Crosslisting from eBay to Facebook Marketplace can be a game-changer for resellers looking to expand their reach and increase sales. With Facebook Marketplace’s massive user base of over 3 billion active users and eBay’s well-established global presence, leveraging both platforms allows you to tap into a broader audience and diversify your selling strategy.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about crossposting from eBay to Facebook Marketplace, highlighting the key benefits, differences, and practical tips to maximize your success on both platforms.
Main Takeaways
- Discover how to effectively crosslist your eBay listings to Facebook Marketplace to reach a broader audience and boost sales.
- Learn the key differences between eBay and Facebook Marketplace, including their unique selling features, fees, and audience reach.
- Understand the advantages of local selling on Facebook Marketplace, especially for heavy or bulky items.
- Explore how Vendoo can simplify the crosslisting process, allowing you to manage your listings on multiple platforms with ease.
What Is eBay?
eBay is the largest and most lucrative peer-to-peer e-commerce marketplace. eBay has been around since 1995, and today, it is estimated that there are over 138 million active users worldwide. eBay is available in 180 countries, and eBay's top user bases are the USA, UK, and Germany.
On eBay, you can sell almost anything, including clothes, electronics, furniture, home goods, beauty products, commercial/industrial products, and more. With simple global shipping, eBay allows sellers to reach a global audience of potential buyers. As a result, eBay is well-suited for both casual sellers and professional sellers.
Learn the ins and outs of eBay in the article How to Sell on eBay.
What Is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook Marketplace is an online resale community within the Facebook app that allows users to buy and sell goods. Facebook Marketplace started as an “online yardsale” for local sales but has expanded to allow for national shipping.
Facebook marketplace turns social media scrollers into shoppers by promoting listings based on their interests right in the social media newsfeed. Facebook provides a convenient way for users to engage in buying and selling.
Facebook marketplace is infinitely simpler than eBay, and it also provides the benefit of a local audience.
For everything you need to know about Facebook Marketplace, check out the article How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace: Key Tips for Success.
eBay vs. Facebook Marketplace: Complete Breakdown
If you’re familiar with eBay, let’s compare eBay to Facebook Marketplace in terms of demographics, selling categories, listing process, fees, returns, payments, and more!
Target Demographics
eBay and Facebook Marketplace are very similar in demographic; both feature a wide range of users across different age groups with various ranges of interest.
The key difference between eBay and Facebook marketplace audience is that Facebook marketplace is national- there is no global audience. However, your reach is broadened by the local audience built into Facebook.
eBay & Facebook Popular Product Categories
If you sell on eBay, Facebook Marketplace is another great sales avenue for your inventory. The range of selling categories on eBay and Facebook is relatively similar. On both marketplaces you can sell almost anything tangible and legal.
The top-selling items on both marketplaces are similar.
The top-selling categories on eBay include:
- Automotive: cars, car parts, and accessories
- Jewelry and watches
- Electronics: including computers, tablets, phones, cameras, video game consoles, games and accessories
- Fashion: clothing and apparel
- Home Decor and household items
- Health and beauty products
The top-selling categories on Facebook Marketplace include:
- Automotive: cars, car parts, and accessories
- Electronics & Media: including computers, tablets, phones, cameras, video game consoles, games, music media, etc.
- Home Decor and household items
- Home Supplies including appliances, tools, and home accessories
Ease of Use
If you are familiar with eBay, Facebook Marketplace will be a breeze!
eBay’s interface is much more complex, reflecting the platform’s broader range of features. eBay offers extensive tools for sellers, such as SellerHub, analytic dashboards, sales, eBay Product Research, and more. Even the listing form is quite complex.
On the contrary, Facebook Marketplace is quite easy to use. You can access the marketplace right on the Facebook app. On the marketplace tab, you’ll be directed to a seller dashboard. The platform is intuitive, with no learning curve. You even get a separate Facebook Marketplace profile and inbox (as not to be confused with your social media features).
The listing process on Facebook Marketplace is also much simpler.
Listing Process
At its core, the listing process on both marketplaces is similar: Sellers upload photos, videos, enter a title, draft a description, and enter some required information in designated fields.
Listing on eBay requires more detailed information than most other peer-to-peer marketplaces. On eBay, you must select item categories, execute item specifics, set auction or buy-it-now prices, and create and apply business profiles for payments, shipping, and returns. The eBay listing form is much more complex.
The listing process on Facebook Marketplace is much simpler. There are no unique or questionable fields; only straightforward information about your item. You will decide if the listing is for local selling, shipping, or both. You can also opt to hide the listing from your Facebook friends if you wish.
💡Tip: Both Facebook and eBay allow for listing videos in addition to product photos. Both marketplaces provide stats that listings with videos are significantly more likely to sell!
Fees and Getting Paid
Facebook Marketplace and eBay differ in fee structure. Facebook fees are generally lower, though there are many factors that attribute to total fees on both marketplaces:
Facebook Marketplace Fees Breakdown:
Facebook Marketplace has low fees, with no fees at all for local sales. As for shipped sales, there is only a 10% fee upon sale (or a flat fee of $0.80 for items sold under $8.00).
Selling locally is free, but shipping incurs a fee. Payouts can take 5-20 days after shipment confirmation or buyer delivery confirmation.
💡 Tip: When selling locally, use safe and protected payment platforms like Facebook Pay, Venmo Business, or PayPal which offer buyer protection. Note that there might be some processing fees from these services.
While Facebook has amazingly low fees, you must be patient while waiting for your funds. Expect to be paid 5-20 days after you confirm shipment or five days after the buyer confirms delivery. Your payout will be directly deposited automatically into your bank via the banking information you provide upon establishing your seller account.
You might also be interested in the article A Reseller's Guide to Marketplace Fees.
eBay Fees: How Much Does eBay Take?
eBay fees are the most difficult to ascertain. They truly cannot be estimated due to all the contributing factors.
For a super rough estimate, consider eBay fees between 15-20%. Here are some of the various eBay selling fees:
- eBay Insertion Fees: Without an eBay Store Subscription, you can list up to 250 monthly items for free. Thereafter, you will incur an insertion fee of $0.35 per listing (for most categories).
- eBay Store Subscription Fees (optional) There are various types of eBay store subscriptions, each with a different monthly rate. Of course, there is a fee if you have a store, but it also affects your insertion fees and final value fees.
- eBay Final Value Fees: eBay final value fees are the fees charged at the final sale price. This fee is calculated as a percentage based on the total sale amount plus a $.30 payment processing fee per order. Note that the total amount of your sale includes the item price, handling charges, and shipping services that are selected by customers.
💡Tip: For example, eBay charges a final value fee of 13.25% plus $0.30 for most clothing categories.
- Other eBay Fees: There are several other fees that you may or may not be subjected to, including promotional fees. It’s not likely that you will make a high volume of daily sales without promoting your listings. A major eBay seller would say this is part of the fee because it is not optional. Depending on the rate at which you promote your listings, your total fees can exceed 20%.
eBay processes payouts daily or weekly, depending on the seller’s preference. Once an item is marked as delivered, eBay releases the funds to the seller’s bank account, with processing typically taking 1-5 business days. Several factors on eBay, such as subscription type, can affect the fund distribution status.
For more information, check out the article Everything You Need to Know About eBay Selling Fees.
Overall, Facebook Marketplace fees are lower than eBays. They are also more simple to calculate.
Buyer-Seller Communication Tools
Both eBay and Facebook marketplace have messaging systems, allowing buyers and sellers to communicate directly about items, offers, and orders.
On Facebook Marketplace, sellers have a separate inbox for selling (than their social media inbox). Inquiries about listings will come through that inbox or public comments.
💡 Tip: Be extra cautious of potential fraud on Facebook Marketplace. While all peer-to-peer platforms are vulnerable to scams, Facebook is more so than others. Because the app allows for anyone with a Facebook account to buy and sell, it lacks many of the safeguards and protections that others have. Exercise caution.
eBay offers a more robust messaging system with options for sellers to communicate with buyers through messages, emails, and even order-specific notes. Sellers can also send offers directly to interested buyers. eBay’s communication tools are more versatile and suited for handling a high volume of transactions. It also provides a safer avenue for communication.
Negotiations and Offers
Facebook Marketplace allows sellers to choose if they want to take offers on their items. If sellers allow offers, buyers can submit them. This process is straightforward and integrated into the platform’s social features. There is no official tool for sellers to send offers to people who have viewed your listings.
eBay offers similar flexibility, with buyers able to make offers on buy-it-now items and sellers able to accept, decline, or counter. Sellers can also send offers to “watchers” but on a limited basis, to only the newest watchers. Additionally, eBay's auction feature allows buyers to bid on items, which can increase the final sale price.
In all, eBay's pricing and offer structure is much more sophisticated.
Shipping Your Sales
Shipping works similarly on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. However, Facebook Marketplace only allows sellers to ship to US regions, whereas eBay offers international shipping.
How to Ship on Facebook Marketplace
Shipping your Facebook Marketplace orders is simple. You can choose to:
- Ship with a prepaid label from Facebook.
- Offer free shipping or charge the buyer.
- Choose your preferred shipping carrier: USPS, UPS, or FedEx.
💡 Tip: When you first start selling on FBMP, you might not be able to ship immediately. The best way to earn shipping privileges is to successfully complete a few local sales.
If you elect to ship with a prepaid label, you must weigh (or at least estimate) your item's weight before listing and shipping with USPS. If you elect to ship independently, you will create your own shipping label and enter the tracking information into Facebook. When shipping on your own, you can use any shipping carrier.
If you offer free shipping, your listings will generate the most exposure, and you will pay the cost to ship the item to the buyer. You can also charge the buyer for shipping by charging the price on the prepaid label settings or any arbitrary amount you choose.
Learn more about shipping in the article How to Ship on Facebook Marketplace.
How to Ship on eBay
Shipping on eBay is a bit more complicated but provides more control for sellers.
eBay offers multiple shipping options, including USPS, UPS, and FedEx, giving sellers flexibility in choosing the best shipping method. Sellers can also offer free shipping or pass the cost to buyers. eBay allows sellers to create shipping profiles with their desired carriers, charges (calculated or flat), handling time, handling fees, and more. eBay sellers can purchase shipping labels directly from eBay or facilitate shipping independently.
👀 Did you know that eBay offers the simplest global shipping of any marketplace? You simply ship to the eBay Global shipping hub in the U.S. From there, they handle the packaging, customs, and international shipping. They also handle returns.
In comparison, eBay offers far superior, albeit far more complex, shipping offers for sellers. Facebook Marketplace’s shipping process is simpler but less flexible, while eBay offers more options, making it better suited for sellers shipping a wide range of items. eBay also allows only national shipping, while eBay provides global shipping.
Returns
Facebook Marketplace and eBay handle returns very differently. As a general rule, eBay allows returns, and Facebook Marketplace does not… but there are exceptions to every rule…
eBay allows sellers to set their return policies, including whether they accept returns, the return window, and who pays for return shipping. However, eBay’s buyer protection program may override seller policies in certain situations.
While you don’t have to allow returns on eBay, most top sellers would argue that you basically do. To become a member of the eBay Top Rated Seller Plus program, you must offer free returns. Even if you aren’t interested in achieving that milestone, failing to offer returns can be very risky for eBay sellers. Basically- if your buyer wants a return, they will get one. To circumvent your “no return” policy, buyers may open an “INAD” (item not as described return claim), and eBay will likely side with the buyer. Yes- even if your item is exactly as described, the eBay buyer is always right. You are highly unlikely to “win” a case on eBay.
When a buyer successfully opens an INAD claim, you must accept the return, pay the return shipping, and have an infraction on your account. So, you might as well offer free returns because either way, a determined buyer will force one upon you.
As such, most high-volume eBay sellers accept returns to avoid this.
Returns are much less common on Facebook Marketplace. There aren’t really returns for local sales; when someone meets up to purchase an item, if there is an issue, they just don’t buy it.
For shipped items, returns work a bit differently. As a seller, you can establish your own return policy, but regardless, a buyer can successfully file a claim for a refund when:
- The item is not received (within 2 days of the estimated arrival date or 16 days of the purchase)
- The item is not as described (i.e., missing parts, damaged during shipment, not as advertised, or in any way different than what was ordered). Like most reselling platforms, buyers cannot return due to buyer’s remorse or if they simply don’t like what they purchased.
Learn more about protected purchases, disputes, and refunds on Facebook Marketplace here.
💡 Tip: eBay sellers are used to phenomenal, live support from eBay. This is a very vast difference from what you will experience on Facebook Marketplace. Facebook support is very limited, so use the Help Center and community threads for assistance. In other words, if you need live help, you unfortunately won’t receive it.
Payment Methods
eBay accepts various payment methods, including credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more. eBay’s managed payments system handles all transactions securely.
Facebook is more limited, only providing credit/debit cards and PayPal for transactions.
Both marketplaces offer secure and convenient payment options, but eBay’s wider range of accepted payment methods provides greater flexibility for buyers.
Pros and Cons of Selling on Facebook Marketplace
Let’s compare selling on Facebook Marketplace to selling on eBay by examining some of the pros and cons of Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook Marketplace Pros
- Massive Audience Reach: With over 3 billion users, Facebook Marketplace offers unmatched access to a broad audience, making it easier to reach potential buyers both locally and beyond.
- Localized Selling: Ideal for heavy or bulky items, local transactions on Facebook Marketplace eliminate selling and shipping fees and simplify logistics by targeting nearby buyers.
- Integrated Social Tools: Sellers can easily share listings within their network and relevant Facebook groups, boosting visibility and targeting interested buyers more effectively.
- Trust & Transparency: User profiles provide transparency, building trust between buyers and sellers through visible account history, reviews, and mutual connections.
- Ease of Use: The platform’s familiar and user-friendly interface allows for quick and straightforward listing creation, accessible even to novice sellers.
- Low Fees: Facebook Marketplace has no listing fees and a low 10% commission on sales, making it cost-effective for sellers aiming to maximize profits.
Facebook Marketplace Cons
- No Global Shipping: The lack of global shipping options limits sellers to domestic markets, potentially reducing the reach for items with broader appeal.
- Fraud and Spam: The open nature of the platform makes it prone to fraudulent activity and spam, requiring sellers to navigate fake buyers and lowball offers.
- Limited Customer Service: Facebook Marketplace lacks dedicated customer support, leaving users to resolve disputes and issues with minimal assistance from the platform.
Is Facebook Marketplace Worth It?
Absolutely!
For eBay sellers considering expanding to Facebook Marketplace, the platform presents a compelling opportunity due to its vast user base and low fees. With over 3 billion active users, Facebook Marketplace offers unparalleled reach, especially for local sales, where the absence of shipping fees and the simplicity of in-person transactions can be highly advantageous.
In comparison to eBay, Facebook’s ease of use, combined with the ability to leverage social tools for increased visibility, makes it a versatile addition to your selling strategy. If you're looking to diversify your sales channels and tap into a massive audience with minimal overhead, Facebook Marketplace is definitely worth considering alongside your eBay store.
👀 Did you know With Vendoo you can crosslist to Facebook Marketplace in just a few clicks?
Maximize Your Listings with Vendoo
In this article, we've compared eBay and Facebook Marketplace, highlighting how Facebook Marketplace is similar and different.
eBay offers a global reach with a structured environment for auctions and fixed-price sales, making it ideal for those targeting an international audience. On the other hand, Facebook Marketplace leverages its massive social network to create a more localized, community-driven selling experience, excelling in quick, low-cost transactions within your local area. We've also explored the unique opportunities of Facebook Marketplace, such as its integration with social tools for targeted promotion and trust-building through user profiles. Ultimately, both marketplaces offer distinct advantages.
But why choose just one? Don’t leave money on the table! With Vendoo’s crosslisting software, you can leverage the benefits of both platforms simultaneously.
Vendoo allows you to save time, streamline your listing process, and reach a broader audience, maximizing your sales potential.
Whether you're selling on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or any other marketplace, Vendoo makes it easy to manage all your listings from one place.
Watch how easy it is to crosslist to 11 marketplaces in under five minutes with Vendoo:
Ready to take your reselling business to the next level? Try Vendoo for free!
Do you sell on Facebook Marketplace? Share your experience below! 👇🏼
