September 18, 2024

Facebook Marketplace Shipping: What You Should Know In 2024

Want to learn more about what Facebook has been working on in its Marketplace? Read this article on Facebook Marketplace Shipping to learn more.

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Not many people know this yet, but Facebook included a new feature in its Marketplace that has made it move from being just social media to full-blown e-commerce.

Facebook Marketplace Shipping, the new feature, creates better opportunities for people to sell and increases their reach and returns.

We’ll discuss this, from eligibility to calculating shipping fees, and expose how this new feature can be an added advantage for you.

Key Takeaways

Facebook Marketplace shipping enables long-distance transactions with a secure payment system.
Sellers generate prepaid labels and ship items within three business days after payment.
A 5% selling fee applies, and USPS, UPS, or FedEx are the only shipping carriers.
Common issues include high shipping costs, limited international availability, and potential scams.

Understanding Facebook Marketplace Shipping

Facebook Marketplace shipping is an option that allows buyers and sellers to complete transactions outside of their immediate area.

If you’ve ever attempted to buy or sell on the Facebook Marketplace before now, you’ll notice that you could only buy goods locally.

For instance, if you lived in the US, you could only buy stuff within that location because the Marketplace supports trade within the local community.

Fast forward to 2018, and after it introduced shipping, sellers can offer their products to buyers outside the country.

Buyers can also browse several products that may be unavailable in their local area.

Here’s how the shipping process works on Facebook Marketplace.

How Facebook Marketplace Shipping Works

A seller lists an item for sale and specifies that they’re willing to ship the item.

Buyers can contact the seller via Facebook Messenger to ask questions about it, the shipping cost, or other details. Similar to how buyers communicate with sellers on other online marketplaces like eBay.

Buyers can pay for the item using Facebook’s secure payment system with purchase protection.

After payments, the seller generates a prepaid shipping label, then packages and ships the item to the buyer’s address within three business days.

They’re also responsible for selecting the shipping carrier and method and providing the tracking information to the buyer.

The buyer needs to confirm they received the item and are satisfied with their purchase, but until then, Facebook holds the payments in escrow. After delivery confirmation, Facebook pays the seller within five working days.

However, there’s a 5% selling fee on each purchase to help cover customer support, purchase protection, and payment processing costs.

Eligibility for Facebook Marketplace Shipping

Both buyers and sellers meet several requirements to become eligible for Facebook Marketplace shipping. It ensures safe and secure transactions for all parties involved.

Here are the eligibility criteria for shipping items on Facebook Marketplace:

Seller Eligibility

The seller must:

Have a Facebook account with no recent policy violations.
Be located in a country where Facebook Marketplace is available.
Be 18 years of age or older.

Buyer Eligibility

The buyer must:

Have a Facebook account with no recent policy violations.
Be located in a country where Facebook Marketplace is available.
Have a valid payment method on file with Facebook.

Item Eligibility

The item sold:

Must be a physical item that can be shipped.
Cannot be prohibited by Facebook’s Commerce Policies or by local laws and regulations.
Be accurately described and pictured in the listing.

Related: Do you need a business license to sell online on platforms like Facebook Marketplace?

Limitations of Facebook Marketplace Shipping

While Facebook Marketplace shipping is convenient and allows long-distance transactions, there are some limitations to keep in mind.

Limited shipping options: Unlike other e-commerce platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace only support shipping via USPS, UPS, and FedEx. This means sellers have less flexibility when choosing a shipping carrier or method.
High shipping costs: The shipping cost may be expensive, making it difficult for sellers to find potential buyers or for buyers to afford the item.
International shipping isn’t widely available: Facebook Marketplace shipping is only available in limited countries, making it challenging for sellers to reach buyers in other parts of the world.
Limited seller protection: While Facebook offers some protections for buyers, like a secure payment system and a dispute resolution process, sellers may have limited recourse if a buyer returns an item in poor condition.

Related: Facebook Marketplace vs. Craigslist, which is the best?

Shipping Costs and Fees

Usually, you can determine the cost of shipping based on the shipping provider’s rates and the delivery address.

Here’s how you can do it.

Calculating Shipping Costs on Facebook Marketplace Items

To calculate shipping costs manually, follow these steps:

Weigh the item and measure its length, width, and height.
Choose a suitable delivery method for the item’s size, weight, and destination. You can check each carrier’s website to see the shipping rate estimates.
Calculate the shipping cost by multiplying the carrier’s rate per pound by the item’s weight and adding additional fees or charges.

Recommended: Facebook Marketplace also provides a built-in shipping calculator to help sellers estimate shipping costs more accurately.

Here’s how to use it:

Select the “Ship to Buyer” option under the Delivery Options section when creating a new listing.
Fill in the weight and dimensions of the item.
Enter the ZIP code or city and state of the buyer’s shipping address.
Facebook Marketplace will provide an estimated shipping cost based on the item’s weight and dimensions and the buyer’s location. You can add this cost to the listing price or charge it separately to the buyer.

Related: Forget Facebook Marketplace. Sell on Amazon for free.

Modifying Shipping Costs on Facebook Marketplace

To modify the shipping costs for an item on Facebook Marketplace:

Click the “Items” tab to view your current listings.
Choose the item for which you need to modify the shipping costs.
Click the “Edit Listing” button to modify the item’s details.
Scroll to the “Delivery options” section and click “Edit.”
Under “Shipping options,” you can modify shipping costs by entering a new price or choosing a different option.
Once you’ve made the necessary modifications, click “Save” to update the listing.

The seller won’t be able to modify the shipping price if a buyer has already purchased. However, both parties can communicate and agree on any changes to the shipping costs before proceeding with the sale.

Ensuring Safe Shipping on Facebook Marketplace

Like any online Marketplace, Facebook Marketplace is not immune to scams.

One of the most common scams on Facebook Marketplace is related to shipping, and it affects both buyers and sellers.

Here are a few examples of how these shipping scams can occur:

Fake shipping companies: Scammers create fake shipping companies and ask buyers to wire money to pay shipping costs. After sending it, the scammers disappear, and the buyer never receives the item.
Overpayment scams: This involves sending fake checks or money orders for more than the item’s price and asking the seller to refund the difference via wire transfer. This leaves the seller out of both the item and the refund.
Package interception: Marketplace scammers intercept packages during transit and replace the contents with something of lesser value or nothing.

Related: Is eBay safe? Click to find out.

Here are a few precautions you can take when using Facebook Marketplace:

Always use shipping companies that are well-known and trusted.
Never wire money to pay for an item or shipping costs. Always use a secure payment method, such as Facebook Pay or PayPal.
If you receive a check or money order, verify its authenticity with the bank before depositing it.
Always use a shipping method that includes tracking and insurance to protect against package interception and damage during transit.
If a deal feels unbelievable or something is off, walk away from the transaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to questions we didn’t discuss above.

Who Pays Return Shipping on Facebook Marketplace?

According to Facebook Marketplace’s policies, the seller is responsible for arranging and covering the cost of shipping items to the buyer.

However, if the buyer wants to return the item for a refund, the seller can choose whether or not to offer to pay for return shipping.

If the seller doesn’t offer to cover the cost of return shipping, it’s up to the buyer to cover the cost if they still wish to return the item.

Why Can’t You Offer Shipping on Facebook Marketplace?

There are several reasons for this, but the most popular is if your identity verification is pending or not accepted.

If your identity verification is pending on Facebook Marketplace, your documents are still under review.

This can happen for several reasons, including incorrect or incomplete information, expired or invalid documents, or inconsistent information on your documents and Facebook account.