Seller guide
How to list, ship and get paid on SportsSwap, and what to do if something goes wrong. The formal rules are in Part 3 of our Terms of Service; this guide explains how they work in practice. New to SportsSwap? Start with How It Works.
In this guide: Set up · Listing an item · Pricing · When it sells · Shipping · Answering buyers · Getting paid · If there's a problem · Cancellations · Tips
1. Set up your seller account
- Sign up from the Sell page. You sign in with your email and a one-time code, so there's no password to remember. The same account works for buying and selling.
- Choose a shop name. Buyers see it on your listings ("Sold by …"). Your email and phone number are never shown to buyers.
- Add your payout details in your seller dashboard under Profile › Payouts: your full legal name and the email you use for Interac e-Transfer. Do this before your first sale so nothing holds up your payout.
- Check your Junk folder. We email you when something sells. If our emails land in Junk, mark them "Not junk" so you don't miss a sale.
2. Listing an item
In your seller dashboard, select + List your gear. Your listing goes live as soon as you publish it. We check new listings every day and remove any that break the rules.
- Photos. Use your own photos of the actual item: the front, the back, close-ups of any wear or damage, and the size or model label. Daylight works best.
- Title. Brand, model and size, for example "Bauer Vapor X3.7 skates, size 8 EE".
- Category and sport. Pick the closest match so buyers can find it with the filters.
- Condition. Choose the grade honestly and mention any damage, wear or missing parts in the description.
- Item details. Once you choose a category, you'll see the details buyers look for in it, such as age group, flex, curve and hand for a hockey stick, or loft and shaft flex for a driver. Size is required for anything you wear; the rest are optional, so fill in what you know. Only what you fill in shows on your listing.
- Price. Whole dollars only, and it must include shipping (see Pricing).
- Ships within. 1, 2 or 3 business days. Choose a time you can always meet; buyers see it on the listing.
- Ships from (city). Where the item will ship from. Buyers see the city only, never your address.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| New | Unused, may still have tags. |
| Like New | Used a handful of times, no meaningful wear. |
| Good | Regular use, normal wear, plenty of life left. |
| Fair | Heavy use or cosmetic flaws, all shown in the photos and description. |
Before you list, check the Prohibited Items page. You must own the item, have it with you in Canada and be able to ship it; there's no local pickup. If it sells somewhere else, delete the listing right away from your dashboard.
3. Pricing
- Shipping is included in your price. Buyers pay no shipping at checkout, so check what the label will cost for your parcel's size and weight before you set the price, and build it in.
- A good starting point: about half of retail for lightly used gear, and around 25% off retail for new with tags.
- What you keep: listing is free. When an item sells, SportsSwap keeps 10% of the sale price and you receive 90%. There are no monthly fees and no fee to cash out. See Fees & Payouts.
Example: you sell a stick for $100. You receive $90, and SportsSwap keeps $10. You paid for the label yourself, so what you clear is $90 less the label.
4. When it sells
The buyer has already paid, and SportsSwap holds the payment until the order is delivered. You get a "You made a sale" email, and the order appears under Sales in your dashboard with the buyer's shipping address and your ship-by date. A sale is a commitment to ship, so start packing.
5. Shipping
- Pack it well so it arrives in the condition you described.
- Buy a tracked label from Canada Post (a tracked service), Purolator, UPS, FedEx, DHL or another tracked carrier. Untracked mail such as Lettermail isn't allowed. For items priced at $250 or more, add signature confirmation or coverage for the item's value.
- Ship to the address on the order, within the time on your listing and never more than 3 business days after the sale. Don't change the address or arrange a pickup or meetup, even if the buyer asks; email us instead.
- Add tracking the same day. In your dashboard, open the sale under Sales, select Add tracking, choose the carrier and enter the tracking number. This is how the buyer follows the delivery and how we confirm delivery before paying you.
If an order hasn't shipped after 2 business days, we send you a reminder. If it hasn't shipped within 5 business days, we cancel it and refund the buyer. Use the buyer's name, address and phone number only to ship their order.
6. Answering buyers
Buyers can ask about a listing with Ask the seller. You get an email, and you reply under Messages in your dashboard. Quick, friendly answers sell gear, so try to reply within one business day.
Keep the conversation and the payment on SportsSwap. Don't share your phone number or email, or accept payment any other way: sales arranged outside SportsSwap aren't covered by Buyer Protection, and we can't pay you for them. Phone numbers and email addresses in messages are hidden automatically.
7. Getting paid
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Delivered | Tracking shows the order was delivered. |
| 72-hour window | The buyer has 72 hours to report a problem. If they don't, the sale is complete. |
| Ready for payout | 90% of the sale price moves to your earnings. |
| Payout day | We send payouts every Sunday by Interac e-Transfer, covering everything that's ready by then. You get an email when your payout is on its way, and another when it's been sent. |
The Earnings tab in your dashboard shows each sale: the sale price, the SportsSwap fee, any refunds, and what you receive. Keep your e-Transfer email up to date in Profile; we can't be responsible for payments sent to an old address. We may hold a payout while a buyer's problem report is open or if tracking is missing.
8. If there's a problem
If a buyer reports a problem within 72 hours of delivery, we pause the payout for that order and email you. Please reply to our questions within 2 business days, with photos or tracking details if you have them. We decide each case under our Buyer Protection policy, usually within 5 business days.
| Situation | Who covers it |
|---|---|
| Not shipped, or shipped without tracking; not as described (wrong item, wrong size, undisclosed damage, condition worse than the grade); counterfeit; damaged by poor packing; lost at $250 or more without signature or coverage | You. The refund comes out of your sale, and any return shipping is deducted from your earnings. If you were already paid for the order, we deduct it from your next payouts. |
| Lost or damaged by the carrier even though you followed the shipping rules; a buyer claim we find to be false | SportsSwap. You keep your payout. |
If a return is needed, we send the buyer instructions and the item comes back to you. Good photos, an honest description and tracked, well-packed shipping prevent almost every problem.
9. Cancellations
Only SportsSwap can cancel an order. If you can't ship something, email sportsswap@outlook.com right away with the order number; don't just leave it. We cancel the order, refund the buyer and email you to confirm. There's no payout for a cancelled sale, and the listing goes back on sale if the item is still available. Late shipping or repeated cancellations can lead to your account being suspended.
10. Tips for selling faster
- Fill in the item details for your category, like curve and flex or loft and shaft. Buyers use them to filter, so listings with details are easier to find.
- Photograph any wear up close. Honest photos build trust and prevent returns.
- Price fairly from the start, and lower it if an item hasn't sold after a couple of weeks.
- Choose the shortest "Ships within" time you can always meet.
- Answer questions quickly. A fast reply often turns into a sale.
- Earn good reviews. After delivery, buyers can rate you on your seller page, and ratings help new buyers choose you.
Questions? Email sportsswap@outlook.com or use the Contact page, and a real person will get back to you within one business day.