A Guide to Using Facebook Marketplace with The Lemon Stand

With recent changes to Facebook Shops in NZ and Australia, using Marketplace is now the best strategy for reaching local buyers. This guide explains how to do it right.

Why This Matters

Meta (Facebook's parent company) has been phasing out in-app shops globally. For sellers in New Zealand and Australia, this means directing customers from Facebook to your own website—like your Lemon Stand storefront—is the most reliable way to make sales.

✅ The Right Way to Do It: Best Practices

Think of Marketplace as a free billboard to attract customers. Your Lemon Stand is your actual shop where the sales happen.

Use Marketplace for Discovery: Post your products with great photos and clear descriptions. Your Lemon Stand's Marketplace Helper generates a perfect, detailed description for you to copy and paste.
Be Transparent: Your listing should be honest. The description we generate already includes a clear call-to-action for buyers to order through your secure link.
Keep Prices Consistent: The price on your Marketplace listing must match the price on your Lemon Stand. This builds trust with your buyers.
Focus on Quality over Quantity: Make each listing a real, detailed product post. Avoid creating dozens of empty or "click here" style listings, as Meta may flag this as spam.
Build Your Home Base: Marketplace is a fantastic tool, but your Lemon Stand is your permanent home on the web. If Meta changes its rules or suspends a listing, you'll still have your own independent store to fall back on.

🚫 What to Avoid: Common Policy Traps

To keep your account in good standing with Meta, avoid these common pitfalls:

Vague Listings: Don't create posts that just say "Click to buy" with no product details.
Misleading Checkout: Never imply that checkout happens inside Facebook if it doesn't. Be clear that the sale is completed on your secure store.
Prohibited Items: Stick to the rules and don't sell anything on Meta's prohibited items list.

🛒 Example Listing Template

The Lemon Stand's Marketplace Helper automatically generates a description like this for you. Notice how it's clear, detailed, and sets the right expectations.

Title: Handcrafted Beeswax Candles – 3x PackPrice: $40Description:Handcrafted Beeswax Candles – 3x Pack • Price: $40.00 per pack • Made in NZ, burn ~40 hrs each • Free shipping NZ wide (AU shipping extra) 👉 To order, just send me a message to confirm. I’ll reply with a quick checkout link. Thanks heaps for supporting local!