Trading Made Simple & Smart on Barter-Win

Here’s the quick guide to buying, selling, or trading up (like the red paperclip!). If you get stuck at any point, just ask our AI assistant, Trady (look for the chat icon in the corner!), for help with website features.

1. Sign Up & Complete Your Profile: Create your free account. Filling out your profile (Wants, Don't Wants, About) is highly recommended! It helps others understand your trading interests and is used by our "What-If Paths" feature to find better trade sequences for you. In the future, we also plan to use this for direct user-to-user matching suggestions! Don't forget your zip code for local trades! Agree to our rules for a safe community.
2. List Your Items/Services: Upload photos (our AI can help describe them!), add details, set your price or trade interest. Mark products or services (recurring option available).
3. Browse & Discover: Use filters (keyword, category, distance, etc.) or AI Search to find what you need. Check listing details and user reviews.
4. Follow Favorite Traders: Find someone whose items you consistently like? Follow them with a click! Your personalized "Following Feed" shows you all their latest active listings in one convenient place. Never miss their new items!
5. Make an Offer: See something you like? Offer one of your items/services or cash. (Tip: For services, offer $0 just to start a conversation!)
6. Explore "What-If Paths": See how you could trade your way to a desired item! Use the "What-If Paths" feature to search for potential multi-step trade sequences. Our system analyzes active listings and user profile preferences (your Wants/Don't Wants) to find creative paths, just like the famous "one red paperclip" story. Give it a try!
7. Chat Instantly & Securely: Once an offer is made, discuss details directly using our secure, real-time chat within the offer page. No more waiting for emails! Look for the red envelope icon for new messages. We use AI assistance to monitor for harassment or policy violations. Use the "Report" button if needed.
8. Finalize & Review: Offer accepted? Arrange the exchange via messages. Afterwards, leave a review to help build community trust!