I'm convinced Facebook Marketplace is Meta's best feature after I furnished my new apartment with used furniture
Plants are listed for sale near me on Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook
Among Meta's many apps and services, Facebook Marketplace has quickly grown to be my favorite.
It's a great way to buy good furniture for an affordable price. I prefer it to eBay or Craigslist.
One Facebook Marketplace user told me she thinks buying second-hand adds "soul" to her home.
Meta has a trove of products and services that billions of people use daily, including Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp, but one, in particular, has grown to become my favorite.
The logos of WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook.
Chesnot/Getty Images
And it's not the metaverse: While Meta's recent pivot to the metaverse has been the subject of scrutiny from investors and the corporate world, I'm convinced the company's best product is Facebook Marketplace.
Mark Zuckerberg as an avatar during Connect 2022.
Meta
I've mostly stopped using Facebook as a social network, but I visit facebook.com nearly every day to check out Marketplace.
Facebook Marketplace has all kinds of housewares listed for sale.
Samantha Delouya
Marketplace is a platform on Facebook that allows anyone with a profile to buy and sell goods.
Facebook calls Marketplace "a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community."
Facebook
It's free to use, but Facebook takes a 5% cut whenever a seller ships an item. Meta doesn't share how much money it makes from the service, though last year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that more than 1 billion people visit Marketplace each month.
A photo of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook/Meta
Recently, Zuckerberg said Facebook Marketplace benefited from supply-chain issues that made it hard for people to buy new items from stores without long wait times.
A shortage of shipping containers contributed to supply chain hiccups in 2020 and 2021.
Alex Kantrowitz
It's a great way to buy high-quality furniture for an affordable price, and it's become my go-to source for decorating my new apartment.
This chair retails for $550 on Crate & Barrel's website. I purchased it for $250 in perfect condition.
Samantha Delouya
According to the EPA, Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture annually. The problem is likely to worsen as purchases of cheaply-made furniture have escalated since the pandemic.
According to the EPA, furniture in landfills has grown 450% since 1960.
By using Facebook Marketplace, I know I'm helping to keep furniture out of landfills - and I prefer using Marketplace for furniture over eBay or Craigslist.
There bar stools were listed for only $20 on Marketplace.
Samantha Delouya
Unlike on other selling sites, a user on Facebook Marketplace must have a Facebook profile to use the service, meaning I can attach a face to my interactions.
I purchased this West Elm night table at a significant discount second-hand. The lamp was $25 on Marketplace, but it retails for $60.
Samantha Delouya
There are still certain precautions I take. For example, I'd never enter a person's house by myself to pick up an item.
I secured a Facebook Marketplace purchase in my backseat after pick up.
Facebook Marketplace
The site is easy to use. You can set filters only to show local items within a certain radius – I've set mine to offer items for sale within 9 miles of my Los Angeles apartment. It's not only used for furniture; you can also search for clothing and electronics. There are even cars for sale on Marketplace.
I usually pay sellers in person using cash, Venmo, or Zelle, so I can check the item's quality before paying. You don't use Facebook itself to exchange payment; Facebook acts more as a classified ads service in this case.
Facebook Marketplace
Some local sellers prefer to meet in public areas, depending on how large the furniture items are. Others offer delivery or ask buyers to pick up purchases at the seller's doorway.
A Facebook Marketplace seller delivering dining chairs.
Samantha Delouya
One Facebook Marketplace user who sold me an item told me she thinks there's something "special" about buying previously owned items for her home. "They add a certain level of soul… beyond just being a pretty object," she said.
I purchased this sculpture through Facebook Marketplace for 50% less than its retail price.
Samantha Delouya
I've met some pretty accommodating sellers through the platform. For example, one person kindly offered to drive a dining table back to my apartment after I struggled to fit it in my car.
The seller of this table had ordered two by accident, so it was still wrapped and in the box when I bought it. It was brand new, but I got it for $100 cheaper than if I had bought it on Amazon.
Samantha Delouya
Overall, I'm very satisfied with the future I have bought on Facebook Marketplace for my new apartment.
This second-hand coffee table was one of the heaviest purchases to transport.
Samantha Delouya
I plan to continue using Facebook Marketplace to buy second-hand furniture. Next up: I'm on the hunt for a desk!
Some of the desks for sale near me on Marketplace.
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