Community Guidelines

Shopi works because people trust each other. These guidelines explain what we expect from everyone on the platform — buyers, sellers, and browsers alike — so Shopi stays a safe, useful place to discover and sell things.

These guidelines work alongside our Terms of Service and Prohibited Items Policy. Breaking them can lead to content removal, account restrictions, or a permanent ban.

Your listing should describe what you're actually selling.

Do

• Use real photos of the actual item (or clearly representative photos for made-to-order items)
• State the true condition, price, and any flaws
• Update or remove your listing once an item is sold

Don't

• Post photos of items you don't actually have
• Use misleading pricing (e.g. listing at a fake "discount")
• Use AI-generated images or descriptions that misrepresent what a buyer will actually receive
• Repost the same listing repeatedly to spam feeds

Messaging is at the heart of buying and selling on Shopi.

Do

• Respond to genuine buyer/seller enquiries in good faith
• Disagree or decline a deal politely
• Report a conversation if someone is abusive or suspicious

Don't

• Harass, threaten, or send unwanted sexual messages to another user
• Use hate speech or discriminatory language based on someone's ethnicity, tribe, religion, gender, disability, or other protected characteristic
• Spam users with unsolicited promotional messages

Shopi doesn't process payments, which means trust between buyers and sellers matters even more.

• Don't ask a buyer to pay before showing or verifying the item
• Don't impersonate a courier, delivery service, or "Shopi support" to request payment or personal details
• Don't run advance-fee schemes ("pay a deposit to secure the item" scams)
• Don't promote pyramid schemes, get-rich-quick schemes, or unregistered investment opportunities
• Don't use stolen payment details or facilitate fraud in any way

If something feels off — unusually low prices, pressure to pay quickly, refusal to meet or show the item — report it.

Don't post or promote:

• Content that threatens or incites violence
• Instructions for making weapons, explosives, or dangerous substances
• Content sexually exploiting or endangering minors — this is reported to relevant authorities immediately
• Items or services covered by our Prohibited Items Policy

• Don't post counterfeit goods or knock-offs presented as genuine branded products
• Don't use copyrighted photos, videos, or designs that aren't yours without permission
• Don't copy another seller's listing content

If you believe your copyright has been infringed, see our Contact Us page for how to file a complaint.

Use a single account that represents you honestly.

• Don't create multiple accounts to get around a suspension
• Don't use fake accounts to inflate your own likes, followers, or views
• Don't buy or sell followers, likes, or engagement

If you use AI tools to help create a listing (for example, generating a description), make sure the final listing still accurately reflects the real item. Misleading AI-generated content — such as images that don't represent what's actually for sale — is treated the same as any other misleading listing.

If you see something that breaks these guidelines, you can:

• Report a conversation directly from the chat
• Block a user to stop them contacting you
• Contact us for anything that needs closer review — see Contact Us

We review reports and take action ranging from a warning to permanent account removal, depending on severity.

Depending on the seriousness and frequency of the issue, we may:

• Remove the specific listing or message
• Issue a warning
• Temporarily restrict your account
• Permanently ban your account

Serious violations — fraud, threats, or content endangering minors — may result in immediate permanent removal and, where required by law, a report to the relevant authorities.