The changes coming to Facebook Marketplace on September 13 can be confusing to even the most seasoned dealerships.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we’ve received when talking to dealers to help clarify exactly what this change will mean for your dealership…
What will happen to the vehicles I currently have listed on Facebook Marketplace on September 13?
Vehicles added to Facebook Marketplace automatically with a catalog feed will be removed from Marketplace on September 13.
What is a “catalog feed” and how does it relate to Facebook Marketplace?
If you haven’t heard of the term “catalog feed” before, don’t worry. Many dealers don’t ever see or even know what a catalog feed is because it’s handled by their marketing partners.
Essentially, a catalog feed is a technical document that automatically updates any changes to your dealership’s inventory on Facebook.
Most dealerships are using a partner to automate vehicle postings to Facebook Marketplace. This includes everything from adding new vehicles to removing sold vehicles to updating any details about the vehicle (i.e. pricing or mileage updates).
However, on September 13, Facebook will no longer allow catalog feeds to post vehicles to Marketplace for free.
Are catalog feeds going away?
No, however, one of the major ways they were used (Facebook Marketplace) is no longer being supported. Dealerships can still use catalog feeds to promote vehicles on Marketplace, Facebook, and Instagram.
Dealerships who want to automate this process will need to utilize advertising to do so.
Facebook requires a minimum budget of $5 a day for advertising on their platform.
How do I know if I’m using a catalog feed to post to Marketplace?
If you are automatically posting to Facebook Marketplace either yourself or with a partner you are using a catalog feed to do so. Manual posting is very involved and requires someone to physically type in all of the details about your vehicle. Manually posting vehicles is usually only done by private sellers.
In other words, if your dealership is currently relying on Facebook Marketplace to sell vehicles, you’ll need a new strategy for the platform after September 13.
Why is Facebook no longer allowing catalog feeds on Facebook Marketplace?
You can read Facebook’s official statement on why they’re discontinuing the distribution of inventory partner catalog listings on Facebook Marketplace here.
However, there are two main reasons that most likely contributed to the change…
First, automatic catalog posting to Facebook Marketplace was free for a long time. Now that Facebook has built a platform that dealerships get a lot of value from, Facebook likely wants to generate revenue from the platform.
Second, many dealerships were knowingly or unknowingly working with multiple vendors to post their catalog feeds to the platform. This meant Facebook was constantly having to use resources to ensure the platform wasn’t overrun with duplicate vehicle listings.
If I’m posting vehicles myself manually on Facebook Marketplace, will I still be able to do this after September 13?
Yes! Manual posting to Marketplace is not being discontinued. However, mostly only private individual sales are handled this way. The vast majority of dealers with vehicles on Marketplace are posting automatically with the catalog feed.
A marketing vendor told me not to worry about September 13, my dealership’s inventory will continue to be posted automatically. Is this true?
We are Facebook Preferred partners and talk to Facebook regularly. At this time there is no way to post automatically after September 13.
Regardless, Promoted Ads are easier, produce better results, and are cost-effective. OFD-AIA ads are Facebook’s recommended way to advertise vehicles on their platform and they will continue to support it long-term.
Can I just post my vehicles manually to Facebook Marketplace?
If you only have a few vehicles (i.e. fewer than 10) then manually posting your inventory could be a realistic option. However, it’s important to remember that adding vehicles to Marketplace is a time-intensive process that involves manually selecting dropdown options and filling out multiple fields manually.
These manual processes are also prone to human error like typos on important details like mileage or price.
If you manually post your inventory, you’ll also need to take down sold vehicles promptly. Otherwise, you could get negative reviews that will affect your Facebook star rating.
Facebook will also give priority placement to paid ads over manually created listings.
What can I do to make sure this change doesn’t impact my dealership’s business?
AutoSweet’s Promoted Marketplace Inventory solution is the easiest and most cost-effective way to ensure your vehicles are still automatically added to Facebook Marketplace.
What Results Can You Expect from Promoted Marketplace Inventory (AIA) Ads?
Our Promoted Marketplace Inventory program is similar to programs we run with many dealers (independent and franchise) using On-Facebook Destination for Automotive Inventory Ads (AIA).
This is a very popular strategy due to the frictionless ad experience for Facebook users. Because of this on-platform experience, AIA ads lead to more interactions with car shoppers on Facebook than any other campaign.
Last year, Passport Auto partnered with AutoSweet to try the (then) new ad format and experienced a 258X Return on Investment!
How the Program Worked for Passport Auto:
Ads only displayed Passport Auto’s active inventory because AutoSweet syncs each dealer’s inventory catalog with Facebook on an hourly basis. This means anytime a vehicle is added or removed, or if any details about a vehicle were changed in your DMS, it is also updated on Facebook within an hour.
The ads for this trial were delivered on mobile and desktop not only to Facebook Marketplace, but also to Facebook’s News Feed, Search Results, and Stories.
This strategy kept the dealership’s vehicles top-of-mind as interested shoppers were retargeted with ads for vehicles they’d clicked on earlier.
After 3 months and a $5,500 ad spend, these are the results of the AIA campaign:
- >2 Million Impressions
- ~1 Million Reach
- $43/Day in Average Spend
- 163% Increase in Leads Per Day
- $125 Cost Per Sale
- 258X Return on Investment
Still have questions about Facebook Marketplace or Promoted Marketplace Inventory from AutoSweet?
We are always here to help! Call us at (614) 459-3558 or email [email protected] with any questions you may still have.
Interested in learning more about Promoted Marketplace Inventory?
Fill out the form below for details on how you can get started today!
