Facebook is really determined to connect our world. It has been connecting us with our friends since 2004, but now it is starting to connect buyers with sellers by making Facebook to function as an e-commerce site. The e-commerce functionality called Marketplace will be an integrated feature on its Messenger application.

With the e-commerce feature, users will be able to list their products, and interested buyers can contact them to make purchase.

According to Facebook’s newroom website, Marketplace was launched to help people who are already buying and selling on Facebook using Facebook Groups. Facebook claims over 450 Million people are already transacting business on Facebook Groups, therefore Facebook Marketplace is posed to make buying and selling more convenient than ever.


In Marketplace, like in conventional e-commerce sites, sellers will be able to upload pictures of products, give names, descriptions and prices of products. Products can also be categorized and location of products will also be listed along with description so that buyers can know the nearest location to buy products.


The two services that Marketplace will not provide are payment processing and delivery of product. Facebook wants the two to be done offline because of security.

So when you see a product you like, you will be able to send a direct message to the seller, negotiate, but the exchange of product and cash will be done offline.

As part of ways to ensure buyers do not fall to scams, Facebook will allow buyers to be able to review the profile of sellers and see the year they joined Facebook. This will allow buyers to know they are buying from an old and trusted member of Facebook and not one-off scammer that registers new account to defraud people.

Above all, the aim of Facebook is to make buyers and sellers communicate transactions effectively; the security of transactions lies in the hand of the two parties involved.

At present, Marketplace is available in US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on Facebook Messenger for iPhone and Android but it will soon be extended to other countries in months to come.

Source: http://howtotechnaija.com/facebook-ecommerce-marketplace-messenger/

.

Good