RIP Facebook Marketplace for Car Dealers

[digital_gangster]

So, this is not good news for dealers with large inventory numbers posted to the Marketplace on a regular basis. To clarify, the "partner catalog" would be if you have a third party handling your catalog? Right?

 

[craigh]

So, this is not good news for dealers with large inventory numbers posted to the Marketplace on a regular basis. To clarify, the "partner catalog" would be if you have a third party handling your catalog? Right?

From what I understand:
- third party sending your catalogue no longer works
- bulk uploading your inventory lists is not possible
- listing vehicles one at a time as a private listing works

The two avenues they seem to be pushing:
- Facebook Inventory Ads
- Running Ads on the marketplace - these are ads, not listings and they look and function differently

We've been playing with this a fair bit - their docs are slowly being updated to reflect what is possible in September.

 

[Tallcool1]

From what I understand:
- third party sending your catalogue no longer works
- bulk uploading your inventory lists is not possible
- listing vehicles one at a time as a private listing works

The two avenues they seem to be pushing:
- Facebook Inventory Ads
- Running Ads on the marketplace - these are ads, not listings and they look and function differently

We've been playing with this a fair bit - their docs are slowly being updated to reflect what is possible in September.

Paid Marketplace is interesting to me.

Please do let us know what you learn on this!

 

[craigh]

Paid Marketplace is interesting to me.

Please do let us know what you learn on this!

I don't think it's what most dealers are looking for, but it might be. They make it sound better than it is, but basically they're saying "you can still pay us to run ads for you, which sometimes show up on the marketplace, amongst other places on Facebook."

Reach car shoppers with automotive inventory ads: You can set up your automotive inventory ads from your dealership Page with your partner catalog. When you set up your ads, you can also leverage the on-Facebook destination, a mobile-optimized shopping experience on the Facebook platform. Automotive inventory ads will continue to be displayed on Marketplace and across other placements on Facebook.

The thing I don't like about their inventory ads is that you have to use their catalogue system, their template system, their reporting, etc.
There are some benefits when you want to do dynamic retargeting, but I'm not sure what other benefits there are when it comes to delivering the ads.

 

[Poppie]

Hello, I didn't really understand what possibilities will we have on September 13th if we want to upload our whole vehicle listings automatically (not manually) ?
I understand that Facebook will not pass throught Partners Catalogs imports anymore, but does it mean that now it will be possible to do it directly with a Facebook integrated tool ? (which doesn't exist actually)
If so, do you have an idea what price FB could propose for this feature ?

 

[craigh]

Hello, I didn't really understand what possibilities will we have on September 13th if we want to upload our whole vehicle listings automatically (not manually) ?
I understand that Facebook will not pass throught Partners Catalogs imports anymore, but does it mean that now it will be possible to do it directly with a Facebook integrated tool ? (which doesn't exist actually)
If so, do you have an idea what price FB could propose for this feature ?

I don't think that's an option.
As I understand it, you have 2 options:

1. Partner with someone who turns your vehicles into standard Facebook Ads and runs them on Facebook, including alongside the Marketplace
2. Upload your vehicles one at a time to the Marketplace as a single listing

 

[Justin Rindos]

For one I think this is a good thing. Vendors are uploading your inventory feed to marketplace via AIA then creating leads and taking credit for them. The big agencies will just upload your feed and have one ad that scrolls the entire inventory. (We all know people don't scroll the whole inventory) I have been doing the AIA for some time now and have it all figured out. I have a 2 feed providers that was able to format it correctly for Facebook. A few scripts and BAM! all inventory is on Facebook. There are also ways to creatively add graphics to the ads, create specific vehicle sets, and even add actual payments. DM me if you want to know more. I do manage this kind of stuff for dealers.

 

[craigh]

For one I think this is a good thing.

I think it's a good thing, if not a great thing.
My motivations are a bit different though - I want there to be a consumer to consumer automotive market that isn't saturated by dealers.
Craigslist, Kijiji, AutoTrader, etc all have private listings and dealers co-existing and I think there's absolutely room in the market for one that is just consumer to consumer.

Aside from vehicles, Facebook Marketplace is amazing - I use it all the time to source random items, car parts, replacements, etc.

 

[wayne23serie]

If you owe an old vehicle catalog you can ad the inventory on facebook marketplace!!!! NO paid ads, you need only an old vehicle catalog with marketplace enabled!! New vehicle catalog is not working anymore but old it still work!!

 

[Ryan Everson]

If you owe an old vehicle catalog you can ad the inventory on facebook marketplace!!!! NO paid ads, you need only an old vehicle catalog with marketplace enabled!! New vehicle catalog is not working anymore but old it still work!!

Yes, but it will only work until September 13th. After that, you're out of luck and have to go the manual (or paid AIA) route.