CINCINNATI — In a world overtaken by Instagram and TikTok, it’s not often that you hear about Generation Z checking Facebook daily.
But for Isabella Huecker, it’s become part of her everyday routine.
Huecker is among the growing number of Gen Zers who are turning to Facebook Marketplace to find deals on everything from home decor to clothing.
“I like the thrill of not knowing what you’re going to find,” she said. “I would definitely say it's the new eBay”
During an interview in Clifton, Huecker, 22, was dressed head-to-toe in items she thrifted, including Frye Boots, which retail at around $200. She said she found them on Facebook Marketplace for $35.
Facebook Marketplace is the e-commerce division of the social media giant. It allows strangers to buy and sell items from each other. Aside from hosting the website, Facebook takes no role in the transaction. Buyers and sellers must figure out how they’ll exchange the product and the agreed upon price, whether in-person or via shipping.
A CapitalOne Shopping Research report found 51.2% of all social media consumers made their most recent social media purchase from Facebook Marketplace.
Huecker said she’s thrifted as much as 85% of the items in her apartment, including a 1960s dining room table with four chairs.
"The same table was going for over $1,000, and I found it for $100,” she said.
For a generation that is uber-online, scrolling through Facebook Marketplace is their equivalent of window-shopping at a mall, said Dr. Abdullah Al-Bahrani, an economics professor at the Hale College of Business at Northern Kentucky University.
“It is assumed that this generation is not financially literate, but in fact, they know exactly what they're doing,” Al-Bahrani said. “Their values are just very different than previous generations.”
Gen Z values experiences over physical goods, he said, and that could be a reason why they are searching for deals on Facebook Marketplace.
The behavior may be linked to ‘Zoomers’ upbringing during the Great Recession, when many lost their material goods.
Additionally, a commitment to sustainability is at play, he said.
“They care about making sure that they’re not leaving waste on Earth, so they’re repurposing old material,” Al-Bahrani said.
There’s been a resurgence in thrifting and value shopping, which Bank of America reported is up 13% compared to five years ago.
But economic trends aside, Al-Bahrani said he learned from his students that there’s an entertainment factor at play.
“We know Gen Zers don’t like Facebook, so they’re not there for the social content,” he said. “They’re looking for a thrifty buy.”
He compared the behavior to how millennials will scroll through Zillow for entertainment.
“Sometimes [Gen Z is] on marketplace not to buy something, but to scroll through,” he said.
Using Facebook Marketplace is not risk-free. Users should make sure the seller’s profile looks legit, exchange money at the same time of the item exchange and always meet in a public place.
