What is Seller, Meta's new Facebook marketplace app for online sellers?

Meta has launched a new app called Seller, a standalone app made specially for people who sell products on Facebook Marketplace. The new Seller app officially launched on Friday, giving Marketplace sellers a separate platform to manage their business.Seller, Meta's new Facebook Marketplace app helps sellers manage listings, use AI tools, verify accounts and grow their online business. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo) (REUTERS)Facebook Marketplace was created about 10 years ago after Meta noticed that millions of Facebook users were already buying and selling products on the platform. Marketplace has now become one of Facebook’s biggest attractions, where people buy and sell used clothes, furniture, cars and many other second-hand items. Meta says Seller is part of its larger plan to improve Facebook by creating separate apps for its most active communities, according to The New York Times.Meta’s new app for sellersThis is Meta’s second community-focused app this year. In May, the company launched another app called Forum for Facebook Groups users. Tom Alison, the head of Facebook, compared Seller to editing tools used by video creators. He said the app is designed for people who use Marketplace heavily.Tom Alison said, "I think about these as things that complement the main app, and cater to the more high-intensity user communities," in an interview with The New York Times. He further added, "That’s the idea that underpins a lot of what we’re doing this year or trying this year. It’s very early — it’s experimental."Facebook marketplace keeps growingFacebook has been facing questions about its popularity in recent years, especially as apps like Instagram became more popular. Even though Meta is investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI), Facebook and Instagram advertising still brings in nearly all of the company’s revenue. That advertising business is also paying for Meta’s AI expansion, which could cost the company up to $145 billion this year.Marketplace has helped keep Facebook relevant, especially among younger users. About one-third of young adults who use Facebook every day also use Marketplace, Tom Alison told The New York Times. Marketplace sees huge activity every month, with more than 430 million items listed globally, including around 44 million vehicles, according to Tom Alison.Also read: The $1,500 question: Can Apple's new upgrade plan convince buyers to pay more for the iPhone 18 Pro?Meta created a plan last year to build more apps for Facebook’s "power users". Tom Alison described these "power users" as "the people that are making stuff happen," according to The New York Times. These power users include Marketplace sellers, Facebook Group administrators and other highly active users. Users can sign into Seller using their existing Facebook accounts, and all of their previous Marketplace listings will automatically appear in the app.Seller app features explainedThe Seller app gives users access to one place where they can manage messages, track listing performance, view old listings and create new ones. Seller is completely free to use. The app will also work through web browsers, allowing sellers to use it on computers as well. Meta does not charge sellers a commission on Marketplace sales.Instead, the company earns money through advertisements shown on the Marketplace. Seller also introduces new AI-powered features to make selling easier. One AI feature can scan photos of an item and automatically fill out product listings.AI makes selling easierTom Alison said the goal of AI is to reduce the effort needed to create listings, not replace the personal experience of buying and selling. Tom Alison said, "The thing that makes the product the most interesting is, you’re meeting somebody on the other side of it," according to The New York Times.Meta also announced a new "human verification" feature for Facebook on Friday. The feature lets users upload a video selfie to prove they are real people and not bots. Verified users receive a gray badge next to their Facebook profile name, making it easier for others to trust they are talking to a real person. Some Marketplace sellers who depend on Facebook for their income have welcomed the new app.Claire Whittaker, 53, said nearly all of her business comes from Facebook Marketplace. Whittaker started selling ceramic succulent bowls on Marketplace in the summer of 2022 while working as a waitress in San Francisco, according to The New York Times. Her first sale eventually grew into a full-time business selling plants and ceramic bowls, and she now runs it almost entirely through Marketplace from her apartment.Claire Whittaker said, "All my business comes from Facebook," according to The New York Times. She also said, "Marketplace has changed a lot since then — it’s gotten better". Claire Whittaker added that the feature she most wants is better customer support and said, "If it makes my job easier, I’ll give it a try".