Facebook selling tips

If you've no luck through Facebook, consider free local classified sites, where buyers also collect in person and pay cash on collection.

The king of local classified sites is Gumtree, which gets over 11 million visitors a month, and lets sellers list for free. Interestingly, Gumtree is owned by eBay, but thankfully this hasn't affected its free community-based operations.

Many MoneySavers rate second-hand site Preloved*, where placing ads is also free. There's also free smartphone app Shpock, which Forumites have had success selling on – see its feedback in the forum.

Incidents are rare, but be careful. If someone's message or profile looks dodgy, trust your gut and walk away.

For smaller goods, do the exchange in a busy public place – why not outside the local police station? 

If they must come to your home, try to do the exchange on the doorstep – don't be pressurised into letting someone into your home. Also make sure someone else is in the house when the taker comes to collect.

It's a good idea to have a mobile phone in your pocket, keep valuables out of sight, and if you let a collector in, limit their movements to as few rooms as possible.

There's a secret 'Message Requests' folder in your inbox. Facebook uses this folder to prevent spam, but often useful messages end up there too – usually from buyers outside your circle of friends if you're selling via groups.

To find it, click 'messages' (top right), then the three dots. You should see a 'Message Requests' folder. Just don't blame us when you discover an invitation to an amazing bash you're five years too late to.

Another feature of Facebook groups is that people can post 'wanted' ads. It's worth searching the group first, in case someone's looking for that Etch A Sketch. 

If you spot someone looking for what you're flogging, just private message the user to let them know you have what they want and take it from there.

Facebook Marketplace doesn't offer this function, sadly.

This guide focuses on local selling groups, where you do the deal in person. Specialist national groups are also springing up too though, covering everything from quad bikes and musical instruments to special needs equipment. Just search for your interest to see what's on offer.

The advantage is a bigger audience for niche goods, but we don't recommend posting items to strangers from Facebook.

If you want to stick with selling on Facebook locally, but want to expand your reach beyond the usual selling groups, try local Facebook groups for parents. Often these allow selling ads too – do check the rules at the top of the group though.

Buyers have fewer rights when buying on the second-hand market than at retailers. The rule is caveat emptor, or "let the buyer beware". The law just states that the product must be as described and the owner has the right to sell it, ie, it's not stolen.

While not a legal obligation, offering great customer service is good practice and will stop you getting banned from your local group.

If you're flogging old unwanted stuff such as cast-off clothing or second-hand stereos, there's usually no tax to pay. But become a trader, making or selling goods bought with the intention of resale, and it IS taxable.

There are some grey areas, so read this HMRC guide to work out if you need to tell it about income made from second-hand sales.

A tax break means people no longer need to report the first £1,000 they make from selling goods including via platforms like Facebook Marketplace to HMRC. See Gov.uk for full details.