to be before we leave. Facebook knows your location and will automatically update the Marketplace based off of that, as well. Don’t EVEN get me started on how much time I spent on Marketplace while in London.
3) Train the Algorithm
The best thing you can do is to save things you like, even if you have absolutely no intention of purchasing them. This teaches the algorithm to show you the things it knows you will like.
And once you start training it, don’t mess with it by searching for something random. That is why I use my husbands account to search for things for the kids I may be looking to purchase and my account very curated to fit for vintage finds.
4) Join My Facebook Group
Don’t have the time to do this? Don’t know exactly what you want or where to start? Then follow and join my Facebook Group. I am posting things all the time on there that I am finding up and down the East Coast. Are you selling a really great vintage piece? Make sure to share it on the group board, as well!
My hope with this group is that we can all post outstanding finds and help weed out some of the treasures out there. I am always finding things I don’t have a need for and want it to find a great home because it is just such a deal. So, let’s all help each other score the perfect vintage treasures for our homes!
Click below to join!
