FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE SHOPPING TIPS + SEARCH TERMS
The only thing better than finding a perfect, high-quality piece of furniture for your home
is finding said perfect, high-quality piece of furniture at a fraction of its retail price via Facebook Marketplace.
Here’s the thing about shopping for
furniture + home décor on Facebook Marketplace, though:
it’s tricky, it’s unpredictable and it takes time to find your groove.
Likkkke, a lot of time.
That said,
if you’re interested in all-things-design, live for scoring a deal and
don’t mind sifting through hundreds of mediocre postings every other day
until your eyes are dry and your scrolling-thumb is aching to the point
where you’re genuinely concerned and googling specifics on carpel tunnel,
then this post is for you, friend.
Whip out your notebook, pull out a pencil
and let’s get shopping, shall we?
SHOPPING TIPS
make it a habit
After a lot of trial + error, I’ve come to realize that Facebook Marketplace requires the attention and nurturing of a semi-finicky houseplant.
The amazing thing about Marketplace is that when you spend enough of your time on there, scouring for treasures, the app takes notice of what you show interest in. The more time you’re scrolling, the more the app rewards you and begins to show you items that fit your general style.
The not-so-amazing thing about Marketplace? In order to maintain a feed of products that speak to your taste, you have to spend time each day scrolling through listings. Okay, maybe not every day, but if you go 2 weeks without looking at your feed you’re not going to see the same stylish finds that you would if you maintained that connection on a regular basis. Your results will be generic and lackluster until you train your app once again.
And, no, idle time spent scrolling through the app isn’t the only thing required to start seeing the good stuff on there. You have to use your time wisely, which brings us to tip #2…
2. share + save your favorites
Sharing is caring, baby! Feed the FBM algorithm monster and start seeing the best listings by bombarding your mom, husband and/or bestie with unsolicited texts of listings that fit your style. Listen, I don’t know how it works but I know that it does and I am forever grateful that my patient husband tolerates the endless streams of listing texts that I send his way. Because this is really and truly a daily activity for me and he loves me anyway. #Blessed
Another way to spend your time on Marketplace wisely is by saving listings you like. There’s a button on each listing that allows you to do this and I believe each time you save a listing, the keywords and style of that listing will impact the listings that pop up on your feed. Again, I know there’s an SEO/coding factor at play here but I’m not up to speed on the specifics, I just know what I do to get results.
3. play with your parameters
Change your location and change it frequently, friend. Move your shopping parameters around and increase and decrease the shopping distance you’re willing to go to unveil new products.
You could stay on FBM all day and not see everything that’s actually available in your community because Marketplace chooses to show you just enough products to keep you scrolling for hours at a time. One way to ensure you see as many of the deals possible is by expanding, minimizing and honing in on various areas nearby.
Example:
Instead of shopping everywhere in a 20 mi radius around Charlotte, I adjust down to everywhere six miles around one corner of Charlotte. Then I move the shopping area around the map, expand the search from 6 mi to a 30 mi radius of Charlotte, and more.
Different areas are going to offer different products so keep that in mind, too. I typically check out the ritziest neighborhood in Charlotte to find the traditional and/or boujee items on my wishlist.
4. follow sellers who share your style
There will come a day on your Facebook Marketplace shopping journey that you will stumble across a seller with a listing that you really, truly do not need but that encapsulates your personal style. On this day and in that moment, do yourself a favor and hit the “follow" button because chances are if that seller has one item that speaks to you, they likely have a whole entire house of stuff waiting to be listed that will probs speak to you, too.
My marketplace often presents me with a little shopping feed called “From Sellers You Follow” that allows me to scroll through lots of beautiful pieces that fit my aesthetic. Now, it’s not there every time I go on there (… or maybe it is but I’m getting too old to know where to find it?!) but when it is available, the pickings are always GOOD.
5. do your research
Research goes a long way in both saving your money and snagging your dream find on FBM.
Research the product before paying the listed price to make sure you’re getting a good deal and also get an understanding of whether it’s appropriate to initiate a negotiation. Most of the pieces I see on Marketplace are fairly priced and tend to accept the listing as is because otherwise, I could risk losing out on a killer find. That said, if you see an item that speaks to your heart but it’s a few hundred over your budget it never hurts to write a sweet message to the seller explaining how you love their listing but can only pay $X amount for it. Tell them you understand if they aren’t willing to part with their item for that amount but that if they don’t get any other offers you’d love for them to keep you in mind. It’s worked for me before and you’d be surprised how many people just want to get rid of their listing ASAP.
Take the time to research the proper name(s) related to the furniture or design accessory you’re hunting for. Learning the proper name for items will make them much easier to track down and you can even search for “X” dupes to save even more monies.
I wrote an article on HGTV.com a few years ago that shares names for iconic furniture pieces that designers use frequently in their work and I still draw on that research while designing my home today. Read it here.
General Description vs. Proper Name
Star Pendant Light // Moravian Star Pendant
Fluffy White Rug // Flokati Rug
MCM Leather Chair // Eames Lounge Chair
Retro Tufted Sofa // Florence Knoll Sofa
Curved Floor Lamp // Arco Floor Lamp
White Pedestal Table // The Tulip Table
Tufted Leather Sofa // Chesterfield Sofa
Armless Accent Chair // Barcelona Chair
Y-Back Wood Chair // Wegner Wishbone Chair
6. know when to hold + when to fold
A major key to my success on Marketplace is knowing when to hold (read: negotiate price) and knowing when to fold (i.e. paying the listed price). When you see a piece that you know is listed at a fair price and looks like something that will sell quickly, send the seller a message ASAP to let them know you’d like to purchase. Don’t play games with pieces that are exactly what you’re looking for and at a fair price OR when you see a piece like my Henrendon cabinet or IKEA sectional that’s listed for *WAY* below its value price. The seller for my beloved Henrendon cabinet told me that there were literally 22 people behind me, trying to scoop up that cabinet so like... there’s no time to dilly-dally, friend. Strike while the iron’s hot, as they say.
Okay, and one more card analogy for you: Don’t show the seller your hand! This may be ~controversial~ but it’s not your responsibility to inform the seller if and/or when they are giving away something at an inconceivably low price. The woman selling the cabinet had no clue what she was giving up, but I wasn’t about to fill her in on that, ya know what I mean?
MY GO-TO SEARCH TERMS
furniture brands + designers
Century furniture
Henredon
Russell Woodard
Milo Baughman
Drexel Heritage
Bernhardt
Hooker
Henkel Harris
Hickory
Theodore Alexander
Labarge
Lee Industries
Eames
Herman Miller
Florence Knoll
Visual Comfort Co
Generation Lighting
Lexington
Baker
Ralph Lauren // Lauren Ralph Lauren
Pottery Barn
Thomasville
Restoration Hardware
Schumacher
Circa Lighting
Serena + Lily
Arteriors
Gabby
Regina Andrews
Lee Jofa
Dash + Albert
Kelly Wearstler
Thibaut
Annie Selkie
Feiss
One Kings Lane
Uttermost
Jenny Lind
Dorothy Draper
helpful adjectives + modifiers
High End
Handmade
Custom “X”
Solid wood
Mahogany
Flame mahogany
Walnut
Rosewood
Burl Wood
Bamboo
Rattan
Leather
Hair on Hide
Fretwork
Neoclassical
Rattan
Chinoiserie
Burl Wood
Inlay / Inlaid
Polished Nickel
Bamboo
Sheaf of Wheat
Italian Regency
Palm Beach
Slope Arm
Brass
Gilt / Gilded
Rococo
Art Deco
Midcentury Modern / MCM
Traditional / Transitional
Authentic “X”
Designer Sofa
Skirted
Tufted
Crystal
Antique
Lacquered
Hairpin
Pedestal
Marble
Acrylic / Lucite
Casters
Hollywood Regency
Refinished
Cane Back
Hand-painted
Wood-frame
Beveled
Velvet
Performance Fabric
Silk
Drapes
Pagoda
Lattice
