by Deepa Seetharaman, WSJ

Excerpt

Facebook Inc. is channeling eBay Inc. in its latest effort to become a trading bazaar.

The social network is making it easier for its 1.49 billion users to buy, sell and trade used items from cars to waffle irons through a Facebook group.

Facebook says more than 850 million people use its Groups feature each month, exploring shared interests ranging from politics to specific diseases.

The company launched For Sale Groups late last year, and has been steadily adding tools. On Thursday, Facebook removed a requirement that the company approve creation of those groups.

The move is Facebook’s latest advance into commerce. Last month, it said it was testing a way for businesses to sell items through their Facebook pages. In March, Facebook said it would allow users to track online orders through its Messenger app.

Brian Solis, an analyst at Altimeter Group, said Facebook is hoping users will spend more time and money on its sites.

“Why should you leave [Facebook] just go buy something?” said Mr. Solis.

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