How to Sell Stuff on Facebook
In this post: Ready to turn your clutter into cash? Learn how to sell your stuff on Facebook quickly and safely with these simple tips for 2025. From writing great listings to avoiding scams and knowing when it’s time to donate.
On your decluttering journey you may come across a few items that are worth a little money, or a lot of money. A great option is to sell stuff on Facebook.
We’ve been successful selling a host of things, from furniture to electronics to appliances. We’ve also had a couple of doozies that took a lot of time and never ended up selling. In this post, I’ll share with you some of my best tips for selling items on Facebook quickly and safely.
Where do you post items for sale on Facebook?
There are two ways to post your item for sale on Facebook: Facebook Marketplace and local Buy/Sell Groups. It is free (as of this publication) to list items for sale, but private groups might have rules as to what you can and cannot sell.
Facebook Marketplace
One way is to post on the Facebook Marketplace. Anyone who has a Facebook account is able to search for items in a particular area and send messages to sellers.
This option casts a wider net, for finding buyers, but I have found it also attracts more scammers. So go into it aware of that.
Local Buy/Sell Groups
The second way you can sell items on Facebook is to find local buy/sell groups. These groups are generally private, meaning you have to request permission to join and only members of the group can see items for sale. Listings in private groups tend to feel more “neighborly” and less competitive than Marketplace.
You can search for these groups under the names “[your town] buy sell trade” or “[your town] classifieds.” If that doesn’t turn up anything, ask around in your local community to see what’s available.
Tips for Selling Stuff on Facebook
Take High-Quality Photos
Your cell phone will work just fine, but putting in a little bit of effort will go a long way:
- Open the shades to let ample natural light in.
- Bring smaller items closer to a large window that is not in direct sunlight.
- Declutter the area as much as possible (even if that means shoving stuff to be right outside the frame of the picture).
- Clean up the item a little bit. If it’s dusty, dust it. If it has a mark that will easily come out, wash it.
- Take plenty of pictures (4-7 depending on the complexity of an item). If the item has tags or identifying information, take pictures of that too.
Write Thorough Descriptions
The more information you provide about your item, the less questions you will have to field. Describe what the item is (brand, size, etc.), the condition, and if there’s anything wrong with it.
Be honest if a couch you’re selling has a small tear in the back and be sure to include pictures. It’s better for people to know up front than to waste your time and their meeting up with them only for them to decide they’re no longer interested because of the imperfection.
Also, note in the description what type of payment you are willing to accept. The most common options are cash, Venmo, or PayPal. I find dealing with cash is the easiest.
Be Prepared to Negotiate
Know what is the bare minimum you’d be willing to sell an item for. If you price your item for exactly what you want to sell it for, be sure to include in the description that “Price is FIRM.”
You may have people that will throw out an incredibly low offer and try to low ball you. If their offer is way below what I’m asking (say I list an item for $50 and they offer $10), I usually won’t negotiate back and will politely respond “Sorry, that’s too low.” If offer is reasonable, I’ll meet them in the middle.
Bump Consistently
When posting in private Facebook groups, there’s this term called “bump” which means “Bring Up My Post.” By adding a comment saying “bump” to your post, it will bring it to the top of the page.
Check the group rules to figure out how often you can bump your post. Some people will search through old posts to find the thing they’re looking for, but in many cases, people don’t realize what they need until they see your offer in their feed.
Beware of Scams
Unfortunately, scammers are becoming pretty common on Facebook. If someone requests or sends a strange verification code, that is an instant red flag. End the conversation right there. Also, beware if they want your phone number to communicate off Facebook. That is usually their first step to trying to get more personal information from you.
Before agreeing to the deal, try to check out the buyer’s profile to confirm if they are a real person. Many people keep their profiles private, but you can typically spot a fake profile by noting if they recently joined Facebook or don’t have very many friends.
Trust your gut. If it feels off, just walk away from the deal.
Meet in a Public Place
This is so crucial. Unless you know the person who is buying from you, set up a time to meet at a public place. Gas stations, police stations, and the parking lots of Walmart or grocery stores are good options. Pick a time during the day when there will be a decent amount of people around.
If it is a large item that you need the buyer to move for you, make sure someone else is home when pick up is scheduled.
Don’t budge when it comes to your security. No amount of money is worth putting yourself at risk. Be safe!
There Are Shipping Options, But They Are Not Always Worth it for Decluttering
Facebook has options to ship items for non-local buyers, but it’s more useful for higher-value items, not general clutter that you are trying to get rid of quickly. Also, when you open up the option for shipping, it can also attract more of the scammers.
Don’t Use selling as an Excuse to Hoard
Sometimes stuff just doesn’t sell….and that’s okay!
If an item hasn’t sold after a few weeks and you’ve tried lowering the price, chances are, it’s not going to sell. Get rid of it and pass it along to your local thrift shop, shelter, or Buy Nothing Group.
Benefits of Selling on Facebook
Selling on Facebook can be a great way to bring in a little extra money while freeing up space and giving your unused items a second life.
It has an added bonus helping you part with those items that you might’ve spent a chunk of change on with good intentions but never really ended up using. It can be hard to part with an item when it feels like you’d be losing the money you spent, but it can be easier when you know you’ll at least recoup some of the money.
Happy selling! Let me know if you have any questions.
You may also like…
- How to Declutter without Guilt
- The Best Decluttering Method
- 10 Easy Things to Declutter in the Kitchen
Thank you for this step by step guide to selling items on line. It makes me feel more confident – and more likely to sell items on line – now that I will know what I am doing!