I have found some of my favorite pieces on Facebook Marketplace, but I’ve learned through trial and error that not every piece is a winner. I’ve brought home mirrors, couches, tables, plants, rugs, lamps, you name it. After a few years of practice, I think I’ve reached nearly an expert level. Here are a few tips for buying home decor or furniture on Facebook Marketplace.

Double Check Dimensions

This is a rookie mistake. I’ve been so stoked about finding a piece before that I completely forgot to ask for the dimensions. When I went and picked it up, it was either much larger or much smaller than I was anticipating. I have a HUGE gold mirror sitting in storage for this reason. Check the listing description before annoying the seller with questions, but if they’re not listed (which they usually aren’t), be sure to message and ask for the dimensions before agreeing to buy it.

Look For Real Wood

This is a biggie. Many “wood” pieces listed online may not actually be real wood. The term “wood” has also become a word to describe man-made materials that look like wood. Most people even have a hard time identifying real wood from the faux stuff. There is nothing wrong with wanting faux wood either. Our coffee table is laminate and I love it. It looks like wood but is about a quarter of the weight, which makes moving it out of the way for dance parties so much easier.

But if you’re looking at a piece and planning to refurbish it, it’s important to know what it’s made of. Most laminate or particleboard furniture pieces cannot be restrained or sanded. And it often is covered in a polycrylic finish, which is both a pain in the ass to remove and hard to take off without damaging what’s underneath. If you’re looking to paint, these faux woods (think of IKEA furniture) are perfectly fine and easy to transform with a coat of paint. But for those bigger, nicer pieces that you want to sand, re-stain, and transform, make sure it’s wood. 

How To Tell If It’s Real Wood

• Look for wear: A used real wood piece will show wear as small knicks, water stains, straight-line scratches or dull of shine. A faux wood piece will show wear by losing chunks of paint, having jagged scratches, or having an uneven texture.

• Pick it up: real wood is HEAVY.

• Knock on it: real wood sounds how you’d expect, while faux wood sounds flat and plastic-like. 

Make The Seller’s Job Easy

I say this from experience as both a buyer and seller. Most people put stuff on FBMP to get it out of their house with the least amount of work. They could have dropped it off at Goodwill, but they didn’t. They snapped a picture and posted it online. Don’t make them work now.

Send ONE message with all of your questions, like the following example: Hi, is this still available? I’m interested in picking it up tomorrow. What part of town are you located in? Would you accept $45 instead? Do you have venmo?

A sense of urgency is key. Be willing to pick up the same day or next day. 

Identify payment method before you leave your house. I sometimes assume most people have Venmo, but they don’t. Check with how they want to be paid: most will say Venmo or PayPal or even pay through the app. I’ve used Apple Pay, cash, a check, even a square once. Make sure you’re on the same page to make the transaction (both literally and metaphorically) go smoothly.

Here are a list of questions I typically ask Facebook Marketplace sellers:

• What part of town do you live in? 

• Was this item in a home with pets or smoke?

• Why are you selling it?

• Would you take $XX? (haggle y’all)

• Has it been cleaned? (couches, rugs, etc)

Use The App A Lot

Maybe this is a silly tip, but I think it’s worth mentioning for two reasons. The first reason is that stuff sells fast. You’ll miss out on a lot of great pieces if you only log on and look once a month. I scroll through FBMP the way the rest of the world scrolls through Twitter or Instagram. The second reason is that the algorithm will actually learn your style by monitoring what you buy, what you click on, save, or message about. Using the search tool also allows FBMP to learn about items you may be looking for, saving that data and searching those kinds of listings to you first.

Use All Of The Apps’ Functions

There are a lot of ways you can feel safe and confident buying used online. FBMP has all of these tools in place, however, admittedly, they’re kind of hard to use (or find). It’s taken some scouring, researching, and lots of missed sales to understand how these tools work.
 

SAVE:

On each sale post, there is the option to “save” the item, just like you do on Instagram. The small ribbon icon saves that listing to your profile and alerts you if the price changes or the item sells. I use this tool for items I want but want to wait and see if the price drops. 

ALERTS:

If you’re looking for a very specific piece, FBMP can be frustrating since there is not true stock or regulation of inventory. However, you can set up alerts in the app so you don’t miss any pieces you’ve been searching for. To do this, just go to the search bar and type in whatever you’re looking for. You’ll see a bell icon in the top left corner, just under where you typed. Click that button and follow the steps to set this alarm. When someone posts an item with these words in the title or description, you will get a notification! Currently on my “alerts:” Rattan Baskets, Wicker Shelf, Low-light plants

SELLER PROFILE:

If you’re buying from someone online, it’s most likely a stranger. Especially now with COVID-19, it’s important to check that this person is legit and not a scam. As much as FBMP tries to eliminate scams, just as one is taken down, I'm sure 10 more are added.

When you find a listing you like, click on the seller’s name or photo. This will take you to their Commerce Profile. This profile tells you how long the seller has been active on Facebook (less than a year is never a good sign… it’s 2020). There will be any badges that he/she’s earned, which FBMP awards based on behavior. For example, a seller may be given a “very responsible” badge for replying to DM and comments on posts in less than 24 hours.

Below that, you will be able to see any and all listing that are currently active. Remember that some small businesses use FBMP as a platform to sell their goods and services. This may or may not be beneficial to you. For one, you may be able to buy it from a storefront or a safer location, but on the other hand, you definitely can’t haggle and probably aren’t getting too much of a deal.

Facebook Marketplace is filled with so many hidden treasures. I love filling my home with these vintage or unique items to give it some personality and of course to save a few bucks. Check out my favorite FBMP finds from over the years here. 

Happy thrifting!