Get Latest Business News from All Over the World 24/7 throughout the Year: I'm convinced Facebook Marketplace is Meta's best feature after I furnished my new apartment with used furniture

Among Meta's many apps and services, Facebook Marketplace has quickly grown to be my favorite.
It's a great way to buy good furniture for an affordable price. I prefer it to eBay or Craigslist.
One Facebook Marketplace user told me she thinks buying second-hand adds "soul" to her home.

Meta has a trove of products and services that billions of people use daily, including Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp, but one, in particular, has grown to become my favorite.

The logos of applications, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Facebook belonging to the company Meta are displayed on the screen of an iPhone. — The logos of WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook.
Chesnot/Getty Images

And it's not the metaverse: While Meta's recent pivot to the metaverse has been the subject of scrutiny from investors and the corporate world, I'm convinced the company's best product is Facebook Marketplace.

Mark Zuckerberg as an avatar during Connect 2022.

Meta

I've mostly stopped using Facebook as a social network, but I visit facebook.com nearly every day to check out Marketplace.

Marketplace is a platform on Facebook that allows anyone with a profile to buy and sell goods.

Facebook Marketplace website — Facebook calls Marketplace "a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community."
Facebook

It's free to use, but Facebook takes a 5% cut whenever a seller ships an item. Meta doesn't share how much money it makes from the service, though last year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that more than 1 billion people visit Marketplace each month.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company's first conference dedicated to messaging — A photo of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook/Meta

Recently, Zuckerberg said Facebook Marketplace benefited from supply-chain issues that made it hard for people to buy new items from stores without long wait times.

Shipping containers — A shortage of shipping containers contributed to supply chain hiccups in 2020 and 2021.
Alex Kantrowitz

It's a great way to buy high-quality furniture for an affordable price, and it's become my go-to source for decorating my new apartment.

Second-hand chair — This chair retails for $550 on Crate & Barrel's website. I purchased it for $250 in perfect condition.
Samantha Delouya

According to the EPA, Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture annually. The problem is likely to worsen as purchases of cheaply-made furniture have escalated since the pandemic.

Source: The New York Times

By using Facebook Marketplace, I know I'm helping to keep furniture out of landfills - and I prefer using Marketplace for furniture over eBay or Craigslist.

Second-hand bar stools — There bar stools were listed for only $20 on Marketplace.
Samantha Delouya

Unlike on other selling sites, a user on Facebook Marketplace must have a Facebook profile to use the service, meaning I can attach a face to my interactions.

Second-hand night table and lamp — I purchased this West Elm night table at a significant discount second-hand. The lamp was $25 on Marketplace, but it retails for $60.
Samantha Delouya

There are still certain precautions I take. For example, I'd never enter a person's house by myself to pick up an item.

Securing my Facebook Marketplace purchase — I secured a Facebook Marketplace purchase in my backseat after pick up.
Facebook Marketplace

The site is easy to use. You can set filters only to show local items within a certain radius – I've set mine to offer items for sale within 9 miles of my Los Angeles apartment. It's not only used for furniture; you can also search for clothing and electronics. There are even cars for sale on Marketplace.

Used cars for sale on Marketplace — I usually pay sellers in person using cash, Venmo, or Zelle, so I can check the item's quality before paying. You don't use Facebook itself to exchange payment; Facebook acts more as a classified ads service in this case.
Facebook Marketplace

Some local sellers prefer to meet in public areas, depending on how large the furniture items are. Others offer delivery or ask buyers to pick up purchases at the seller's doorway.

Chair delivery — A Facebook Marketplace seller delivering dining chairs.
Samantha Delouya

One Facebook Marketplace user who sold me an item told me she thinks there's something "special" about buying previously owned items for her home. "They add a certain level of soul… beyond just being a pretty object," she said.

Sculpture bought on Facebook Marketplace — I purchased this sculpture through Facebook Marketplace for 50% less than its retail price.
Samantha Delouya

I've met some pretty accommodating sellers through the platform. For example, one person kindly offered to drive a dining table back to my apartment after I struggled to fit it in my car.