Meta has launched a new app called Seller, a standalone app designed specifically for people selling products on Facebook Marketplace. The new seller app officially launched on Friday, giving marketplace sellers a single platform to manage their businesses.
Meta created Facebook Marketplace about 10 years ago after noticing that millions of Facebook users were already buying and selling products on the platform. Marketplace is now one of Facebook’s biggest draws, where people can buy and sell used clothes, furniture, cars and many other second-hand items. Meta says sellers are part of its larger improvement plan Facebook By creating separate apps for its most active communities, the New York Times reported.
Meta’s new app for sellers
This is Meta’s second community-focused app this year. In May, the company launched another app called Forum for Facebook Groups users. Facebook head Tom Alison compared Seller to the editing tools used by video creators. He said the app is designed for people who frequently use the Marketplace.
“I see these as being complementary to the main app and catering to a more intense user community,” Tom Allison told The New York Times. He further added, “That’s the basis for a lot of things we’ve done or tried this year. It’s still early days – it’s experimental.”
Facebook market continues to grow
Facebook has faced questions about its popularity in recent years, especially as apps like Instagram have become more popular. Despite Meta’s heavy investment in artificial intelligence (AI), Facebook and Instagram ads still generate nearly all of the company’s revenue. The ad business is also paying for Meta’s artificial intelligence expansion, which could cost the company as much as $145 billion this year.
Marketplace has helped Facebook stay relevant, especially among younger users. Tom Allison told the New York Times that about one-third of young people who use Facebook every day also use Marketplace. Tom Alison said the Marketplace sees a lot of activity every month, with more than 430 million items listed globally, including about 44 million cars.
Meta last year developed a plan to build more apps for Facebook’s “power users.” According to The New York Times, Tom Allison described these “power users” as “the people who make things happen.” These power users include marketplace sellers, Facebook group administrators, and other highly active users. Users can log in as a seller using their existing Facebook account, and all of their previous Marketplace listings will automatically appear in the app.
Seller App Function Description
The Seller App gives users access to one place where they can manage messages, track listing performance, view old listings, and create new listings. It’s completely free for sellers to use. The app will also run through a web browser, allowing sellers to use it on their computers as well. Meta does not charge sellers a commission on Marketplace sales.
Instead, the company makes money from the ads it displays on the marketplace. The seller also introduced new products AI-powered features Make selling easier. An AI feature scans photos of items and automatically fills in product listings.
Artificial intelligence makes selling easier
Tom Allison said the goal of artificial intelligence is to reduce the amount of work required to create listings, not to replace the personal buying and selling experience. “The most interesting thing about this product is you meet someone on the other side of it,” Tom Allison said, according to The New York Times.
Meta also announced Friday a new “human verification” feature for Facebook. The feature allows users to upload video selfies to prove they are real people and not bots. Verified users receive a gray badge next to their Facebook profile name, making it easier for others to believe they’re talking to a real person. Some Marketplace sellers who rely on Facebook for revenue welcomed the new app.
Claire Whittaker, 53, said she gets almost all of her business from Facebook Market. According to the New York Times, Whitaker began selling ceramic meaty bowls on Marketplace in the summer of 2022 while she was working as a waitress in San Francisco. Her first sale eventually grew into a full-time business selling plants and ceramic bowls, which she now operates almost exclusively through Marketplace from her apartment.
According to the New York Times, Claire Whittaker said, “All my business comes from Facebook.” She added, “The market has changed a lot since then — for the better.” Claire Whittaker added that the feature she wanted most was better customer support, saying, “If it makes my job easier, I’ll give it a try.”
