Facebook Marketplace Rolls Out in Nigeria

Wednesday, February 03, 2021 / 07:20PM / Facebook / Header Image Credit: Facebook

Facebooktoday announced the launch of Marketplace in Nigeria, a convenient destinationwhere people can discover, buy and sell items from others in their localcommunities. Available in South Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya, Nigeria joins thegrowing list of countries where people can simply tap on the Marketplace iconor visit www.facebook.com/marketplace to browse and search for items, sort based on distance orcategory.

Commenting, Adaora Ikenze, Head of Public Policyfor Anglophone West Africa, said: "The launch of Marketplace in Nigeriafurther highlights our ongoing efforts in helping to boost buying and sellingin Nigeria and connecting communities. This comes at a crucial time as theeffects of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact people and businesses, andwith many people buying and selling on Facebook, this will provide people witha convenient destination where they can discover new products, shop for thingsthey want or find buyers for the things they are ready to part with."

Howselling works on Facebook Marketplace

When a seller lists an item on Marketplace,they create a public listing that can be seen by anyone on Facebook. Thisincludes people on Marketplace, News Feed, Facebook search, Facebook Groups orsearch engines. Sellers can simply take a photo of an item, enter a productname, description and price, confirm their location, select a category, andpost.

Tips onbuying and selling responsibly on Facebook Marketplace

Commerce Policy: Items, products or services sold on Facebook must comply with our Community Standards, aswell as the Commerce Policies. Sellers and Merchants are responsible for complying with allapplicable laws and regulations.

Verify the item: For high-value items (example: watches, luxury bags), considerrequesting a certificate of authenticity or proof of purchase. If you're notsatisfied with an item's condition or have doubts about its authenticity, youcan decline to complete the purchase. If the seller offers to ship the itemrather than exchanging it in person, keep in mind that you may not have theopportunity to verify the item before completing your purchase.

Meet in a public location: If you are meeting, ensure this is in a publicplace. Don't invite buyers or sellers into your home. Before going to theagreed location, tell a family member or a friend the exact location where youwill meet, bring your cell phone, and consider asking another adult to comewith you. If the value of the item you intend to buy or sell requires asignificant amount of cash, you might consider using a person-to-person paymentmethod. Please follow local guidelines for how to stay healthy and help preventthe spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) while buying and selling.

Use cash, COD, or person-to-person payment methods: Buyers and sellers may offer or accept cash, Cash onDelivery (COD) or person-to-person (P2P) payments. If you choose to payelectronically using bank transfer or money order solutions, avoid payment linksand log in directly through the payment method's website. Keep in mind thatpersonal checks or bank drafts can be counterfeit. Transactions are between thebuyer and seller only, and no third-party guarantee should be involved.

Protect your privacy: Don't share your financial account information (example: Paymentlogin and password, bank account info) with buyers or sellers. Additionally,make sure your Facebook Privacy Settings are up-to-date. These settings help limit what otherpeople can see (example: status updates, location, photos) on your profile pageand what you share on Facebook.

Report a seller or listing: If you think a seller or product violates our Commerce Policies, youcan report them .

Watch out for potential scams: For example, be wary of sellers who express urgencyor claim to be in rush. Always take the time to verify the product meets yourneeds before making a final decision. Also be wary of people who pretend to beemployees of Facebook and ask for your account information and personal detailsor suggest using any kind of services to complete a transaction.

Tohelp prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) while buying and selling, alllocal measures and guidelines should be followed and for further informationvisit https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/learn-more/coronavirus