Getting Started with Flipz
Start scraping marketplace data in minutes. This guide will walk you through setting up your first scraping session.
Ready to start? Follow these 6 simple steps to begin collecting marketplace data.
Start by creating your free Flipz account. You'll get immediate access to the platform with basic features.
Sign Up Process
- Click the "Register" button in the top navigation
- Enter your username, email, and password
- Verify your email address (check spam folder)
- Log in to access your dashboard
Free Tier Includes:
- ✓ 1 scraping session
- ✓ 100 items per month
- ✓ Basic support
- ✓ Web dashboard access
Select a subscription plan that fits your scraping needs. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time.
- ✓ 5 scraping sessions
- ✓ 1,000 items/month
- ✓ Email support
- ✓ Basic filtering
- ✓ 20 scraping sessions
- ✓ 10,000 items/month
- ✓ Priority support
- ✓ Advanced filtering
- ✓ API access
- ✓ Unlimited sessions
- ✓ Unlimited items
- ✓ 24/7 support
- ✓ Custom features
- ✓ White-label options
3
Create Your First Session
Sessions are the heart of Flipz. Each session represents a scraping job with specific targets and schedules.
Creating a Session
- Navigate to the Sessions page from your dashboard
- Click "Create New Session"
- Give your session a descriptive name (e.g., "iPhone London Scraper")
- This name will help you identify the session later
Tip: Use descriptive names that include the product type and location for easy identification.
Add the marketplace URLs you want to scrape. Flipz supports Facebook Marketplace and Shpock.
Example URLs:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/london/search/?query=iphone
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/manchester/search/?query=laptop
How to get URLs:
- Go to Facebook Marketplace
- Search for your target products
- Apply location and other filters
- Copy the URL from your browser
Example URLs:
https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/search?q=iphone
https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/search?q=electronics
URL Configuration:
- Include search terms in the URL
- Set location preferences
- Apply category filters
- Test URLs manually first
Important: Always test your URLs manually in a browser to ensure they return the expected results before adding them to a session.
Configure how often your session should run. Choose the right frequency based on your needs and subscription limits.
Every 1-15 minutes
Best for: Time-sensitive deals, competitive markets
Every 30 minutes - 2 hours
Best for: Regular monitoring, balanced approach
Daily or weekly
Best for: Long-term trends, research purposes
Additional Settings
Max Items per Run
Limit how many items to scrape in each session run. Helps manage subscription limits and avoid being blocked.
Auto-Start
Sessions can start automatically after creation or be manually triggered when you're ready.
Once your session is running, monitor the results and use the filtering tools to analyze your data.
- ✓ Real-time session status
- ✓ Items scraped counter
- ✓ Last run information
- ✓ Error notifications
- ✓ Performance metrics
- ✓ Filter by session
- ✓ Search by keywords
- ✓ Sort by date/price
- ✓ Export data
- ✓ Advanced analytics
Pro Tip: Use the session filtering feature on the Products page to view items from specific scraping campaigns.
Pro Tips for Success
Avoid Getting Blocked
- Don't scrape too frequently (respect rate limits)
- Use reasonable max items per run
- Monitor session status for errors
- Vary your scraping patterns
Optimize Your Searches
- Use specific keywords for better results
- Include location in your search URLs
- Test URLs manually before automation
- Monitor data quality regularly
Manage Your Data
- Use descriptive session names
- Regularly review scraped data
- Export data for external analysis
- Clean up old or unused sessions
Scale Effectively
- Start with one session and expand
- Monitor subscription limits
- Upgrade when you need more capacity
- Use API for programmatic access
Ready to Start Scraping?
You now have everything you need to begin collecting marketplace data with Flipz.