The famous social network from Mark Zuckerberg has introduced a new feature called Marketplace, wherein users can arrange a meet-up or buy and sell products just as Craiglist, except that you know who the other person is. This incredible peer-to-peer selling feature is launching today in places like the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zeland, with a high chance of being rolled out globally.
"Marketplace makes it easy to find new things you'll love, and find a new home for the things you're ready part with. We'll continue to build new options and features to make this the best experience for people," said Mary Ku, Facebook Director of Product Management, in a Facebook announcement.
Capitalizing On Existing Functionalities
Although this is something that has surprised many people, it is well known that this new feature is just the way that Facebook is making the most of something that their users have been doing for years: expanding the site's functionality to accommodate business transactions.
As described by Digital Trends, Marketplace works like this: When you open Facebook on your phone, you will see now a shop icon at the bottom of the page. When you press it, you will find photos of items for sale, and have the option to filter the results by price, category, and even location. If there´s something you like, you can just tap on the image for more details such as the product description, seller´s profile. Just send a direct message to the seller to do business.
Facebook's 'Biggest Bet'?
As noted by TechCrunch, Facebook's entry into the unpredictable land of digital commerce will turn it into a new competitor for sites that have been in this business for many years, especially Craigslist. However, Marketplace may become the best option if it´s popularity begins to rise, which seems to be inevitable.
