Facebook Tuesday announced the launch of Marketplace to 37 countries and territories in Sub-Saharan Africa, including: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara and Zimbabwe.
Currently available in South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria, Marketplace is a convenient destination where people can discover, buy and sell items from others in their local communities, simply by tapping on the Marketplace icon or visiting https://bit.ly/3Dn4Uz8 to browse and search for items, or filter by distance or category.
Commenting on the launch, Facebook Director of Public Policy Africa, Kojo Boakye said: “Increasing the availability of Marketplace to 37 more countries and territories in Sub-Saharan Africa reinforces our ongoing commitment to helping connect communities and support buying and selling through one simple online destination. As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact people and businesses, the expansion of Marketplace will provide more people with a convenient destination where they can discover new products, shop for things they want, or find buyers for the things they want to sell.”
Listing an item for sale in the Marketplace is just as easy as browsing for one on Marketplace. Sellers can share a photo of an item, enter a product name, description and price, confirm their location and select a category. They can also choose to post their listings to Facebook Buy and Sell Groups. Interested buyers will find the item they are looking for and message the sellers directly through Messenger. They can decide on the payment method depending on their own preferences.
Enumerating some tips to buying and selling responsibly on Marketplace, Facebook advised users to adhere to Commerce Policy, which means that items, products or services sold on Facebook must comply with our Community Standards, as well as our Commerce Policies. Sellers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations.
Also the choice of preferred payment method depends on the buyer and seller. “Buyers and sellers may offer or accept cash, Cash on Delivery (COD) or person-to-person (P2P) payments. If you choose to pay electronically using bank transfer or money order solutions, avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method’s website. Keep in mind that personal checks or bank drafts can be counterfeit.”
Facebook further stated some caution on meeting in person. “If you’re meeting someone in person, we recommend arranging your meeting in a public, well-lit area. If you choose to meet at someone’s home, consider bringing another person with you or share your meeting plan with friends or family.
Facebook advises all buyers and sellers to follow local guidelines to stay safe and help prevent the spread of coronavirus.”
