Facebook isn’t in the business of listing and selling cars. Yet.
But it is already allowing consumers to test-drive cars from their couch via its apps.
As the world’s most popular social media network – it now has 2.07 billion monthly active users worldwide – attracts more people to engage with the world via its apps, it becomes another marketplace where car makers and dealers want to be.
In 2017 Facebook added car listings from automobile dealers to its Marketplace tab.
Facebook’s head of global auto strategy, Thomais Zaremba, who has been in Australia this week meeting with car dealers across the country, tells Fairfax Media that used cars are the top-selling item on its marketplace.
Most cars for sale have been owner listings and for free, says Ms Zaremba, who previously worked as head of digital media and marketing for Ford.
But car dealers are now starting to list. And as more of them do, Facebook naturally wants to make money out of it.
While Facebook isn’t letting people process transactions on its platform just yet, it is expanding the number of cars it can help sell by partnering with online sites like Cars.com, and others.
“Our platform gives you the ability to reach 15 million Australians [via the Facebook app] with a very personalised message,” Ms Zaremba says.
“We’re giving automakers the ability to target specific consumers with specific messages.”
Those interested in a dealer-listed car they see on Marketplace will be prompted to contact the car dealer directly via the Facebook Messenger app.
Aside from the 15 million Australians using the Facebook app, 13 million Australians use the Facebook Messenger app, and another 9 million are on Instagram.
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