Frequently asked questions

How BuyIt Exchange works, in plain language.

What is BuyIt Exchange?
BuyIt Exchange is a hybrid marketplace and introduction service. Buyers can browse listed items and name their price, or post a Buying Request. Sellers can list items without an asking price, or browse Buyer Requests and make offers. Once both parties commit and the seller pays the Match Fee, contact information is released so they can arrange the transaction directly.
How is this different from a traditional marketplace?
No Asking Price. Just Real Offers. Buyers decide what they are willing to pay for listed items, and sellers can see what buyers offer without guessing at an asking price. Buyers can also Post What You Need so sellers can come to them.
Can I browse items for sale?
Yes. Browse Items shows seller-listed items that are currently available. Listings do not display an asking price; use Name Your Price to make the first price offer.
Why don't seller items have asking prices?
BuyIt Exchange is built around real offers instead of preset asking prices. Buyers name what they are willing to pay and may find a better deal, while sellers see genuine buyer interest without having to guess at an asking price.
How does Name Your Price work?
Choose an available listed item and the valid pickup or shipping option, then offer the item price you are willing to pay. The seller can accept, decline, or counter once. If the seller counters, you can accept or decline. If shipping applies, the seller provides the shipping cost before your final accept-or-decline decision.
Can I make more than one counteroffer?
No. For a seller-listed item, the buyer names a price, the seller may counter once, and the buyer then accepts or declines. For a Buying Request, the seller makes the initial offer, the buyer may counter once, the seller may make one final counter, and the buyer then accepts or declines.
What if I can't find the item I want?
Use Post What You Need to create a Buying Request describing the item, location, condition, and fulfillment preferences. For price, either set my price — where you state what you are willing to pay — or Open to offers, where you name no price and sellers make the first monetary offer. Sellers can then find your request or be matched through eligible inventory.
What is a Buying Request?
A Buying Request tells sellers what you want to buy and the preferences that matter to you. You can set the price you are willing to pay, or choose Open to offers so sellers make the first monetary offer. Either way, sellers with a suitable item submit an offer for you to review and limited negotiation applies.
Is it free for buyers to post buying requests?
Yes. Posting buying requests and receiving offers is free for buyers.
Do I have to set an asking price?
No. List an Item without setting an asking price. Buyers who find the item name what they are willing to pay.
Why would I list an item without an asking price?
You do not have to guess at the right asking price. You can see what buyers are willing to offer and decide whether to accept, decline, or counter once — and you may receive more than you expected.
What happens when a buyer makes an offer on my item?
You can accept, decline, or counter once. If you counter, the buyer can accept or decline. Once terms are agreed, both sides move to commitment.
Can I browse people who are already looking for an item?
Yes. Browse Buyer Requests to find someone already looking for something you may have, then submit an offer based on that request.
What is the difference between Show to buyers and Match only?
Show to buyers makes your item publicly available in Browse Items. Match only keeps it private while allowing it to be considered for matching eligible Buying Requests.
Can I mark an item sold if it sold somewhere else?
Yes. You can mark your item sold from My Items to Sell when it is no longer available, including when it sold somewhere else.
Who pays the Match Fee?
The seller pays the Match Fee, after both parties commit.
How is the Match Fee calculated?
The seller pays a Match Fee equal to 3% of the agreed item price, with a minimum of $2.99 and a maximum of $29.99. The exact fee is displayed before the seller commits. Shipping cost is not included in the fee calculation.
What does the Match Fee purchase?
The Match Fee covers the buyer-seller match, introduction, and release of contact information after both parties commit. It is not payment for the item and does not guarantee that the buyer and seller ultimately complete the sale.
When is contact information released?
Only after both parties commit and the seller's Match Fee payment is confirmed.
Does BuyIt Exchange inspect or guarantee items?
No. We do not own, possess, inspect, authenticate, verify, warrant, or guarantee any item. Sellers represent listed or offered items as available, and users must evaluate them independently.
Does BuyIt Exchange process payment for the item?
No. We only process the seller's Match Fee. Payment for the item is arranged directly between the buyer and the seller.
How does limited negotiation work?
For a listed item, the buyer names a price and the seller may accept, decline, or counter once; the buyer then accepts or declines. For a Buying Request, the seller makes the initial offer, the buyer may counter once, the seller may send one final counter, and the buyer then accepts or declines. Once both sides agree, the terms are locked.
Can an offer be edited or withdrawn?
Not every offer can be edited or withdrawn. The actions available depend on how the offer started and its current stage, and the available options are shown in My Offers. Once terms are agreed or a commitment begins, the agreed price and terms are locked.
What happens after both parties commit?
The seller pays the displayed Match Fee. After payment is verified, contact information is released so the buyer and seller can arrange item payment, pickup, or shipping directly.
What information is public?
Your display name, city, and state may appear with your marketplace activity. Public seller items and their listing photos, along with open Buying Requests, are visible to anyone, including visitors who are not signed in. Your public member profile shows your display name, membership month and year, and published reviews — not your city or state. Transaction offers and photos attached privately to offers are visible only to the participating buyer and seller.
What information stays private?
Your email address and phone number stay private until contact information is released. Transaction offers and private offer photos are visible only to the participating buyer and seller. Contact information is released to the other party only after both parties commit and the seller's Match Fee is paid.
Why can't users share contact information before commitment?
Keeping contact details private preserves the commitment and Match Fee process and helps keep early conversations on BuyIt Exchange. Do not use Q&A or messaging to bypass contact release.
Where do payment, pickup, and shipping happen?
The buyer and seller arrange item payment, pickup, or shipping directly after contact information is released. BuyIt Exchange does not receive or hold payment for the item and does not arrange fulfillment.
How old do I have to be to use BuyIt Exchange?
You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or use BuyIt Exchange.
Is the Match Fee refundable?
Once payment is confirmed and contact information is released, the Match Fee is generally nonrefundable. A refund may be issued for a duplicate or erroneous charge, a technical failure where payment was received but contact information was not released, or where required by law.
How do I request account deletion?
Email support@buyitexchange.com from the email address associated with your account. Account-deletion requests are currently handled manually.
Who can leave a review?
Only the buyer and seller in an eligible completed BuyIt Exchange transaction may review one another after the Match Fee has been paid and verified. Each participant may submit one review for that transaction.
Why is a comment required for a low rating?
A rating of one, two, or three stars requires a comment of at least 25 meaningful (non-whitespace) characters. That gives the reviewed member and BuyIt Exchange useful context and makes a low rating less likely to be arbitrary or abusive. Comments are limited to 1,000 characters.
When does a review become public?
Reviews are published blind. Both reviews become public when both participants have submitted. If only one participant reviews, that review becomes public seven days after it was submitted.
Can I edit or delete my review?
No. A review cannot be edited after submission, and it is not deleted merely because you changed your mind. You can report a review, and BuyIt Exchange may hide content that violates the review rules.
What appears on a public member profile?
A public member profile shows the display name, the month and year the account was created, the number of published reviews, counts of reviews received as a buyer and as a seller, an average rating once there are at least three published reviews, and the published reviews themselves — rating, comment, reviewer role, publication date, and the “Verified transaction” designation. Contact information and location are not displayed on the public member profile.
Why don't I see an average rating?
An average rating is shown only after a member has at least three published reviews. One or two reviews still appear and still count toward the verified review count.
Can a negative review be removed?
Truthful negative feedback is not removed simply because it is unfavorable. Content that violates the review rules — such as private information, threats, harassment, spam, solicitation, or rating manipulation — may be hidden after review. A hidden review is excluded from public lists, counts, and averages.
Do BuyIt Exchange reviews guarantee that a person or item is trustworthy?
No. Reviews are user-submitted opinions tied to verified completed transactions. They are not inspections, guarantees, background checks, or endorsements by BuyIt Exchange, and we do not guarantee their accuracy.
How do I stay safe?
Read our safety guidelines for practical guidance on verifying items, meeting in person, paying safely, shipping expectations, and reporting review abuse.
How It WorksSafety Guidelines