Side Hustle School Ep. 3265 - Q&A: “Should I add shipping to my Marketplace listings?”
Dec 9, 2025
A local seller grapples with the decision to offer shipping on Marketplace. Concerns about scams and returns arise, prompting a suggestion to pilot shipping with small, sturdy items. Emphasizing safety, advice includes requiring payment before shipping and utilizing protected checkouts. Packaging tips and label options enhance shipping efficiency. The potential of expanding sales to eBay for wider reach is also explored. Ultimately, the choice to ship remains in the seller's hands.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Local Seller Faces Shipping Requests
- A local seller lists furniture and collectibles on Facebook Marketplace with pickup only and gets shipping requests from nonlocal buyers.
- Buyers sometimes offer sketchy prepayment methods, which raises safety concerns.
Start With A Two-Week Pilot
- Run a short pilot instead of changing every listing and test shipping only a handful of small, sturdy items for two weeks.
- Avoid shipping bulky furniture at first because it's more difficult and expensive to handle.
Shipping Expands Reach But Adds Complexity
- Adding shipping can dramatically increase your buyer pool but also introduces scams, returns, and handling complexity.
- You don't have to add shipping if it stresses you; keep the hustle small and deliberate choices simple.