I have been getting a lot of questions around selling items on Marketplace during this time.

I know a lot of people are home, therefore doing big declutters and cleanouts of their stuff. This is a great way to spend your time and potentially assess what you have and what you can repurpose around the home to save you money.

If you are going to be moving things on then I have created a list of tips and guidelines, a lot already communicated by Facebook Marketplace themselves, on how to do so safely.

You might also be looking to buy something. And with a lot of shop fronts closed or operating at less capacity, it might be more appropriate to find something locally in your immediate area.

It is also a great idea time to find a bargain or snap up something pretty unique as people are moving on a lot of stuff at the moment.

I know we have listed several items for free lately. Things you just wanted to move on but didn’t want to pay a tip or removal fee for can be a goldmine for someone else.

It could also be a great way to earn a few extra dollars at the moment from things you no longer need.

Whatever your reason is, here are some good tips to buy and sell on Marketplace (or any classifieds site) during COVID-19.

Check Your Local Guidelines and Laws

Before you do anything. Make sure you check that the restrictions are in your area on moving around. Can you even move around in your local area?

Facebook’s official comments on this are to following the guidance from your local health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) for how to stay healthy and help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) while buying and selling items.

Clean and Disinfect Items

Make sure you clean and disinfect any item you intend to sell. If you buy an item, make sure to clean it before bringing it into your home.

Ask all relevant questions before finalising a sale and picking the item up.

Don’t Sell Banned Items

Don’t use this as a way to take advantage of and be deceitful. All listings of items such as medical face masks, hand sanitizer, surface disinfecting wipes and COVID-19 testing kits will be removed.

Use Digital Payment Methods

You want to avoid using cash at the moment. I would suggest using PayPal for this and have outlined below the easiest and safest way to do so.

Methods like bank transfer can take a few days and doesn’t have the protection and third-party guarantee PayPal does.

Simply request the email attached to the person’s PayPal account and request the amount. A small fee will be taken but this is a much safer option.

You can also initiate this as a buyer and “send” money through PayPal the same way.

Contactless Pickup & Delivery

If you are arranging in-person pickups or deliveries, then make sure you are adhering to social distancing guidelines and the guidelines of your local health authorities as mentioned above.

I would suggest leaving them item out for collection or offering postage where you can.

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I hope these tips have been helpful in helping you navigate buying and selling online at this time.

Remember to adhere to all guidelines and laws set out by your local government. And always keep strict social distancing rules in place at all times.