Meta is overhauling Facebook Marketplace with new collaborative tools, social features, an improved checkout experience, and Meta AI integrations, the company announced Thursday.
Marketplace is getting a new “collections” feature that lets users create groups of listings and invite friends to join. Users can get started by saving a listing, starting a new collection, and then choosing whether to make it public or private. They can then add friends to their collection and share updates through Feed, Messenger, WhatsApp, and more.
Meta’s also testing collaborative buying, which means users can invite a friend to join their chat with a seller. The company says this makes it easier to coordinate pickup, negotiate prices, and get answers to questions.
Image Credits:Meta
These new collaborative features could be useful in instances when a group of roommates is looking to furnish their new apartment or when someone wants to keep their partner in the loop when discussing potential purchases.
While Meta says the changes announced on Thursday are designed to make Marketplace more useful, they also mark the company’s ongoing efforts to bring Meta AI into all of its services and products. Additionally, by blending social, commerce, and AI, the company is looking boost time spent on Marketplace while also enhancing its competitiveness against other e-commerce platforms.
In terms of the Meta AI integrations, Meta is going to start using its AI tools to help buyers ask the right questions when making a purchase. Now, when users start a chat with a seller, they will see a “Suggested questions to ask” button. If they tap it, Meta AI will use the details from the listing and the conversation to suggest questions they might want to ask.
Additionally, Meta is bringing AI insights to vehicle listings on Marketplace, noting that vehicles are among the top five searches for young adults. Now, when users view a vehicle listing, they’ll see AI-generated insights that bring together key details like engine options, safety ratings, transmission type, seating and cargo capacity, reviews, and price information.
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