Introduction to the Trading Post

The Trading Post will be one of your best friends here at Neopets. It does exactly what the name implies; allows you to trade items with other players for items and/or Neopoints. People also use it to transfer money from account to account, as Neopoints cannot be given as a gift.

Advantages to the Trading Post

1. It's almost impossible to get scammed if you act smart.
2. Can be used as a fairly reliable pricechecker (compare what other people are selling for)
3. Is the only 100% scam-free method of transferring money.

Disadvantages to the Trading Post

1. Sometimes reposting lots is required to get a good offer.
2. Patience is a must.
3. 800,000 NP Limit

Getting There

To access the TP, use the Trading Post button found on the navbar that appears near the top of your screen as you browse shops and the Marketplace. Or click the banner at the top of this page.

First, get to the shops page by clicking on its icon in the left navbar, between Neomail and the Boards. The icon looks like this.

 

Then click the Trading Post icon, which looks like the Island Girl with the frizzy hair, in your yellow top navbar. The TP icon is the fourth from the right.

 

After that, you'll find yourself on the main page. Alternatively, you could go to Mystery Island and click "Trading Post" on the map there.

The Main Page

The main page of the TP shows all your current trades, the link to make a new trade and basic navigation. Here's a more in depth explanation of what you're seeing.

 

A. Read TNT's FAQ on the Trading Post.
B. Return to the main page of the TP (where you go if you click the frizzy hair lady).
C. Search through the lots, or take a look at the most recent additions.
D. Go over or cancel offers you've made on other people's lots.
E. Return to your inventory.
F. Go over or cancel the lots you've already put up or make a new lot.
G. If you ever have this error, just click there to fix it.

Create a Trade

 At the bottom of your currently active lots, there's a button called "Create a new trade!"
Once you press this magic button, you get taken to the "Create-a-Trade" page. The layout is very simple, just pick whatever items you want to include in your lot. The text box at the bottom is for wishlists, comments about the trade, making funny faces, etc... Once you're all set, double-check and whack that "Start Trading" button! Remember though, all trades are cancelled after two weeks.

Your Current Trades

 

A. Your lot number. It's used to identify your trade.
B. The offers you have received. If you get offers, the text will change to "You have *#* offers on this lot." Click on it to see the lot offers screen and see if you want to accept or reject them.
C. Items you're trading.
D. Wishlist. Whatever you may have typed in. If you left it blank, it'll say "none" like it does here.
E. Link to the lot! Share this link with your friends that you think want to make a trade with you.
F. Cancel this lot. You can't cancel until fifteen (15) minutes after you start the trade.
G. Link to all the lots you've made in one handy link.

The box that your lot is in represents one lot. You can have up to a ten (10) lots/trades open simultaneously.

Browse Lots

This will be the tool that you use to look for most of the trades that you offer on. Clicking on it gives you a number of search options.

Newest 20 shows you the twenty (20) lots that were added most recently.
Containing My Phrase search works exactly like the Shop Wiz, except that it finds all items with the phrase in them, not just one item at a time.
Identical to My Phrase search works exactly like the Shop Wiz.
Username looks for a username, however, it works like the identical search. Only if you enter the username with all the numbers, funky symbols and unicorns intact will get you their trades. Which means if your friend's name is 2*8!`~~>UnIcOrNs!*()??!, you're in trouble.
Lot Number looks for the lot number which must be identical to the lot that you entered.
Show just dictates what order your results will be in.
Find those Trades! Click this button when you are ready, or just hit enter.

 

Etiquette

Yes, I'm afraid etiquette does exist in the wonderful magic land of the Trading Post. But never fear! You've heard most of this before.

The Rules

 

1. Read the description/wishlist before you do anything else. If they say "Neomail with offer," don't send them a TP offer hoping for acceptance. Nine times out of ten, unless it's a trade heavily weighted to benefit them, it'll be rejected.
2. Don't play the trader for a fool. For example, offering something cheap for a valuable item is A.) Annoying to the trader, and B.) Stupid on your part. So don't. It makes everyone happier.
3. D0nt typ lyk d1s. Everyone uses that example, but it's very true. Speak proper English. Or Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, or whatever else you might speak. It's a good habit.
4. Common sense. Use yours today!

Jargon

Everyone loves techinical jargon! There are some terms you're bound to come across in this guide and/or the Trading Post that you don't understand, so here's a few of them.

 

• TP Trading Post
• L/O Leave offer
• AFK Away from keyboard
• Pure Refers to Neopoints. Pure is cold, hard cash, not items of equivalent value.
• Lot The group of items that you've lumped together to trade.

That's everything you'll need to know to survive and hopefully turn a nice profit at the TP! Happy Hunting! 

Credit:
This guide has been written exclusively for NeoLodge.com by Aleu.
This guide has been edited by Georgie.

02/2006