The Social media company, Facebook has resolved to introduce its e-commerce service, Marketplace, to the Nigerian market. The innovation is an online space where items can be sold and bought within a local community, and the service has already been implemented in some African countries.
Explaining the working process, Facebook stated that when a seller lists an item on the Marketplace, a public listing that could be seen by anyone on Facebook has been created, which is accessible to people on the market space, News Feed, Facebook search, Facebook Groups and search engines. The listed item to be featured would include the photos, description and price of the item.
The company also stated that buying and selling on the platform by users must comply with its community standards and commerce policies, and buyers are advised to request a certificate of authenticity or proof of purchase for high-value items like watches, luxury bags and others. Reporting any form of violation of the commerce policies is also allowed, while a warning on users protecting their passwords and confidential information was issued.
The Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Adaora Ikenze, noted that the launch of Marketplace in Nigeria was going to help a lot of businesses in the country as the Pandemic affected many businesses, but this initiative was a beam of hope.
She said “This comes at a crucial time as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact people and businesses, and with many people buying and selling on Facebook, this will provide people with a convenient destination where they can discover new products, shop or find buyers for the things they are ready to part with”
