O Facebook, announced the launch of its platform Marketplace to 37 more countries and territories in sub-Saharan Africa. The platform is currently available in South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.
Facebook Marketplace is a convenient destination for social network users where they can find, buy and sell other people's items in their local communities by simply clicking on the Marketplace icon or visiting the website to browse and search for items or filter by distance or category.
"Increasing Marketplace availability to 37 more countries and territories in Sub-Saharan Africa reinforces our continued commitment to helping connect communities and support buying and selling through a simple online destination,” said Facebook's Africa Public Policy Director Kojo Boakye.
"As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact individuals and businesses, expanding the Marketplace will provide more people with a convenient destination where they can discover new products, buy what they want, or find buyers for what they want to sell."
“Listing an item for sale is as easy as browsing for one on the Marketplace,” Facebook said in a statement.
"Sellers can share an item's photo, enter the product name, description, and price, confirm location, and select a category. They can also choose to post their listings to Facebook's Buy and Sell Groups. Interested buyers will find the item they are looking for and send messages to sellers directly via Messenger. They can decide on the payment method according to their own preferences."
Tips for Responsibly Buying and Selling on Facebook Marketplace:
- Commercial Policy
Items, products or services sold on Facebook must comply with Community Standards as well as Business Policies. Sellers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Choose your preferred payment method
Buyers and sellers can offer or accept cash-on-delivery (COD) or person-to-person (P2P) payments. If you choose to pay electronically via bank transfer or money order solutions.
- personal meeting
If you're meeting someone in person, Facebook recommends organizing your meeting in a well-lit, public area. If you decide to meet at someone's home, consider bringing someone else with you or sharing 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. Buyers and sellers can find tips on using the Marketplace responsibly and go to the Help Center for more information.
Now, with this latest expansion, Facebook Marketplace is available to users in Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Swatini, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea , Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania , Togo , Uganda, Western Sahara and Zimbabwe.
