The task
You are selling a single item on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, Gumtree, Vinted, or a local Telegram group. You need a short listing — usually 50-100 words — that gives enough detail to filter out tire-kickers, signals you are trustworthy, and answers the questions every buyer asks (pickup, payment, condition).
Each platform demands a different listing style
The title says “works on all of them,” but Facebook Marketplace, Xianyu, and local-group posts read nothing alike. Same item, three different listings. Below is what each platform actually expects, with the same item — a 9-month-old item, lightly used — rewritten for each.
Facebook Marketplace
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Length: 300-500 words is fine. There is no bullet support in the body, so write in natural paragraphs.
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Voice: direct, honest, a little personal. Mentioning small flaws upfront raises trust more than it scares buyers.
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Must include: dimensions, year of purchase, pickup logistics (driveway / inside, stairs / no stairs), cash vs. electronic payment.
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Avoid: stacked emoji and excessive hashtags — Facebook does not index them and they read as spam.
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Sample listing — IKEA Malm 6-drawer dresser, white, 9 months old:
Selling our IKEA Malm 6-drawer dresser in white. We bought it new from the Brooklyn store in August 2025 — about nine months of light use in a guest bedroom, no kids, no pets. Dimensions: 63 in wide, 30 in tall, 19 in deep. All drawers slide smoothly, no broken hardware. There is one small scuff on the back-left corner from moving day (photo 4) — not visible against a wall. Original assembly instructions included. Asking $140 firm. We paid $279. Selling because we are moving cross-country and it does not fit the new place. Pickup only, ground-floor walkout, easy load. Cash or Venmo on pickup. I can help carry to your vehicle. Message me with a pickup window and I will hold it for you.
Xianyu (Alibaba’s Chinese second-hand marketplace)
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Length: 200-400 characters in Mandarin. Write the listing in Chinese — English-only listings on Xianyu get ignored.
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Voice: emoji + a topic hashtag + native shorthand. Use the platform’s stock phrases for “open to a small haggle,” condition grade (“9/10 condition”), original price vs current price. Skipping these phrases makes you look like a scalper.
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Must include: original price, current price, how long you owned it, and which shipping option (carrier shipping included / self-pickup / same-city).
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Interaction phrasing: end with the native equivalent of “DM me before you tap buy” — buyers expect a quick chat before they hit buy.
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Sample listing structure — same idea, but a 9/10 iPhone 15 since Malm doesn’t ship on Xianyu:
[Condition + model + storage + color + ownership length + selling] #SecondhandPhones #iPhone15 Original price [X], asking [Y], slight haggling OK. Bought from official site in [month/year]. Receipt and box included. Battery health 93%, no drops, no repairs, all original parts. Under warranty until [date]. Calls, signal, Face ID, camera — all working. Same-city Shanghai meet-up; carrier shipping to other cities. Pay after inspection. DM me before tapping buy.Write each bracketed segment in Mandarin when you actually post; the structure above is the English skeleton.
Local-group platforms (Vinted, Zhuanzhuan, neighborhood chats)
Different sub-platforms inside this bucket each have their own quirks:
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Vinted (Western second-hand fashion): ships by post, almost never local pickup. Specify size + condition + packaging type. No haggling tone — buyers use the platform’s built-in offer button.
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Zhuanzhuan (China electronics): mandatory authentication for phones and laptops. Include the platform’s standard “self-inspected + not carrier-locked + supports official inspection” phrases (in Mandarin) to filter scam-wary buyers.
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Telegram neighborhood groups / Facebook neighborhood groups: ultra-short, 3 lines max. Item + price + cross-street + contact.
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Sample listing — Vinted (Zara wool coat, size M):
Zara wool-blend coat, size M, camel. Worn 4-5 times, no pilling, no stains, smoke-free home. Bust 38 in, length 44 in. Ships next day, folded in recycled tissue. Open to offers via Vinted button. -
Sample listing structure — Zhuanzhuan (same iPhone 15):
iPhone 15, 128GB, black, 9/10 condition, asking [price] Self-inspected + carrier-unlocked + official inspection supported Battery 93%, under warranty, receipt included Carrier shipping included, pay after inspectionPost the actual text in Mandarin; the four lines above are the English outline.
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Sample listing — Telegram neighborhood group:
IKEA Malm dresser, white, $140. Mission/24th. DM me.
When AI is the right tool
- You are clearing out 5+ items at once and need consistent listings fast.
- You are not a strong writer in the marketplace’s local language.
- You want to sound friendly without sounding desperate.
- You are reselling repaired or refurbished items and want to disclose condition clearly.
When not to rely on AI alone
- High-value items (cars, jewelry, electronics over a few hundred dollars) where every claim has resale and legal implications.
- Items with safety considerations (cribs, car seats, helmets) — wording matters and is sometimes regulated.
- Anything where buyer disputes are common; keep listings factual and human-checked.
What to feed the AI
- Item name, brand, model, year.
- Honest condition notes (scratches, missing parts, recent repairs).
- Asking price and whether you accept offers.
- Location and pickup vs. shipping options.
- Accepted payment methods (cash, Venmo, Zelle, bank transfer).
- Reason for selling — buyers like context.
Copy-ready prompt
You are helping a private seller write a short marketplace listing.
Item: {item}
Condition: {condition}
Price: {price}
Negotiable: {yes_or_no}
Location: {city_or_neighborhood}
Pickup or shipping: {logistics}
Payment: {payment_methods}
Reason for selling: {reason}
Write the listing in under 80 words.
Structure:
1. Opening line — item + condition in one sentence.
2. Two or three short specifics (size, dimensions, brand, age).
3. One line on why you're selling (optional but builds trust).
4. Logistics line — pickup, payment, return policy.
5. Closing call — "Message me with questions" or similar.
Tone: friendly, plain, adult. No emojis. No marketing words.Recommended output structure
Five short sentences in plain language. No bullet lists on Facebook Marketplace — they truncate awkwardly. Front-load the condition and price so buyers self-qualify.
How to check the output
- Count the words — aim for 60-90.
- Read it from a buyer’s perspective: do you trust the seller?
- Confirm every detail is true. Padding a description backfires when the buyer arrives.
- Strip any line that does not change a buyer’s mind.
Common mistakes
- Walls of text — buyers skim on phones. Especially bad in Telegram or Facebook neighborhood groups, where 3 lines is the norm.
- Vague condition (“like new” without saying what is or isn’t worn).
- Missing pickup details, forcing five messages back and forth.
- Posting the same listing across 5 cities — most platforms detect and demote duplicates.
- Wrong-platform copy: posting Vinted ship-by-post wording on Xianyu, which expects native phrases for “same-city self-pickup” or “carrier shipping included” by default — buyers think you’re a reseller.
- Cross-platform jargon leak: the AI sometimes leaves Xianyu’s haggling shorthand (literally “small knife” — meaning “open to a bit of bargaining”) in Facebook Marketplace listings if you mentioned Xianyu earlier in the same prompt. Western buyers won’t recognize it.
- Emoji stacking on Facebook Marketplace: every fire / sparkle emoji you add signals “drop-shipper,” not “neighbor with a couch.”
- 200-word paragraphs in a Telegram or WhatsApp neighborhood group: the chat scrolls past it. 3 lines: item, price + neighborhood, contact.
Next steps to keep improving
Save a personal template for each item category (clothes, electronics, furniture). After every sale, note which detail buyers asked about anyway — add it to the next listing.
FAQ
- Should I mention I’m firm on price? Yes, in one line. Saves both sides time.
- Photos or words first? Photos. The listing’s job is to confirm what the photo already sold.
- Should I list a phone number? No. Use platform messaging until you have a confirmed buyer.
- What’s the best time to post? Weekday evenings for most categories; Sunday mornings for furniture.
Related
For platform-specific writing, see marketplace listing title prompts, the Etsy listing workflow, and product description prompts.
Tags: #E-commerce #Workflow