Tech Talk: Facebook Marketplace

WORLD WIDE WEB-It seems like everyone is on social media. These days there are several newer or emerging social media platforms, but Facebook, the classic, is still maintaining its foothold with 2.37 billion active users.

In recent years, Facebook has worked to create transparency in its user base. They've chosen to focus on verified first and last names as opposed to Instagram handles, for instance. Funkyjazzguy88 is now John Smith.

Doing away with creative usernames makes their platform-within-a-platform, Facebook Marketplace, a viable solution to find and make offers for items directly through Facebook's mobile application. Users can also list real estate rentals.

Originally launched October 3, 2016, Facebook Marketplace is now used in 70 countries, by 800 million people monthly.

The exchange of money and goods is left entirely to the two parties, comparable to the service site, Craigslist, but considered safer. Each sale is connected to a Facebook account, giving you some background information on the person you're buying from or selling to. The transaction is not anonymous.

Marketplace differs from shopping platforms eBay and Amazon because it does not allow buyers and sellers to rate their experience. Instead, users must report suspicious or illegal activity to Facebook.

Marketplace also differs in seller's fees. There are none. Amazon Marketplace, for example, charges a monthly fee of $39.99 for professional sellers, or $0.99 per sale for individual sellers. Those fees can add up.

So far, I've used Facebook Marketplace to offload digital camera equipment. The process was quick and easy. I was able to add up to ten photos of the camera, case, lens and other included equipment to the listing using a cell phone. It sold within a week, likely because the bundle was ready to use. All necessary batteries, cables and accessories were included.

When the buyer arrived, everything was ready to go. After a lightning-fast lesson in dSLR camera technology, the buyer was pointing and shooting like a professional photographer.

Do you have potentially valuable items cluttering your home or workspace, collecting dust? Trade up in the Facebook Marketplace.

Facebook statistics source: https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-marketplace-is-used-in-70-countries-by-800-million-people-monthly/