How to sell a car on Facebook Marketplace

It has likely been years since you last shopped for a car using classified ads in print. Perhaps you’ve come of age searching exclusively online. Upping the ante, car sellers now include social media sites. Consider these and others for broad and free exposure when selling your car, once you’ve placed an ad on either free ad boards or the big paid-listing sites like Craigslist.

What is Facebook Marketplace?

If you’re looking for a place to buy or sell used cars on Facebook, you’re going to come across Facebook Marketplace. Facebook Marketplace is free and connects you to local buyers, and it’s easy for your friends and family to share your post and help it get attention. However, it can be hard to make your ad stand out from others, and unlike selling a car to a dealership or reseller, selling your car on Facebook Marketplace means you’ll have to handle the registration and sale paperwork. Selling a car on Facebook Marketplace comes down to putting together a great ad with accurate descriptions and pictures. 

How to list your car on Facebook Marketplace

Here’s how to sell a car on Facebook. 

• First, check the rules for selling cars on Facebook Marketplace, as they may change periodically. 

• Then, it’s time to take pictures of the car and write the ad. Make sure to include all the details about the car, particularly specific information included in Facebook’s rules. 

• Decide how much you want to list your car for, but leave room in your pricing to be able to negotiate with potential buyers. 

• Also decide whether potential buyers should contact you exclusively through Facebook Messenger, or if you’d like to provide more contact information, such as your email address or your phone number. 

• Keep in mind that a serious buyer will eventually expect you to provide your phone number. This may be the most tedious part of the process, constant messaging and inquiries from potential buyers. 

• Be prepared to show the car for test drives and be ready with your state’s paperwork when you find a buyer. 

Tips on selling your car on Facebook Marketplace

Experts recommend using Facebook’s messaging platform, whether you’re buying or selling, because that way, if you’re communicating with a fake account it will probably be deleted. Once you’ve located a strong candidate for a potential buyer, it’s time to set up a test drive. Keep in mind that buyers are also trying to avoid scams, so to ensure everyone’s safety, it’s best to meet in public and bring a friend. If the sale goes through, the paperwork should also be completed in public. For payment, accept cash or a cashier’s check. That makes a bank the perfect place to complete the sale, so you can watch the funds being withdrawn or the check being produced. As soon as the sale is complete, notify your insurance and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Other places to sell your car online

Try Twitter, also known as X. Say what you will about hashtag saturation, it drives microblogging from a thought of 140 characters or less to millions. And maybe the character limit is a good thing, because we’ve all been turned off by thousand-word tributes to cheap used beaters. 

Even after you post on Facebook Marketplace, be sure to share on our own Facebook page. Stand apart on the go-to social media giant. Drop in a couple photos, a brief description of your car, ask folks to “like” and spread the word. Notice how it contrasts with pictures of friends’ kids and endless political commentary reposts. And speaking of others’ posting habits, don’t inundate the community with nonstop updates. Do your usual thing too, just mix it up a little.

Craigslist vs. Facebook Marketplace

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace have many of the same benefits and drawbacks. While Facebook Marketplace is free and Craigslist charges a small fee, the tradeoff is that Facebook Marketplace is less anonymous than Craigslist. Otherwise, both platforms allow buyers and sellers to connect locally, using similar processes.

Facebook Marketplace vs. other social media platforms

Though it’s possible to sell vehicles on other social media platforms, like Instagram, or share your sale posts on Twitter, most other social media platforms aren’t optimized for selling something like a car.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sell my car on social media?

If your goal is to learn how to sell a car on Facebook fast, the strategies are the same for most platforms. Take clear and accurate photos, craft an ad that will appeal to potential buyers but also represents the car fairly, decide on a reasonable price, and post using plenty of keywords and hashtags.

Can I sell my car on Instagram?

Yes, Instagram allows users to sell cars. Ads should be crafted in much the same way as the steps for Facebook Marketplace.

How does social media affect car sales?

Social media gives people an opportunity to list a car for low cost, and to connect directly with local potential buyers.

What is the best social media for selling cars?

It’s hard to go wrong with Facebook Marketplace, based simply on the sheer number of users on the platform.

What app do people sell their cars on?

There are a number of apps for car sales, both social media listings and services like instant cash offers. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Craigslist are all popular. 

Is selling a car on Facebook Marketplace a good idea?

You may be wondering if Facebook Marketplace works well, and listing within Facebook Marketplace cars for sale by owner is worth the effort. For some sellers, speed is the issue. How long does it take to sell a car on Facebook Marketplace? Like any other way of selling a used car, it depends on whether you capture potential buyers with an appealing ad, whether your car is fairly represented and is desirable, and if your car is priced fairly.