Help
Buying FAQ
Becoming a Buyer
- Do I have to be a member to browse Reycled Tyke’s listings?
- Do I have to pay a fee to buy on Recycled Tyke?
- What’s my Account?
Buying Items
- What can I buy on Recycled Tyke?
- Are all of the items for sale on Recycled Tyke used?
- How much of a discount will I get by shopping on Recycled Tyke?
- How do I contact sellers?
- What if the seller doesn’t get back to me?
- Does Recycled Tyke help me to arrange payment and shipping?
- Should I buy from people who live in other cities, or only from local buyers?
- Is it safe to go to a local seller's home to see the items they're selling?
- How can I ensure that a product I find on Recycled Tyke is safe for my child?
- How do I protect myself from fraud?
Buying Tips
- Can I bargain with sellers?
- What are Terms of Sale?
- Who should pay for packing and shipping?
- What’s the most secure way for me to send payment to the seller?
- What about other third-party escrow services?
- What about personal checks and money orders?
- How do I know if a seller is sincere?
- What if I encounter a fraudulent seller?
Buying FAQ
Becoming a Buyer
Anybody can browse on Recycled Tyke, but you’ll need to sign up for a free account to contact sellers and buy their items. Sign-up is quick and easy.
No. Recycled Tyke is a free service for buyers and sellers.
Your Account is a control panel for all of the things you can do on Recycled Tyke. Use it to store your favorites, set your e-mail alert preferences and update your personal information. If you want to sell anything on Recycled Tyke, you’ll also use your Account to create and manage ads.
Buying Items
You can buy anything baby and kid-related. That includes sought-after designer baby gear, children's clothing, bicycles, toys, videos, games & puzzles.
Nope. Many of the items on Recycled Tyke are preowned, and some have been used while others haven't. The seller's description should tell you whether the item is new or used and what condition it's in. And a few of our sellers are vendors who sell new items.
There are tons of great bargains on Recycled Tyke, and you can save up to 90% off great products for your children. There are the guidelines that sellers often use to price their items:
- New, unworn items with tags or in original boxes -- 20%-30% off retail prices.
- Gently used items in good condition -- 50% of their original retail price.
- Damaged and older items -- 60%-90% off their original price.
We recommend that you research the value of items you’re interested in buying. Confirm the item’s original retail price and current condition to help you decide what you’re willing to pay.
Every item page has a Contact Seller button that leads to a Contact Seller form. Fill out the form, and we’ll forward your message directly to the seller.
Give the seller up to a week to respond to your inquiry, then try again. If the seller still doesn’t respond, please send us an e-mail about it, and we’ll try to contact the seller on your behalf.
No. You and the seller make all payment and shipping arrangements on your own. See our Buying Tips for safe and easy transaction guidelines.
That's up to you. If you only want to shop locally, use our convenient location search tool to see listings from sellers in your area. This works best if you're shopping for large or heavy items like cribs and strollers, which are expensive to ship.
We don't recommend visiting the home of anyone you don't know. A safer way to inspect items being sold locally is to meet in a public place, such as a toy store or coffee shop.
Your child's safety is very important, and we recommend using caution when you purchase gently used items like cribs, strollers and car seats. If possible, you should inspect the items, check the manufacturer's warantee for information about how long the product is guaranteed to function properly, and speak with the seller to learn how old it is, how much it's been used, and if there is any damage. We will soon be introducing a seller rating system so you can see which sellers have received positive feedback from our members.
It’s important to use safe transaction practices when buying or selling online. See our Buying Tips for more information, and only buy from sellers who agree to use safe transaction practices.
Buying Tips
You can offer to purchase an item for less then the seller’s asking price. Many sellers will bargain, or will lower their price if they don’t receive interest from other buyers.
Terms of Sale are the seller’s rules for the sale of their item. The seller’s terms of sale should tell you whether they will accept returns, who is expected to pay for packing and shipping, and what forms of payment the seller will accept. It’s important to clearly agree upon the Terms of Sale before sending payment to a seller.
It’s up to you and the seller to decide who pays for packing and shipping. More importantly, you should insist that your item be professionally packed if it’s delicate. Make sure that it’s insured for its full value, and that the seller uses a reputable shipping company that provides online tracking like FedEx, UPS or Express Mail from the USPS. A tracking number will confirm shipment and receipt of your package for both you and the seller. If the seller has agreed to accept returns, you should decide in advance who will pay for return shipping. Repack and return ship the item according to the above guidelines.
For large purchases, we recommend using a secure third-party escrow site like Escrow.com. Escrow.com charges a fee, but offers the best protection for both buyers and sellers by collecting, holding and disbursing funds according to your agreed-upon instructions. Escrow.com protects you with a simple, 5-step transaction process:
- Buyer and seller agree to Terms
- Buyer pays Escrow.com, where funds are temporarily and securely held
- Seller ships merchandise
- Buyer accepts the merchandise and goes to Escrow.com to release the payment
- Escrow.com pays the seller
You can also use PayPal. Paypal is a secure site and will never share your banking information. In the event of a dispute, Paypal has its own free Dispute Resolution Center.
We recommend using only very reputable escrow companies like Escrow.com. If a seller suggests another escrow service, it could be a scam. Just because an escrow company has a website, it doesn’t mean they’re legit.
We don’t recommend mailing a check or money order to a seller. If you don’t receive the item, you’ll have no recourse. These forms of payment are best reserved for local transactions made in person.
While we have never once received a complaint about a seller or discovered a fraudulent seller on Recycled Tyke, it could happen. Here are some red flags to watch out for:
- A seller who requests payment via Moneygram or Western Union.
- A seller who asks you to make a bank or wire transfer.
Recycled Tyke cannot guarantee the honesty of everybody who uses our site, but we do investigate scams. Any member who violates our Terms of Service is banned from the site. Please Report Fraud.
Still Need Help?
If we didn’t answer your question here, please contact us and we’ll do our best to help you.