Though not exactly Sophie’s choice, the decision to sell my 1953 Ford F100 Golden Anniversary Edition pickup left me torn and uneasy. Grudgingly working through the process of winnowing down my small collection of vehicles left standing alone my able and eager Meadow Green F100 work horse of the 1950s. Consideration of my other vehicles found them either worth too little or meaning too much. Now, the question facing me required deciding on how to sell it. Park it on a busy street sporting a for sale sign? Maybe an online purchase site. Certainly myriad online auctions beckoned. Finally based on a friend’s suggestion, I turned to Facebook Marketplace. Let me say upfront, I consider Facebook to be the Devil’s work. That said, I figured why not let the Devil work for me.

Going face-to-face with Facebook Marketplace

An old school car guy goes face-to-face with Facebook Marketplace

Unlike billions of other Earthlings I did not spend time on Facebook…until last week. Enlisting the aid of friend and online sales maven Nick Navarro of Navarro Automotive Consulting (NAC), I elected to go where millions of people have gone before, just not me. I entered Mark Zuckerberg’s digital bazaar.

My friend Nick represents the “Hope” side of what I call “The History and the Hope” spectrum of automotive enthusiasts. The “History” side of the classic vehicle obsession makes itself painfully evident with the departure of the many skilled craftsman and passionate collectors we witness melting out of the culture. Nick conversely represents one of the many young men and women who share the passion and willingly accept the baton we of the  “History” side happily hand off, grateful for their youthful interest.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Automotive Restoration from McPherson College and, after post graduation work in high-end classic car restoration including work for the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and the Audrain, Nick began his own company, (NAC) focusing on restoration consulting and brokering.

Nick, being both a dyed in the wool car guy and an accomplished digital native, represents the future of classic car enthusiasm. To better understand those comprising the “Hope,” one should recognize an attribute, that of “Digital Native,” common to those like Nick. Think of digital communications as a language. Rare is the older person who learns a language without retaining an accent as compared to a person who learned a language as a child. So it is with digital communications. Those who have learned to navigate social media outlets from childhood, like Nick, employ it’s refinements with a natural ease and artistry. An ease, artistry and interest which I, as part of the history, frankly lack.

At the start Nick suggested posting my F100 using his site. He offered that this would relieve me of significant phone drudgery. Nick Says, “For most sellers, it is best to channel initial inquiries through my site. It allows me to vet the contacts and weed out the tire kickers, scammers and kooks.” Nick’s functioning as a buffer benefits sellers like me by limiting their involvement to dealing with serious prospects. I agreed. Now, on to creating the posting.

Interestingly, especially for those preferring computers (desktops, laptops) versus mobile devices (phones and tablets) Nicks notes that Facebook Marketplace, counter intuitively at least for non-digital natives, actually offers more features when accessed through a mobile device.

Anyone can access Facebook Marketplace to browse, though one needs an account to engage. Nick cautions saying, “Anybody can do this on their own personal page. It can be done on select commercial pages too, but it requires registering and it involves more of a process.” So, to begin.

Select marketplace

Start by logging on to your Facebook page and click on the Marketplace icon to begin creating a new listing. It offers three choices, Item, Vehicle or Home. Select Vehicle.

A prompt comes up requesting photographs as well as specific information including type of vehicle, location, model year, make, model, price and description. Additional prompts may request type of fuel, transmission, interior and exterior color.

In referring to writing the description Nick says, “I prefer to keep it broad because the Facebook audience is a broad audience.” He believes a broader description may offer a greater appeal to a first time buyer or someone new to the hobby. He continues saying, “However, I do like to include a few specifics that will resonate with a more knowledgeable reader.” In the case of my truck he calls attention to the hard-to-find under-bed spare tire hanger and wing nut. Nick says, “Marketplace does not offer as sophisticated a platform as, say, Bring-a-Trailer with BaT’s space for hundreds of photos, expansive copy and comments.” He does emphasize that photography remains an important feature essential to creating an effective Marketplace posting.

As to photography Nick says, “You want high quality, sharp, well composed images clearly showing all the specific areas such as underneath, engine compartment, interior and exterior from all sides of the vehicle and all angles. Three-quarter shots are a must. Videos of your vehicle can also be posted. Nick says, “Videos, if available, showing the vehicle running, etc. can add to the power of your post.”

Accompanying the crisp, and clear photography must be a written description equally clear. Copy should provide the basic vehicle history and important attributes in clear succinct paragraphs. Not too long, not to brief, it should simply provide enough detail to make an interested party more interested. A written description should provide what you as a buyer would want to know. It should not so much sell, rather it should accurately describe. Good writing does not tell. It shows. Copy like “WOW, a super powerful tire smoker” would better be written as “Dyno tuned 426 Hemi.” Trust that the buyer has a brain. While some callers may make you question that assumption, a real prospective buyer will not. Have faith.

Accompanying the “DOs” for a quality Facebook Marketplace experience are a number of DON’Ts.”

Be mindful that certain precautions should be taken as you are attaching this post to your social media platform. Nick says, “You shouldn’t have any personal data on either the listing or your personal profile page. Strangers can link both of them.”

With all bases touched Nick launched the competed post. An important reminder, a post will last for seven days. At the end of the week it must be renewed, not recreated, just renewed.

Always know that anything posted goes public and lasts forever even if deleted. Do not include your phone number or your address. Social media company Meta owns Facebook and Instagram. They make money off your data. With every click you make, Meta creates a file. Presently this reality rules the social media world. If this makes you uncomfortable do not use it. Or, as I have done, have Nick and NAC do it to keep the seller anonymous.

That said, Facebook does offer the ability to access over three-billion users world-wide. Does that mean you post will be seen by potential buyers from the town next door to across the globe? No. However, anybody on Facebook can access your post whether your neighbor Tony on the next block or Sven in Gӧteborg, Sweden. Marketplace offers multiple paths to your posting.

When listed your posting will be made available to your Local area much like Craig’s List. Areas such as Northern New Jersey or Southern New Jersey. So if someone in Carlisle, PA is looking for an F100 pickup but they are only searching their local area my F100 would not come up. However, again like Craig’s List, that buyer can expand the search area around his location by 500 miles, then my F100 would show up. Or Maybe someone in Vermont thinks he or she can get a cleaner example of the vehicle they want in California. That person can set their geographical position to California to conduct their search there. This represents an enormous advantage over Craig’s List.

As a seller I can boost my exposure a number of ways. I can join a national or international group focused on a certain vehicle. In my case Ford F100 pickups. Nick says, “Hypothetically, you can share your listing with groups around the world focused on what you are selling. As a sales tool, if used properly, it can be very effective.”

NAC offers a clean vetting process. Nick says, “Prospects contact us via Facebook Messenger, with a message basically stating an interest in the vehicle. First thing we do is request a contact phone number. When we get a number, it tells us two things. It proves that they are real and that they are interested. With that, a call can be used to vet them. Through that process of separating chaff and wheat we can provide prospects worth the sellers time.”

Planning for success can create success. However, without a good plan problems can arise. Some quite bad. In this day and age setting up the right location to show a vehicle to a prospective buyer is important.

Nick’s key points:,

• Unless you know the person, Nick suggests picking a busy populated place to meet a stranger. Outside Starbucks works. Next to a police station is better. Many police departments have a dedicated “Meet” space with cameras for citizen transactions.”
• Cash is king. If the buyer needs to come back with the cash. He must leave a non-refundable deposit, $1,000 works. As seller, write up a simple contract with amount of sale, amount of deposit and date due final payment. Dealing with payments from out of state best involves establishing a third-party escrow account. Check with your bank or attorney for details
• Accompanying a buyer to his bank for a withdrawal can work.
• Always trust your gut!

Decades ago when breathlessly scanning the latest local WantAd Press, gut instincts, learned from experience, served buyers and sellers alike. However, the WantAd Press and its beloved ilk are gone. Supplanted by a digital landscape that has wildly reconfigured the structure of the selling function, the process remains reliant on the same timeless gut instincts to achieve success.

Today, my F100 entered public consciousness by way of the  Zuckerberg digital bazaar. A few hours later a meeting with a prospective buyer had been arranged. Time will tell. So will my gut.