Tips for Selling Furniture on Facebook Marketplace

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If you are painting furniture to sell, chances are you have tried (or at least considered) selling furniture on Facebook Marketplace. Or maybe you’re simply looking to declutter and earn a little extra cash from pieces around the house. With a vast local audience and no listing fees, Facebook Marketplace offers both convenience and visibility. All you need is a Facebook account to get started!

In this guide, I will give you tips to create compelling listings, attract serious buyers, and ensure smooth transactions.

Why choose Facebook Marketplace for selling furniture?

There are many great reasons to sell your furniture on Facebook Marketplace. Here’s why it’s a great platform:

• Local Reach: Connect with buyers in your area without the need for shipping or setting up a storefront.
• No Listing Fees: Unlike some platforms, Facebook Marketplace doesn’t charge you to list items.
• User-Friendly: Easily create listings and communicate with potential buyers through Facebook Messenger.
• High Visibility: You can increase exposure by also having your listings appear in local buy/sell groups.
• Marketing: Even if someone isn’t interested in the piece you are selling, it’s great exposure for your business! I’ve gotten lots of requests for commission work through my Facebook Marketplace listings.

Tips for selling furniture on Facebook Marketplace

Tip 1: Use high-quality photos

First impressions matter! Your featured photo should be a clear, front-facing image of the entire piece—what I call the “money shot.” Avoid messy backgrounds or cluttered staging. Think clean, well-lit, and styled to show off your refinishing work.

First impressions matter! I cannot tell you the number of times I open up Marketplace and the featured photo is some random photo of the back, closeup, or a piece just covered in junk. Take the time to take some good photos! If you are refinishing a piece, I recommend staging your photographs to highlight your hard work.

Your first (featured) photo should always be of the piece in its entirety, preferably a straight shot viewing the front of the piece. I call this the “money shot,” and all of the photos in this article are an example of this. In addition, be sure to include detailed shots. These should be anything you want to highlight -such as close-ups of the hardware, dovetails on the drawers, interior of the drawers, or a maker’s mark. It’s also important to highlight anything wrong with the piece so buyers are clear on what they are getting.

Tip 2: Create a descriptive title

When choosing your title, you want to be sure it is descriptive and searchable. Often, there are a couple of labels that can be applied to a piece of furniture, and you should include as many as you can. A dresser can be a bureau, a chest of drawers, a tallboy, or a lowboy. A sideboard could also be considered a buffet or a credenza. End tables can be side tables, or even coffee tables. Include the number of drawers if applicable.

Tip 3: Write a detailed description

Writing a good description is the next step! You want it to be clear and include all relevant information. The details you’ve highlighted in your photos should also be mentioned in your description, along with any issues or imperfections. Be sure to include:

• Dimensions: Length, width, and height. If the peice is unusually heavy, or can be taken apart for transport, be sure to include that.
• Material: Type of wood or other materials. Highlight features that you’ve added, such as hardware or drawer liners
• Condition: Note any wear, repairs, or refinishing.
• Usage Ideas: Suggest how the piece can be used, and think beyond the traditional use. “Could work as a changing table, TV stand, or entryway storage”
• Sales Policies: Accepted methods of payment, if all sales are final, whether you allow “holds” with a deposit. It’s helpful to have a disclaimer stating that vintage pieces of furniture and are not in perfect, brand-new condition.

Tip 4: Setting a competitive price

So many things go into pricing furniture to sell, including your experience and the market you are in. When listing on Marketplace, you need to understand your audience. They are typically looking for a deal, so consider whether you are willing to negotiate. It is totally different from Etsy, where negotiation doesn’t happen.

On Facebook Marketplace, my preference is to hold firm, and I generally do not accept lower offers (I would rather drop the price on my terms). When people ask, I simply tell them that I already list at my lowest possible price to give my customers the best deal I can. I know plenty of refinishers who do leave some wiggle room, and that approach works too. Just think hard about how much it costs you to refinish the piece (including your time) and what you are willing to let it go for.

Tip 6: Utilize local buy/sell groups

When posting a listing on Facebook Marketplace, you are given the option to post to additional places. I recommend doing this and including local buy/sell groups. This requires a little research on your end to find the local groups. If they are private groups, you need to join them first (and make sure you are following their guidelines).

Tip 7: Communicate promptly and professionally

A detailed and well-thought-out listing will help tremendously in communication with potential buyers. Be sure to respond to inquiries in a timely manner. Be courteous, clear, and consise in your communication. You don’t have to justify a price if someone is looking to negotiate. If multiple buyers are interested, prioritize based on who can commit to a pickup first.

Tip 8: Keep safety in mind

One issue you will have to deal with is scammers. Facebook describes the most common scams and ways to protect yourself here. In general, only communicate via Facebook Messenger (don’t give out your phone number), don’t click on any links, and if you get a bad feeling, trust your gut. When sharing my posts to local groups, I only share to private ones. I find the public ones are full of scammers.

Often, you are selling furniture out of your home. This means you are asking strangers to come to your personal address. While you can come up with a public meeting place, I don’t find this to be practical. Instead, I wait to send my address until a few hours before the pickup. It’s best to schedule a pickup when someone else is there (even if it’s a neighbor or friend). And I make a point to let the buyer know that someone else will be around. Again, use your gut, and if something doesn’t feel right, cancel the sale.

Tip 9: Don’t be afraid to re-list

One last word of advice: consider relisting often! I will generally relist my items weekly if they don’t sell. It can be a bit of a pain to redo the listing, but I find the posts tend to get buried in the algorithm. Sometimes changing the order of the photos, or even taking newly staged photos, can help a new listing. If I’ve had a bunch of interest and the post seems to be performing well, I may leave it up a bit longer. It can take some patience to sell furniture on Facebook Marketplace, but don’t get discouraged!

Summary

Selling furniture on Facebook Marketplace can be a rewarding experience when done right. By presenting your items professionally and engaging with buyers respectfully, you can turn your furniture pieces into cash while providing value to others.

I’d love to hear what works for you! Have you had success using any of these strategies? Or others that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments.

Other Helpful articles:

• A Seller’s Guide to Pricing Refinished Furniture
• Selling Furniture on Etsy: A Guide for Success
• Shipping Furniture: A Furniture Refinishers Guide
• Where to Find Great Furniture to Flip
• Six tips for Photographing Furniture to Sell

Want to take your furniture business to the next level? I’m here to help. I’ve been running my own furniture business for 5 years and managing small businesses for more than 10. I want to help you maximize your potential. Sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any of my new business-related articles.

Note: All photos in this post were sold via Facebook Marketplace!