The Snippet:
For the first time, Facebook is putting its Marketplace platform through the hoops in one of the world’s fastest growing internet markets, India. The service is expected to compete directly against domestic majors in the space, Quikr and OLX, but is still in very early stages of testing.
The Story:
Globally, Facebook sees more than a quarter of its total user base (>550 million of 2 billion) utilizing Facebook pages to buy and sell items, so it’s a natural move for the company to trial Marketplace in what is potentially one of its largest markets for such a platform.
The test is being conducted in specific locations, and Facebook still needs to figure out various modalities. For example, marketplace platforms are typically free to use, but are often monetized using digital advertising. Facebook, however, isn’t thinking that far ahead yet.
According to Karandeep Anand, director – product management at Facebook:
“We don’t have a particular date in India for the pan-India launch. The goal of the test is to start learning. As we learn, we will understand whether the product meets the needs, finds it engaging. As we learn, we will start rolling it more broadly.”
For now, it will let users in test locations list their products, and allow the categories to build themselves over time rather than predefine them.
Facebook is also using privacy tools to protect users, as well as machine learning algorithms to identify illegal or banned items such as firearms, tobacco and so on. In addition, users can report specific listings based on Facebook’s policies around such items.
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