We all have things we don’t need or want. The traditional avenues of selling your stuff — such as Craigslist or eBay — seem to be overly competitive, or worse, a little unsafe. I’ve recently taken to Facebook to get rid of unwanted items and even pick up a few things that would have been cumbersome to buy through those other online channels. Here is how you can use the popular social networking tool to earn cash and clear your home of unwanted clutter! (See also: 15 Places to Sell Your Stuff)
Find a Group
Most Facebook selling and buying groups are local, or at least limited to a state. This is because people within a certain geographical proximity feel more comfortable dealing with folks that are near them, and the more geographically targeted a group is, the more likely it is that you may actually know the person you are dealing with.
To find a group, use the Facebook search field to enter your geographic local and “buy” or “sell.” If you live in a very populated area, you may also want to narrow your search by the type of item you are looking to sell (used baby items or farming tools, for example.)
Note: There are several third-party apps run through Facebook that have a similar buy/sell listing feature. These are more like classified ads and are not considered Facebook groups. As a result, they are not subject to the rules and terms of Facebook, and I don’t recommend them as an alternative to buying or selling.
Join the Group
Many groups aren’t open to everyone, meaning you’ll have to ask permission to join. Some of the most guarded groups — those that deal in high-end goods, like jewelry, vehicles, or firearms — may even require that you are friends with someone in the group and be invited personally.
Read the Rules
All Facebook groups should have a set of rules displayed in the “Notes” tab of the group, viewable once you’ve been accepted. The rules will include details on how to post items for sale, how to deal with potential buyers, and what to do when your item has been sold.
Other rules will include:
- The number of items per day you can list
- The number of photos that can accompany each listing
- Types of items that can be sold
- How to contact a buyer to coordinate the sale
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