In what year did Facebook launch Marketplace?

Facebook launched Marketplace in 2016. The new buying-and-selling feature was announced and introduced on October 3, 2016, initially in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Marketplace was Facebook’s answer to the growth of local buy-and-sell groups. It gave users a dedicated place in the mobile app to browse nearby listings and offer items for sale, making the service comparable to Craigslist and other classified-ad platforms. Listings could include photographs, descriptions, prices and approximate locations.

The 2016 Marketplace was not Facebook’s first attempt at classified listings. An earlier Marketplace feature had existed in 2007, covering areas such as sales, housing and jobs. It struggled to gain traction, was powered by Oodle, and was eventually shut down in 2014. The later version was rebuilt around Facebook’s large network of local communities.

Marketplace initially focused on consumer-to-consumer sales. Over time, Facebook expanded it to support businesses and new products, turning the feature into a larger commercial channel.