When users try to sell their products on Facebook Marketplace, they frequently encounter this issue when Facebook keeps the listing in review, and the approval never comes.
It’s a quite widespread issue. So if you experience the same problem, let’s first examine the reasons for it and after that ways to solve it.
Why Listing in Review Even Occurs
In most cases, a listing in review occurs and does not receive approval due to potential issues with the product itself. Below is a list of products that Facebook may flag and cause this issue:
- Weapons and ammunition of any kind
- Tobacco products
- Digital products and subscriptions
- Drugs or prescription products
- Products with sexualized positioning
- Violent or hateful products
- Medical and health products
- Animals
- Products intended for adults
If you’re using social media (and TikTok), then this guide on how to get rid of the TikTok shadowban could be of help to you!
Yes, you can see such products being sold on Facebook, but it only means that people found a way to outsmart the moderation. Facebook is not infallible, and in certain cases, such products may slip through.
By the way, you should also read what Facebook Marketplace says about this issue.
How to Fix This Issue
This problem can happen even if your product is not among the restricted categories. In such cases, there may be other reasons why you’ve encountered it. But don’t worry — we’ll cover potential reasons and solutions to address them.
Your Listing Is Reported
One less common reason could be that someone has reported your listing. If you have been reported for a valid reason, fix the issue immediately. But if you believe that you have been reported without good reason, contact Facebook Marketplace’s support team to resolve the matter.
Your Listing Is Already Added
If you are repeatedly posting the same listing, stop it. Even if you are not intentionally spamming, repeatedly listing the same products can be flagged by Facebook’s algorithm as spam, therefore the listing in review issue occurs.
Do not duplicate content and do not re-list the same advertisement. Each time you post a new product, it should be unique and not simply a copy of a previous listing.
You Have Text on Your Pictures
Back in the day, people bypassed Facebook Marketplace’s algorithms by adding text to photos in an effort to sell prohibited products. But that does not work anymore — Facebook does not allow text on pictures, including phone numbers, etc.
Which is why you cannot add text to your product’s pictures. Here’s an example of how not to do:
Make Sure the Listings Are in Your Area
If you are trying to sell stuff that is not available in your region, this may also trigger Facebook’s algorithm and cause your listing to be in review. That’s why list products that are available only in your region.
Put a Picture That Matches the Product and Its Descriptions
If you are using pictures of your product from another source and they do not match the product you want to sell, this can keep the the listing in review, too. So, use only pictures of the actual product you are selling. Misleading images can not only cause your listing to be stuck in review but also lead to negative feedback from customers and damage your reputation before Facebook.
What To Do if It Doesn’t Help
If your listing is still in review after doing the stuff we wrote above, there’s still something you can do:
- Delete the listing and create one again;
- Starting anew, use a bit different keywords and make sure they do not appear spammy or misleading;
- Use new and original pictures that accurately depict your products;
- Set a realistic price — perhaps, that was the case, too;
- Check the language you use, because Facebook watches it, too. There are even ‘banned’ words on Facebook Ads;
- Try choosing a bit different category. Maybe a different one would cause difference.
If nothing helps at all, contact the Facebook Marketplace support. They can be of help. Sometimes. But this option will take a lot of time as the support does not answer really quick.
Conclusion
You can now fix the listing in review issue with a great choice of options: from simply deleting it and creating a new one to uploading better pictures with no text. Listings are, indeed, reviewed by a computer, an algorithm, and it can make mistakes. If nothing helps, you always have an option to contact the Facebook Marketplace support team.
