Overview

Facebook Marketplace has massive adoption for local trade (furniture, phones, rentals). Sellers use groups + Messenger; some graduate to storefronts.

Mechanics

  • Discovery via groups and Marketplace feed; trust through profiles and mutuals.
  • DM negotiation; COD or QR on delivery; pick‑up preferred for bulky items.
  • Informal policies; disputes handled via reputation and admin rules.

Outcomes

  • High liquidity with minimal platform friction; new sellers test demand quickly.
  • The most active sellers migrate to more formal tools (inventory sheets, pages, websites).

Lessons (Unit 7 lens)

  • Social graphs substitute for formal trust when institutions are weak.
  • Portals/platforms shape commerce behavior; policy changes impact sellers.

Chapters covered

  • Social networks and portals (7.1, 7.3)