How to Check If a Facebook Marketplace Deal Is Worth Buying

When you're scrolling through Facebook Marketplace looking for items to flip, the critical question isn't whether something looks like a good deal. The question is whether you can make a profit after accounting for all fees, shipping, and time invested. Making quick, accurate buying decisions is what separates profitable resellers from those who end up with garages full of inventory they can't sell.

This guide will walk you through the exact framework professional resellers use to evaluate deals in seconds, helping you make confident buying decisions that lead to consistent profits.

The 60-Second Deal Evaluation Framework

When you spot a potential item on Facebook Marketplace, run through this quick mental checklist:

Step 1: Find the Real Market Value

The first step is discovering what the item actually sells for, not what people are asking. Head to eBay and search for the exact item, then filter by "Sold listings" to see completed sales. Look at the last 10-20 sold listings to get an average selling price.

Pay attention to condition. A "like new" gaming console sells for significantly more than one listed as "good" with scratches. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples based on the condition of the Facebook Marketplace listing you're evaluating.

Step 2: Calculate Your All-In Costs

This is where most beginners make mistakes. They forget to account for all the costs that eat into profit margins.

Here's the complete cost breakdown:

• Purchase price: What the seller is asking (or your negotiated price)
• eBay fees: 13% of the final sale price for most categories
• Payment processing fees: 3% for PayPal or managed payments
• Shipping costs: Actual carrier cost to send the item
• Packaging supplies: Boxes, bubble wrap, tape (typically $2-5 per item)
• Gas and time: Cost to pick up the item

Step 3: Run the Quick Profit Calculation

Take the average eBay sold price and multiply by 0.84 (this accounts for the 16% in combined fees). Subtract your purchase price and estimated shipping cost. What's left is your profit.

For example, you find a KitchenAid mixer on Facebook Marketplace for $120:

• Average eBay sold price: $220
• After fees (220 × 0.84): $185
• Purchase price: -$120
• Shipping cost: -$25
• Packaging: -$3
• Net profit: $37

Is $37 worth your time to pick up the item, photograph it, create a listing, package it, and ship it? For many resellers, the answer is yes. But this is a personal decision based on your time value.

Step 4: Apply the Minimum Profit Filter

Experienced resellers use minimum profit thresholds to avoid wasting time on low-margin deals:

• Items under $50: minimum $15-20 profit
• Items $50-150: minimum $30-40 profit
• Items over $150: minimum $50+ profit or 30% margin

These thresholds ensure you're spending time on deals that actually move the needle on your income.

Red Flags That Scream "Walk Away"

Not every deal that looks profitable on paper is worth buying. Watch for these warning signs:

Pricing Red Flags

If the price is dramatically below market value (like 70-80% off), there's usually a reason. The item might be broken, counterfeit, or stolen. Legitimate sellers price items within a reasonable range of market value, even if they need to sell quickly.

Seller Red Flags

• Brand new Facebook profile with no history
• Refuses to meet in public places
• Won't provide additional photos or details
• Pushes for immediate payment or deposit
• Has multiple high-value items listed at suspiciously low prices
• Wants to communicate only via text or email, not through Facebook

Item Condition Red Flags

• Photos are blurry, taken from weird angles, or show only one side
• Description says "not tested" or "selling as-is" for electronics
• Missing original packaging, accessories, or parts
• Signs of damage that would significantly impact resale value
• Serial numbers are scratched off or obscured

Category-Specific Red Flags

Different product categories have specific warning signs:

• Electronics: Won't power on for demonstration, iCloud/account lock not removed
• Designer goods: No receipt, tags look suspicious, selling multiple luxury items
• Tools: Heavy rust, missing batteries/chargers, "parts only" description
• Collectibles: Reproductions being sold as authentic vintage items

Making the Final Decision

Once you've run the numbers and checked for red flags, consider these final factors:

Turnover Speed: Some items might have great margins but take 6 months to sell. Others have smaller margins but sell within days. For beginners, faster turnover is usually better because it lets you reinvest profits quickly.

Your Expertise: Stick to categories where you can accurately assess condition and authenticity. A vintage guitar might have great margins, but if you can't spot a fake or assess repair needs, it's too risky.

Storage and Shipping Complexity: A $50 profit sounds great until you realize the item weighs 60 pounds and costs $40 to ship, or takes up half your garage for three months.

Competition: Check how many similar items are currently listed on eBay. If there are 200+ active listings, yours might sit for a while or require price drops to sell.

The One-Click Solution

Manually checking eBay sold listings for every Facebook Marketplace item you consider gets exhausting fast. You either miss good deals because you don't have time to research, or you waste hours researching items that weren't profitable anyway.

FlipChecker solves this by showing eBay sold listing data directly on Facebook Marketplace pages. When you're browsing Facebook Marketplace, you instantly see what items actually sell for on eBay, complete with photos and sold dates. This turns a 5-minute research process into a 5-second decision.

The free tier gives you 10 lookups per day with no credit card required, which is perfect for casual resellers or those just starting out. You can evaluate deals in real-time while browsing, making quick decisions before someone else grabs the good items.

Real Example Walkthrough

Let's walk through a real decision process:

You're scrolling Facebook Marketplace and see a Dyson V8 vacuum listed for $100. The seller says it's in good condition with all accessories.

Using FlipChecker, you see recent eBay sold listings:

• $185 (excellent condition, complete)
• $165 (good condition, minor wear)
• $170 (good condition, complete)
• $155 (good condition, missing one tool)

Average for "good condition": around $165

Quick calculation:

• Sale price after fees (165 × 0.84): $139
• Purchase price: -$100
• Shipping (it's bulky): -$15
• Packaging: -$4
• Net profit: $20

The profit is right at the minimum threshold for this price range. You check the listing photos and they show the item from multiple angles, all attachments included, and the seller has a 5-year-old profile with good ratings from other sales.

Decision: This is worth buying if it's convenient to pick up. If it requires a 40-minute drive, probably pass unless you can negotiate down to $80-85.

Building Your Decision-Making Speed

When you first start flipping, this process might take 5-10 minutes per item. But after evaluating 50-100 items, you'll develop an intuition for what's profitable. You'll start recognizing items, remembering typical selling prices, and making faster decisions.

The key is to actually track your results. Keep a simple spreadsheet noting what you paid, what you sold for, and actual profit. After 20-30 flips, you'll see patterns in which categories work best for you and which ones consistently underperform.

Ready to start making faster, more profitable buying decisions? Try FlipChecker free to see eBay sold prices instantly while browsing Facebook Marketplace. The free tier gives you 10 lookups per day, no credit card required. Stop guessing whether deals are worth buying and start making data-driven decisions in seconds.

For more strategies on finding profitable items, check out our guides on finding underpriced items on Facebook Marketplace and comparing Facebook Marketplace prices to eBay. New to flipping? Start with our comprehensive Facebook Marketplace flipping guide for beginners.