Plain English, no corporate waffle. This is how we keep things honest around here.
SellShit is a peer-to-peer digital noticeboard. We connect buyers and sellers — that's it. We don't handle payments, we don't hold funds, and we are not a sales facilitator. Every transaction happens directly between two real people.
That means you need to use your head. Verify who you're dealing with, check their feedback, and if something feels too good to be true, it almost certainly is. We want this platform to stay honest and useful for everyone — and that starts with knowing what is and isn't allowed.
The platform is run entirely by volunteers and kept alive by donations from the community. We don't have a legal team, a trust-and-safety department, or a war chest of VC money. We have common sense and a shared interest in keeping this place good. Please bring yours.
The following items and listing types are prohibited. This list is not exhaustive — if it's sketchy, use your judgement or flag it.
No drop-shipping, no retail arbitrage, no warehouse clearing. This is a secondhand marketplace. Exception: something you bought yourself and genuinely never used — still in box, with tags — is fine. One item, one listing.
No selling, rehoming, advertising, or trading of animals of any kind. Not dogs, not cats, not fish, not "free to a good home." This isn't the right platform for it.
No guns, no ammo, no suppressors, no magazines, no accessories designed primarily for use with a firearm. Full stop. This applies regardless of your licence status.
No illegal drugs, no prescription-only medications, and nothing else regulated under the Misuse of Drugs Act or the Medicines Act. This includes paraphernalia marketed for drug use.
No knives carried or sold as weapons, no tasers, no batons, no slingshots, no anything designed primarily to hurt people. Tools are tools — weapons are not.
No fake branded items, no knockoffs, no replicas passed off as genuine. No stolen goods — full stop. Listing stolen property is illegal and will be reported.
No explosives, no dangerous chemicals, nothing that requires a special licence to own, store, or transport. If it needs a hazmat sticker, it doesn't belong here.
Not the right platform. This site is accessible to everyone and must stay suitable for general audiences. Take adult material elsewhere.
We can't verify age, so we don't allow the sale of tobacco, vaping products, or alcohol on the platform. Save everyone the headache.
No selling platform accounts, login credentials, personal data, or anything that belongs to someone else digitally. This includes gift cards obtained fraudulently.
One listing per item. Don't flood a category with the same thing listed twenty times. Listings that exist purely to advertise a business rather than sell a specific item will be removed.
SellShit is for physical, secondhand goods. Listings for services, digital downloads, NFTs, cryptocurrency, or "get rich quick" schemes will be removed.
We don't process payments, we don't hold your money, and we cannot refund you if a trade goes south. Deals happen directly between you and the other person — usually cash on pickup, or bank transfer. That's how it's meant to work, but it means you need to be switched on.
If a deal feels off, trust that feeling. No legitimate seller will pressure you to pay via unusual methods, rush you into a decision, or refuse to meet in a public place. Scammers rely on urgency and isolation — slow down, ask questions, and verify before you pay.
Always check a user's feedback before transacting. For high-value items, meet in a public place, bring a friend, and use bank transfer over cash so there's a paper trail. Never send payment before you've seen the item in person unless you genuinely trust the person.
If something seems wrong — a suspicious listing, a weird message, a conversation that's making you uneasy — report it to us and talk to a friend or family member. A fresh set of eyes goes a long way. You're never being paranoid for double-checking.
Further reading from NetSafe NZ:
Common marketplace scams and how to avoid them →
Online shopping & selling safety guide (PDF) →
SellShit is run entirely by volunteers. Nobody here is drawing a salary. The servers stay on because people in the community chip in via donations — if you get value from this place, please consider contributing.
Because we're not a business, we're not in a position to mediate disputes or refund users if a trade goes wrong. We'll take action against bad actors when we find them, but we can't undo a bad deal. That's why your own judgement is your best protection.
The golden rule: don't be a dick. Treat people the way you'd want to be treated in person. Lowball offers, rudeness, ghosting after agreeing to buy, and wasting people's time are all frowned upon. The feedback system exists for a reason — use it.
These rules are subject to change at any time, without notice. We'll always try to do what's fair and what keeps this community in good shape. If you think we've got something wrong, tell us.
Last reviewed: April 2026
Now you know the deal. Go find something good or shift something you no longer need.