What started as a place to socialize and interact, Facebook has evolved over the years in unimaginable ways, becoming one of the most popular destinations for selling and buying on the internet. If you are a car dealer, or someone looking to sell their used cars, you should know how to leverage the Facebook marketplace to your benefit!
Learning to sell a car on Facebook marketplace will help you grow your business in the online space. You can create listings, manage inventory and catalogs, boost your ads, and so on.
Launched in 2016, the Facebook marketplace is home to a million startups and small businesses. In fact, within a year of its launch, the peer-to-peer classified directory feature grew 3x globally and saw 18 million listings from the US alone.
If you have never considered selling cars on the Facebook marketplace before, here’s why you should do it now:
- You can tap into one billion Facebook Marketplace users.
- Facebook Marketplace can give you access to over 200 locations globally.
- You can reach out to the largest and most diverse set of audiences at once. In the first quarter of 2022, Facebook recorded 2.93 million active users per month.
If you are an independent car seller, a car dealership, or someone looking for ways to sell some used cars, this blog will help kickstart your journey by looking into everything you need to know about selling cars on the Facebook marketplace.
Let’s dive in.
What is Facebook Car Marketplace?
Facebook car marketplace connects vehicle buyers and sellers online. It lets users browse through listings of used and new car inventory, as well as see options for rentals. It also lets individual sellers and dealerships list their vehicles for sale. A basic search guide based on the make and model of the car enables buyers to find exactly what they are looking for and check whether the car has a clean title.
As Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms globally, online retailers can find millions of interested buyers there. Even established dealers use FB marketplace to reach a wider audience and sell more cars.
How Facebook Car Marketplace Works?
Facebook Marketplace cars allow users to sell or purchase products with each other locally. Sellers have a great opportunity to reach a wide audience for their products on social media. As competition is increasing, merchants are upgrading their methods to make a sale.
Facebook Car Marketplace is a specialized section within Facebook Marketplace where users can buy and sell vehicles. Here’s how it works:
- Browsing and Searching: Users can browse car listings by make, model, price range, and location. Filters like mileage, transmission type, and vehicle condition help buyers narrow down their search to find the right car.
- Creating a Listing: Sellers can create a car listing by uploading photos, providing detailed information about the vehicle (including year, make, model, mileage, and condition), and setting a price. Facebook also allows sellers to add a description, highlight key features, and mention any recent repairs or upgrades.
- Communication and Transactions: Interested buyers can contact sellers directly through Facebook Messenger to ask questions, negotiate the price, or arrange a test drive. All communications and transactions, including payment and vehicle transfer, are handled directly between the buyer and seller. Facebook does not facilitate payments or handle vehicle paperwork.
Facebook Car Marketplace provides a convenient platform for buying and selling vehicles, connecting users with a large local audience while offering tools to make the process straightforward and transparent.
How To Sell Cars On Facebook Marketplace
Selling cars on facebook platform is very easy and convenient. Sellers have a great opportunity to earn some good revenue by selling cars on the Facebook car marketplace.
Here are simple steps you can follow to start selling cars on Facebook marketplace:
Step 1: Log in or create an account
Today, it’s hard to come across someone who doesn’t have a Facebook account. If you don’t have one, then create an account and log in.
Step 2: Select the marketplace
If you are using Facebook on a browser, you will find the Marketplace option in the menu (on the left side of the screen). As for the mobile app, look for the ‘Marketplace’ icon on the top right corner of the feed (besides the video icon).
Step 3: Start listing
Click on the ‘New Listing’ button on the Marketplace. Search for the ‘Vehicles’ option and start adding products to that list. For each car, provide a description, along with the name of the car as a title, and add detailed specifics.
Step 4: Publish your listing
This is the final step before you start to sell on the Facebook marketplace. Hit the ‘publish’ option on posts. Once your listing is public, you would then need to invest in outreach, public awareness, and social interaction to increase the engagement of your posts.
Listing a Facebook Marketplace Car
There are no charges for listing your vehicle on Facebook marketplace cars. When creating a listing, you need to fill out the information about the car. The details need to be filled out thoroughly to help buyers decide whether your car is right for them.
Based on the year, make, model, and trim, the rest of the details will be automatically filled in by Facebook. The same listing can also be used to advertise your car in other groups, public and private, to reach a larger audience.
Some groups screen applicants applying for membership to avoid scammers and provide a safe place for sellers to list their cars for sale on Facebook marketplace. You should also do your own research when deciding where to list cars for sale online.
Who Should Sell on Facebook Marketplace for Car?
Anyone – including independent retailers, dealerships, marketplaces, or anyone with a used car ripe for selling – can utilize the Facebook car marketplace. The strategies used for selling here are similar to those used on other digital platforms.
Used car Facebook Marketplace doesn’t charge you a fee to list your vehicles and sell locally. That’s what makes selling cars on Facebook Marketplace attractive for both new and experienced sellers.
To start listing cars for sale on the Facebook marketplace, you just need an active Facebook account. To offer to ship, you need to add payment and shipping details.
Pros of Using Facebook Marketplace?
Sellers can earn some good cash by selling on this platform, as it contains a wide audience. It is beneficial for buyers to have a quick and easy purchase. Here are some advantages of using the Facebook car marketplace:
1. Simplified Buying and Selling
You just need to take pictures of your vehicles and upload them to create a listing. Make the pictures attractive to boost sales. Mention the location and price of the vehicle along with an accurate description. The listing on Facebook marketplace used cars can also be shared with other profiles and groups.
2. Simple User Interface
Facebook marketplace interface is easy to use. The format is simple; it is easy to list your used car on the Facebook marketplace. There is no need to browse through a complicated setup. Even the navigation and scrolling have become simplified.
3. No Hidden Fees
There are no extra hidden charges such as commission fees or security for selling a car on Facebook Marketplace. The vehicle should meet the product guidelines set by Facebook’s used car marketplace, and you are ready to sell.
4. You Decide the Shipping Charges
You, as a seller, can set the price for delivering the vehicle to the buyer, whether you want them to come to you to pick it up or you will deliver it to their doorstep for a price. It is up to you.
Cons of Facebook Marketplace Cars
It is surely a great platform to trade cars. However, FB Marketplace has some disadvantages. Facebook cars marketplace that Meta is working on removing. Therefore, we have mentioned the consequences below:
1. Unsafe Meetups
A person buying your used car can request a meetup at random places, which can lead to scams, being threatened, or being robbed. It is safer to avoid meeting a buyer at an unfamiliar place. Another thing you can do is add a 360 view and history report of the vehicle to give the buyer as much information as possible online, so they don’t need to check the car physically.
2. No Digital Store
While you can list cars for sale on Facebook marketplace, you cannot create a digital store on Facebook. That means you don’t have a brand here. Since you don’t sell as a brand, using high-quality images and videos is essential to keep selling long-term on the Facebook marketplace.
3. No Buyer Protection
Since Facebook does not guarantee buyer protection, they can be reluctant to purchase. In such a case, history reports, detailed descriptions, and high-quality images can work in your favor.
4. No Storage Space
Buyers are not provided with proper storage space or a warehouse to store their products. You will be responsible for sending the vehicle in good condition to the buyer.
10 Best Tips for Selling a Car on Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook marketplace cars are user-friendly, straightforward forward, and cost-effective way. They do not charge any listing fees which makes it a great opportunity for the users to buy or sell the vehicle.
We have mentioned some tips you can check to sell your car profitably.
1) Upload high-quality photos: To make your vehicle look more appealing and attractive to your consumers. We suggest uploading some high-quality images. You can hire a professional photographer for your car photography who will click your vehicle photos from different angles. You can also use AI tools like Spyne.ai to create a virtual car studio, 360 spins, and car turntables.
2) Detailed and creative description: Make sure to mention all the offerings and USPs of the vehicle you need to sell. A detailed description would attract your buyers in their purchasing decisions.
3) Competitive price: You need to research the market value of the vehicle you are listing and examine your vehicle condition based on its mileage, condition, or any extra amenities you are offering to set a competitive and fair price.
4) Highlight features and USPs: To grab the buyer’s attention highlight your vehicle features and USPs, like high mileage, and good cosmetic condition. You can also highlight if the vehicle comes with more technology, like connective cars.
5) Maintain communication: Interactive and informative communication will help your buyers to gain trust. Elaboration about the vehicle and building an emotional connection will enhance their purchasing decision.
6) Test drives: Buyers surely want to inspect your vehicle physically. Coordinate with them and decide a well-suited time for a test drive and vehicle examination.
7) Be honest and transparent: You have to be transparent and honest with your buyers to build your reputation. Tell them honestly if there are any requirements for repair or any mechanical faults that the buyer needs to get done.
8) Secure payment methods: Once your buyer is satisfied and you both have an agreement. Proceed with a certified and safe option for payment to eliminate any doubts. Safe payment methods will eliminate the buyer’s feeling of getting scammed or robbed.
9) Vehicle history report: You can share the vehicle’s history report with the buyer. To abolish any suspiciousness that the vehicle is stolen or scrapped.
10) Prepare your car: Before enlisting your vehicle, get all the reparations or cosmetic defects done to make the vehicle look more appealing.
Rules for Selling Cars on Facebook Marketplace
Once you are done setting up your listing on the Facebook marketplace cars, it’s time to boost your sales to get better car value. Follow these four pro tips to ace the conversion game on Facebook Marketplace.
Tip 1: Take high-quality visuals and images
Blurred images, hazy or faded visuals, and bad filters are deal breakers for customers. Buyers will judge your product on Facebook by the looks of it. Ensure your car visuals have the following:
- The correct brightness and contrast clicked from the right angles.
- Number plate branding and masking
- Window tint reflections
- Clear visibility of brand logos
You can also go for 360-degree spin GIFs or videos of your cars.
Pro tip: You don’t need professional photographers or beyond-budget phones, cameras, or other studio gadgets. You need someone who can help you leverage state-of-the-art AI technology and maximize returns when you sell on the Facebook marketplace.
Tip 2: Write smart descriptions
Do you know why people prefer buying from Amazon over any other branded website? Because they have finely tuned information at each stage of the buying journey. Even though they have been using the same UI for over ten years.
Following this approach, when you write descriptions for your cars here, make sure that you include every detail and feature of the car. Also, mention shipping, pricing, and return info in the description.
Tip 3: Don’t forget to use tags
Optimize your titles and descriptions with relevant keywords. It will help your post reach the maximum audience. Make sure that Google identifies your listing for alternative word searches also. Tags and keywords can help you in the long run when you begin to sell your used cars on the Facebook Marketplace.
Tip 4: Boost the listing
If you sell used cars on Facebook marketplace cars, you will find a feature to boost your listing. If your post is not getting adequate traction, click on the ‘Boost Listing’ option on your dashboard. You can decide how long you want this campaign to last and how much you want to spend on it. Based on your bid, Facebook will assess the number of people seeing this post and increase visibility. Apart from this, you can try to renew the listing every two weeks and reduce the price marginally. This will help your post reach potential buyers from time to time and increase the visibility of your post.
How to Finance a Car on Facebook Marketplace?
Buyers usually prefer to finance their cars, instead of purchasing in full hard cash. Facebook Marketplace themselves do not offer any financing offer. However, we surely have other ways to tackle this problem for you. We have mentioned 2 ways you can opt to finance your vehicle from the Facebook marketplace.
1) Credit Union or neighborhood bank: If you want to purchase a used car, you can ask your bank or credit union to offer you financing options. Having a credit point allows you to lend money at a lower interest rate.
2) Online lenders: There are millions of online lenders out in the world to provide you the loan or financing options. You can research the available online lenders and after shortlisting can compare what first best for you. You have to make sure about their reputation and authenticity before opting for the loan.
What are the Facebook Marketplace Auto Scams?
To find the best deals on wheels, the Facebook marketplace cars seem to be the most convenient option. However, it also attracts scammers to rob you. Scammers use stolen pictures of a vehicle that they do not own. They will convince you that everything is authentic and will push you to deposit a huge or full amount before the delivery. After the money has been transferred they disappear and you are left with nothing. As per the reports of 2023 by Santander, up to $6,06,573 amount Facebook scam was reported. We have listed some tips on Facebook marketplace car scams so you can avoid them:
1) Cheap vehicles: If you find a car that looks phenomenally attractive and looks too good to be sold at the price mentioned without any faults in it, get alert. Search for the actual market worth of that vehicle, if the price is too affordable as compared to market place, there is a high probability that the person behind listing that car is a scammer.
2) Different communication platforms: If the seller tries to shift the communication to any different platform, could be WhatsApp, email, etc. They are trying to hide their identity so you can’t track them.
3) Advance payment: Do not pay any amount in advance without making any legal agreement or contract. Before depositing any money, make sure to inspect the vehicle physically. Never trust the seller by having a communication and checking the vehicle online.
Make sure to complete all the important usual checks before making any deal. HPI check is really important when you are buying a car from any social media platform or privately. Do the background checking of the vehicle, and make sure it is not a stolen or scrapped vehicle.
What are the Changes in Facebook Marketplace Cars in Year 2024?
FB Marketplace brought some changes in the trade which are surely important to be aware of before users and buyers start trading cars. We have mentioned the updates FB marketplace announced below:
1) As per the new updates there are some Facebook marketplace changes. Meta will not support all the sellers to create a vehicle listing using a Facebook business page. Meta is discontinuing the inventory and marketplace for dealers. All of the vehicles that dealers have listed on their business pages, would be deleted.
2) For Facebook marketing cars, a suite of advertising products will be introduced which includes the programmatic newsfeed ads that lead to the dealer’s inventory catalog that allows them to stand out dynamically. Therefore, dealers need to have a fair knowledge of Facebook Meta optimization selections to inspect and examine if the ads are working well. Dealers who want to do self-advertising on this platform via AIA (Automotive Inventory Ads) would be tossed into the digital advertising world.
Conclusion
When we talk about the best ways to sell a car online, the Facebook marketplace cars will always be at the top. Car dealers love it because you can list your cars for free, unlike other third-party or online auction sites, where you need to give a fixed commission. All you have to do is get your car images, and details uploaded on the Facebook marketplace and call it a day.
Although, if you are about to begin your journey with the Facebook marketplace, you first need to understand how the platform will work. The first item on your ‘how to sell on Facebook marketplace’ list should be to offer the best quality car visuals and images to the viewers.
As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” it can make or break your deal. So, reach out to us today and know how you can offer car images your audience will love!
