Example scenario · illustrative, not a real seller
An example solid wood desk has a $70 floor. Local listings run $90 to $150, with the closest match near $120. Listing at $120 leaves room for an offer and stays believable.
What you’ll get
- A floor from your own costs.
- A local comparison checklist.
- An asking price inside the range.
- An offer plan written before messages.
- A schedule for price changes.
Price for the local buyer who's comparing right now
Facebook Marketplace pricing works differently from shipping marketplaces. Buyers compare your listing with what's nearby this week, expect to negotiate, and factor in the trip to collect. They are also wary of prices that look too good: Meta's Marketplace safety page tells buyers to be cautious of listings that are significantly underpriced compared to market value. A good price sits in the believable range, leaves room for an offer and stays above your floor.
This guide builds that price in four steps.
Step 1: Know your floor
Your floor is the lowest price you'd accept after any costs you carry: what you paid, any repair, and your time for the pickup. If you use a paid option or a shipped checkout, check its current fee on the listing screen and include it, along with any delivery cost if you offer delivery. A cash pickup with nothing extra keeps the floor simple: cost, repair and your time. The price floor tool works the floor out for you.
Step 2: Find the local range
Search Marketplace for the same item, or the closest match, within the distance buyers in your area typically travel. Note:
| What to note | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Asking prices of comparable items | Shows what buyers see next to yours |
| Condition and completeness | Adjust for differences |
| How long listings seem to have been up | Older listings may be overpriced |
| Listings that disappear quickly | Hints at prices buyers accept |
Remember these are asking prices, not sale prices, and that a listing can disappear for reasons other than a sale. Look at five to ten comparables rather than one or two, so a single optimistic seller doesn't set your expectations. For a cross-check, completed sales elsewhere help: the research prices manual and the sold comps manual explain how to remove outliers.
Step 3: Set the asking price inside the range
In this chosen example, a solid wood desk has a floor of $70. Comparable local listings run from $90 to $150, with the closest in condition at about $120.
| Price point | Figure | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Floor | $70 | Lowest you'd accept |
| Low end of local range | $90 | Where quick sellers sit |
| High end of local range | $150 | Best condition, or optimistic |
| Asking price | $120 | Matches closest comparable |
| Expected negotiation | $100–110 | Room above floor |
Asking $120 leaves room for a typical negotiation and still clears the floor. Pricing at $60 would sit below the range and below your floor, and could make buyers suspicious, given Meta's warning about significantly underpriced listings.
Range check: If your floor is above the high end of the local range, the item may not sell locally at a profit. Consider whether it's worth shipping, holding, or treating as a lesson for future sourcing with the sourcing ceiling tool.
Step 4: Write the price into the listing clearly
Say what the price includes and what it doesn't: "$120, pickup in [area]. Delivery within 10 miles for $25." If you're firm, say so once; if you're open to offers, you don't need to say "OBO" for buyers to try. The furniture delivery guide covers pricing delivery separately.
Step 5: Respond to offers from your floor
Decide your acceptable offer before the first message arrives. In the desk example, you might accept $105 straight away, counter $90 at $110, and decline anything under $70. Having the numbers ready keeps replies short and consistent. The offer counteroffer manual has more on structuring counters.
Step 6: Adjust on a schedule
If a listing gets views but no messages for a week or two, the price, photos or title may need work. Lower in steps, such as 10% at a time, and never below the floor. If it gets plenty of messages but no sales, look at the pickup terms or description instead of the price.
Check the item can be sold
Meta's safety page lists recalled products among items prohibited on Marketplace. Before pricing a children's item, appliance or piece of furniture, check it against recalls; the recall check manual shows how. The CPSC's resale FAQ notes that its rules apply to people holding yard sales and flea markets as well as stores.
Common mistakes
- Pricing below the local range to sell fast, which can look suspicious.
- Copying the highest asking price without matching condition.
- Treating asking prices as sold prices.
- Making large cuts after a day with no messages.
- Forgetting to include delivery or repair costs in the floor.
Believable, negotiable, above the floor
On Facebook Marketplace, ask within the local range of comparable listings, leave room for an offer and know your floor before the first message. A price that makes sense to a nearby buyer sells.
Worked example · hypothetical, not a real seller
Keep the example in view
| Price point | Chosen figure |
|---|---|
| Floor | $70 |
| Low end of local range | $90 |
| High end of local range | $150 |
| Asking price | $120 |
| Expected negotiation | $100–110 |
Chosen example · edit the numbers
Put your floor beside your own local range.
Illustrative inputs, not market benchmarks or an achieved outcome. Scratchpad values stay in tab memory, not saved by this application. Reload to reset.
Before the next transaction
With JavaScript and browser storage, only checked-step IDs can stay on this device. No buyer details or amounts are saved.
Practical questions
Should I price low to sell fast?
Meta warns buyers to be cautious of significantly underpriced listings, so a price far below the range can look suspicious.
Are local listings sold prices?
No. They are asking prices; use completed sales elsewhere as a cross-check.
How often should I lower the price?
If a listing gets views but no messages for a week or two, try a step such as 10%, never below your floor.
Can I sell recalled items on Marketplace?
No. Meta lists recalled products among prohibited items.
Do this next · one concrete move