Using Facebook to sell your wares is a fairly new trend, but with more than 1,900,000 users accessing the Facebook Marketplace application it is obviously a trend that is catching on in a big way.
As Facebook’s popularity grows so does the number of third-party applications (called apps for short) that people can add to their profile. Some Facebook revenue-generating apps let sellers advertise their items to Facebook friends and other people who use the application. These types of buying and selling apps tend to be used less frequently as many people don’t want to sell items to Facebook friends.
Apps that help sellers connect with buyers from outside their own friend list continue to fuel money-making opportunities on Facebook. Also, if you don’t have your own items to sell, you can still make money on Facebook using third-party apps to generate commission-based sales via referral programs.
Here are three applications that you can use to make money on Facebook.
List Items on Facebook using Marketplace by Oodle
Application: Marketplace
Developer: Oodle, Inc.
Users: 1,933,501 monthly active users
Powered by Oodle.com, Marketplace is by far the most popular buying and selling application on Facebook. Individuals can use the app to buy, sell, give things away or ask for anything you want– from people you know or know something about.
Facebook Marketplace takes advantage of the networking features of Facebook. When you buy and sell you can automatically view listings that are near you, or are listed within the same Facebook network you are on (based on geographical location). A location setting lets you select a specific country to search in or to specify a search radius from your own location.
The listing screen is both quick and easy to use. You will need to specify what item you are selling, why you are selling it, the price, item location and an item description. You can also upload photos to be posted with the ad. Once it is listed, it takes about 30 minutes to be available in the Marketplace search. You can also post the listings to your own Facebook profile using the Share feature.
If you have posted ads using Facebook Marketplace, you can use the "My Listings" link in the application to view all the ads you have running and to see the number of page views for each. You can also edit and delete any ads you have placed.
Show Your eBay Listings on your Facebook Profile
Application: eBay Marketplace
Developer: eBay Inc.
Users: 2,895 monthly active users
If you use eBay to list items, you can take advantage of the eBay Marketplace Facebook application see what your friends are buying, selling and watching on eBay. You can also add your eBay watch list—and share your finds with your friends.
This application is a fun way to share watch lists and good deals that you might find as an eBay shopper, and eBay sellers can also use it to manage their eBay items.
An eBay news feed will highlight your eBay activity, such as notifications when you sell an item, links to the items you have for sale, and updates on new eBay feedback left for you. This information appears in the eBay Marketplace News Feed, and you will also see these notifications for any of your friends using the eBay Marketplace app on Facebook.
To use the eBay Marketplace app you need to link your eBay account to Facebook when you add the application to your own Facebook profile.
Earn Commissions from a Facebook Lemonade Stand
Application: Lemonade Stand
Developer: Lemonade Inc.
Users: 842 monthly active users
Lemonade Stand is a Facebook application based on affiliate referral earnings. This is an easy way to show products for sale on Facebook and earn a commission on sales if you don't have your own items to sell.
To use the app you set up a "stand" and add items from different online retail shops to display in your stand. You earn money using this app like you would with affiliate links on your site or blog—you earn revenue when people click-through and purchase an item that you display in your stand.
To use the application you must first register as a member of Lemonade. You will be prompted to provide your name, e-mail, nickname and password before you can access the application. You then customize your own Lemonade Stand by choosing a name, products to display and by selecting a bonus offer that recommends a third-party product or service.
After you create your Lemonade Stand you can display it on your Facebook profile and also add it to your blog or Web page. You receive your commission earnings via PayPal when your Lemonade Stand account reaches a set minimum balance.
Vangie Beal is a veteran online seller and frequent contributor to ECommerce-Guide.com. She is also managing editor of Webopedia.com. You can tweet with her online @AuroraGG.
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