How to Use PokéBay

1 Getting Started

📧

Create a Free Account

Click Register Free in the top bar. Enter your email address, choose a username, and set a password. Your username is public and shown on your listings and profile — choose something you're happy with.

Register Now →

🔍

Explore the Marketplace

You can browse all listings without an account. Use the search bar or filter by set, condition, price, or type (auctions, trades, fixed price) to find exactly what you need.

👤

Set Up Your Profile

After registering, visit Profile from the top bar. Add a short bio and a profile picture URL so buyers and sellers know who they're dealing with. A complete profile builds trust.

2 Buying Cards (Fixed Price)

1

Find the card you want — Use the search bar or browse by set, condition, or price. Click any listing to see full details: photos, condition notes, set information, and the seller's rating.

2

Check the seller's rating — Scroll down on the listing to see reviews from previous buyers. Higher stars = more trusted seller. Always read the feedback before buying.

3

Click "Buy Now" — This takes you to secure Stripe checkout. Enter your payment card and shipping address. PokéBay charges a small platform fee ($0.15 + 10%) on top of the listing price to keep the site running.

4

Payment confirmed — You'll receive a confirmation email. The seller is notified immediately and has up to 5 business days to ship your card.

5

Receive your card & confirm receipt — Once your card arrives, go to My Orders, open the order, and click Confirm Receipt. This tells the seller the transaction is complete and lets you leave a review.

6

Leave a review — Share your experience (1–5 stars + optional comment) on the listing page after confirming receipt. Your feedback helps the community.

💡 Tip: If a card arrives damaged, not as described, or doesn't arrive — contact the seller via the Messages link in the top bar first. If unresolved, you can open a dispute with your payment provider.

3 Bidding on Auctions

1

Find an active auction — Browse Auctions or look for the red AUCTION badge on listings. Each auction shows the current highest bid and a countdown timer.

2

Place a bid — Enter an amount higher than the current bid and click Place Bid. You must be signed in. You'll receive an email if someone outbids you.

3

Win the auction — When the timer runs out, the highest bidder wins. You'll receive a notification and an email with a link to pay. You have 48 hours to complete payment.

4

Pay for your win — Go to My Orders, find the auction order (status: Pending Payment), and click Pay Now. This redirects to Stripe checkout.

5

Receive and confirm — Same as fixed-price: wait for the card, confirm receipt, and leave a review.

4 Trading Cards

Listings marked with Trade or Trade or Buy accept card-for-card swaps — no money changes hands.

1

Find a trade listing — Browse Trade listings. Read the description carefully — the seller will specify which cards they're looking for in exchange.

2

Submit a trade offer — On the listing page, scroll to the Trade section and fill in the details of the card(s) you're offering (name, set, condition). You can attach photos of your cards. Write a message to the seller if needed.

3

Wait for a response — The seller will review your offer. You'll get a notification when they accept or decline. Manage all offers from Trade Offers in the top bar.

4

Coordinate shipping — Once accepted, both parties ship their cards to each other. Use the Messages system to exchange addresses and tracking numbers securely.

💡 Tip: Both parties should ship simultaneously, or use a trusted escrow method if trading valuable cards. PokéBay cannot mediate trade disputes — trades are peer-to-peer agreements.

5 Selling Your Cards

1

Connect your payout account first — Go to Payouts from your Dashboard and connect a bank account via Stripe. You need this set up before you can receive earnings from sales.

2

Create a listing — Click + Sell a Card in the header. Fill in:

Title — clear, descriptive (e.g. "Charizard VMAX Swirl — Near Mint")
Card name & set — be accurate, buyers search by these
Condition — be honest: Mint, Near Mint, Lightly Played, Moderately Played, Heavily Played, Damaged
Photos — up to 8 images. Always photograph both sides, any damage, and the grading slab label if graded. Good photos sell cards faster.
Price — check recent sold prices on TCGPlayer or eBay for reference
Listing type — Fixed Price, Auction (set end date), Trade, or Trade or Buy
Shipping — choose Free, Flat Rate (set amount), or Buyer Arranges

3

Your listing goes live immediately — It appears in search results right away. You can edit or delete active listings from your Dashboard.

4

Get notified of a sale — When someone buys your card, you'll receive an email and an in-app notification. The payment is processed securely by Stripe.

💰 Seller Fees

Platform Fee	10% of sale price
Transaction Fee	$0.15 per completed sale
Example: $50 sale → you receive $44.85

Free to list — no charge to create or edit a listing. The 10% platform fee and $0.15 transaction fee are only deducted when a sale completes.

6 Orders & Shipping

All orders go through four stages:

Paid

Buyer paid. Ship the card now.

→

Shipped

You marked it shipped (with optional tracking).

→

Completed

Buyer confirmed receipt. Transaction done.

📦

Shipping as a seller — Go to My Orders → Sales tab → click the order → click Mark as Shipped. Enter a tracking number (optional but strongly recommended). The buyer is notified by email.

✅

Confirming receipt as a buyer — Once the card arrives and you're happy, open the order and click Confirm Receipt. This completes the transaction and unlocks the review form.

📬 Shipping Tips: Use PWE (plain white envelope) for cards under $5, top loaders + bubble mailer for $5–$20, and tracked padded mailers for anything over $20. For rare or graded cards, always use a rigid box.

7 Getting Paid (Seller Payouts)

1

Connect Stripe — Go to Payouts from your Dashboard and click Connect with Stripe. You'll be taken to Stripe's secure onboarding — fill in your name, address, and bank account details. This is free and takes about 5 minutes.

2

Automatic payouts — Once your Stripe account is connected and verified, earnings from completed sales are deposited directly to your bank account. Stripe typically transfers funds within 2–7 business days.

3

Track your earnings — The Payouts dashboard shows your total earned, pending amounts, and a full history of all completed sales with fee breakdowns.

8 Staying Safe

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Reporting Counterfeit Cards

If you suspect a listing is selling fake or proxy cards, click Report Listing on the listing page. Choose the reason (e.g. "Counterfeit / Fake Card") and add details. Our admin team reviews all reports within 24–48 hours.

Anti-Counterfeit Rules →

💬

Messaging Safely

Use PokéBay's built-in message system — never share personal email addresses or phone numbers in messages. All conversations are kept on-platform for your protection.

Go to Messages →

⭐

Reviews & Trust

Always check a seller's reviews before buying. Only buyers who completed a purchase can leave a review — so ratings are real. After receiving your card, leave an honest review to help the community.

🔒

Payment Security

All payments go through Stripe — PokéBay never stores your card details. Never pay outside the platform (e.g. via PayPal Friends & Family or Venmo) — those payments have no buyer protection.

9 Frequently Asked Questions

Is PokéBay free to use?

Free for buyers, and free to create listings. Sellers pay a 10% platform fee plus a $0.15 transaction fee per completed sale — only deducted when a sale goes through, never for simply listing a card.

What countries does PokéBay support?

Buyers can pay in USD from anywhere. Shipping is arranged between buyer and seller — check the listing's "Ships From" field. Sellers must have a bank account in a Stripe-supported country to receive payouts.

How do I know a card is authentic?

Check the seller's review history, request additional photos via messages, and look for PSA/BGS grading slabs for high-value cards. Report any suspected fakes using the Report Listing button.

What if my card never arrives?

Message the seller first — most issues resolve this way. If the seller doesn't respond within 3 days, you can open a dispute with your card issuer or Stripe. Always ship with tracking to protect both parties.

Can I cancel an order after paying?

Contact the seller via Messages immediately. If they haven't shipped yet, they can mark it cancelled and you can request a refund through Stripe. Once shipped, refunds are handled between buyer and seller.

How long does it take to receive my payout?

After a buyer confirms receipt, Stripe processes the payout. Standard transfer time is 2–7 business days depending on your bank and country.

Can I edit a listing after it's posted?

Yes — go to your Dashboard, find the listing, and click Edit. You can update price, description, shipping, and more. You cannot edit a listing once it's been sold or had active bids.

What is "Trade or Buy"?

This listing type accepts both cash purchases and card-for-card trades. The seller will consider whichever offer appeals to them most.