Could this be the challenge to Ebay everyone waited for

[Bird]

If Facebook were to place an ad, it would read something like this.
Wanted: Facebook users to buy and sell stuff.

Facebook announced overnight it is launching Marketplace, its version of the local rummage sale, and it's trying to coax its 1.71 billion users to hunt for new treasures or declutter their closets, moving more forcefully than ever onto the turf of Craigslist, eBay and other online services that help people peddle that designer coat, vintage car or a gently used couch.

Shares of eBay fell nearly 3 per cent in morning trading after details of Marketplace were revealed.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/world-business/facebook-marketplace-could-be-the-new-ebay-20161003-gru42u.html

[achjimmy]

Guess it depends how it's regulated? I've dropped gumtree and others now and only use eBay as I feel the buyer registration gives me some safe guard against the punter being an unknown ?

[whitey1]

Buying and selling on Facebook has been around for ages. There's heaps of Buy Sell Swap groups that cater for individual towns, mainly for the pick up only sales. I use them to offload stuff all the time.

[Jeepers Creepers]

Just like Masers was to Bunning?

Time will tell

[Bird]

Just like Masers was to Bunning?

your probably right.. but I remember sold.com.au before ebay bought it out.. was much better and easier to use than ebay at the time.

[D4D]

Buying and selling on Facebook has been around for ages.

Yup and their user experience is crap. If you have ever joined a new group then tried to search for available items what a pita.

[scrapsD40]

Yup and their user experience is crap. If you have ever joined a new group then tried to search for available items what a pita.

Found these on FB. You having a sale Jamie

[tryagain]

Yup and their user experience is crap. If you have ever joined a new group then tried to search for available items what a pita.

This has been my experience, it's probably ok if you're just window shopping but if you're looking for something in particular, it's crap, It looks like this is what they are hopefully changing. Any competition for eBay and their exorbitant commissions is more than welcome, even if it only lasts a few years as has masters then at least there is competition for that period.

[KingBilly]

Ebay, Gumtree and Paypal are all one company.  What is FB's payment arrangements?  Is it a Gumtree thing where you lay on collection or an inline thing like ebay/paypal?

KB

[tryagain]

Ebay, Gumtree and Paypal are all one company.  What is FB's payment arrangements?  Is it a Gumtree thing where you lay on collection or an inline thing like ebay/paypal?

KB

They used to be however Paypal was spun off into a separate publicly traded company about 2yrs ago. From what they have said it will be more like Gumtree than eBay for now.