Facebook rolled out Marketplace, a feature that allows users to discover, buy, and sell items on its platforms in Kenya.
According to Facebook, users will easily buy and sell things, especially at a time when businesses have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mercy Ndegwa, Facebook Head of Public Policy for East & Horn of Africa said the organisation is optimistic that the product will complement the growing e-commerce market.
“We had already seen people buying and selling with each other on Facebook, so we decided to launch Facebook Marketplace; a safe and convenient destination in the Facebook app where Kenyans can discover, buy and sell items from people in their community,” she said.
To start buying items on Facebook’s Marketplace, users first need to look for the Marketplace icon on the Facebook app. From the icon, users will be able to browse listings that interest them, adjust the listings by distance and category, and use the search box to type exactly what they are looking for.
Buyers can access more information on an item by clicking on the listing. The feature also allows users to save a listing for later and send a direct message to the seller.
To sell an item on the platform, users need to create a listing that can be seen by anyone on or off Facebook, including on newsfeed, Facebook groups, and search engines.
Sellers need to include an image of the product, product name, price, description, category, and location while listing items on Marketplace.
‘Your items’ section in the Marketplace helps sellers keep track of all current and past transactions.
