Messenger Overview

The Messenger channel lets you receive and reply to Facebook Messenger conversations — including Facebook Marketplace chats — through your Facebook Page, using the same unified API as every other Zavu channel.

When to Use Messenger

Marketplace sellers: Reply to buyer inquiries on your listings, automatically or from the Inbox
Customer support: Handle Page messages alongside WhatsApp, SMS, and Email in one place
AI agents: Let a Zavu AI Agent answer Messenger conversations 24/7

Basic Messenger Message


const result = await zavu.messages.send({
  to: "24025631120151183", // Messenger user ID (PSID)
  text: "Thanks for your message!",
  channel: "messenger",
});

Facebook Marketplace Chats

When a buyer messages your Page from a Marketplace listing, the conversation arrives through the same Messenger channel:

A buyer taps Message on your Marketplace listing
Zavu receives the message via your connected Facebook Page and creates a contact + conversation
You receive a message.inbound webhook (or your AI Agent replies automatically)
Reply from the Inbox, via the API, or let your agent handle it

User IDs vs Phone Numbers

Like Telegram and Instagram, Messenger uses numeric user IDs (PSIDs — Page-Scoped IDs) instead of phone numbers:

Code
Phone-based channels:  +14155551234
Messenger:             24025631120151183

PSIDs are scoped per Page: the same person has a different ID for each Facebook Page they talk to.

24-Hour Messaging Window

Messenger enforces a standard messaging window:

You can reply freely within 24 hours of the user's last message
Outside the window, Meta rejects the send and the message fails with a clear error
There are no pre-approved templates like WhatsApp — the user must message again to reopen the window

Message Types

Type	Use Case
Text	Simple replies
Image	Photos and graphics
Video	Video clips
Audio	Voice notes
Document	Files and attachments

Delivery Status

Status	Description
`queued`	Message accepted by Zavu
`sending`	Being sent to Meta
`sent`	Accepted by Messenger
`failed`	Delivery failed (e.g., window closed)

Setup Requirements

Before sending Messenger messages, you need to:

A Facebook Page (the Page your Marketplace listings or business uses)
Connect the Page in your Zavu sender settings via Meta login

See Messenger Setup for detailed instructions.

Common Errors

Error	Cause	Solution
`24-hour messaging window closed`	User hasn't messaged in 24h	Wait for the user to message again
`Messenger requires a Facebook Page to be connected`	Channel not configured	Connect a Page in sender settings
`Invalid user ID`	Wrong PSID	Use the PSID from the inbound message

Next Steps

Messenger Setup - Connect your Facebook Page
Receiving Messages - Handle inbound webhooks
AI Agents - Auto-reply to Messenger chats