Frequently Asked Questions
What is BarneyBay?
BarneyBay is a revolutionary item-for-item sports wagering platform created by University of Hawaii and USC alumni. Instead of traditional cash betting, users wager their actual eBay listings against each other on real sporting events. Win your bet, get their item. Lose your bet, ship your item. It's that simple - and exciting!
How does eBay account connection work?
Simply connect your eBay account to get started! This verifies your item ownership and enables you to create wagers with your active eBay listings. We only access your public listing data to display items and verify ownership. All actual transactions happen directly through eBay's platform.
How do I create and manage wagers?
Creating a wager is simple:
- Connect your eBay account and verify your identity
- Browse to "Create Challenge" and select one of your active eBay listings
- Choose from NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA sports, or international soccer events
- Pick your team and bet type (spread, moneyline, over/under)
- Set wager rules (item-for-item or buyout)
- Submit to Open Challenges where other users can accept
Track all your wagers in "My Wagers" - see active bets, pending counter-offers, and completed challenges.
What are the different wager types?
- Item-for-Item: Both users wager items of similar value. Winner receives the opponent's item, loser ships their item at no cost to the winner.
- Buyout: Only the challenger submits an item. If they win, the opponent must purchase it at eBay list price. If they lose, they ship the item free to the winner.
- Custom Wagers: Create unique betting scenarios with custom odds, player props, or special event outcomes. Perfect for hardcore sports fans!
How does counter-offer negotiation work?
Counter-offers are for item-for-item wagering only - when someone creates a challenge with their item, you can propose your own item to wager against theirs:
- Find an Item-for-Item Challenge: Browse Open Challenges for wagers that allow "item-for-item" betting
- Propose Your Item: Instead of accepting their buyout, click "Propose Item-for-Item" and enter your eBay listing URL
- Both Items at Stake: Now both your item AND their item are wagered on the same game/bet
- Creator Reviews: The challenge creator sees your counter-offer with a link to view your item on eBay
- Accept or Decline: They can accept (both items now wagered) or decline (challenge returns to "Open")
🔄 Example: Alice posts her $50 jersey for a Lakers bet. Bob counter-offers his $45 sneakers. If Alice accepts and wins, she gets the sneakers, if she loses, Bob gets the jersey.
💡 Pro Tip: Counter-offers work best when your item is similar in value to theirs. Use mobile-friendly eBay URLs for best compatibility!
What sports and betting options are available?
We support major US and international sports:
Sports:
- NFL (American Football)
- NBA (Basketball)
- MLB (Baseball)
- NCAA Football & Basketball
- English Premier League Soccer
- PGA Golf (coming soon)
Bet Types:
- Point Spreads
- Moneylines (straight wins)
- Over/Under Totals
- Player Props (custom wagers)
- Live in-game betting (coming soon)
How do I communicate with other users?
All logistics communication happens through eBay's secure messaging system, which provides built-in protections and dispute resolution:
When Wagers Become Active:
- You'll receive your opponent's eBay username
- Use eBay's "Contact Seller" feature to communicate
- All conversations are protected by eBay's policies
What to Discuss via eBay:
- Shipping addresses and preferred carriers
- Tracking numbers and delivery updates
- Item condition and packaging details
- Post-game coordination and timelines
Benefits of eBay Communication:
- Built-in buyer/seller protection
- Message history preserved for disputes
- Familiar interface most eBay users know
- eBay customer service can assist if needed
📧 Pro Tip: Use professional, friendly communication through eBay to build trust and ensure smooth transactions. Good communication leads to better ratings on BarneyBay!
How are shipping costs handled?
Shipping logistics depend on your wager type:
If You Win:
The loser ships their item to you at their own expense. You receive the item free!
If You Lose:
You ship your item to the winner at your own expense. Use trackable shipping for protection!
Shipping Best Practices:
- Always use trackable shipping methods (USPS Priority, UPS, FedEx)
- Package items securely to prevent damage during transit
- Share tracking numbers via eBay messaging immediately after shipping
- Ship within 3-5 business days of game completion
- Consider insurance for high-value items over $100
Can I cancel or modify wagers?
Before Game Starts:
- Open Challenges: You can delete your own challenges anytime before someone accepts
- Active Wagers: Both parties must agree to cancel via eBay messaging or contact support
- Pending Counter-offers: Challenge creators can decline counter-offers to reset to Open status
After Game Starts:
- No Cancellations: Wagers are locked once games begin
- Automatic Cleanup: Open challenges auto-delete 6 hours after game start time
- Dispute Resolution: Contact support only for technical issues or violations
⚠️ Important: We operate on Hawaii Standard Time (HST).
What are the platform fees?
BarneyBay is currently 100% free to use during our beta launch!
We'll announce any future fee structure well in advance. Early adopters will receive grandfathered benefits!
Can I customize my profile?
Yes! Visit the Locker Room to create your wagering profile:
- Display Name: How other users see you (different from eBay username)
- Location: Share your general location for shipping estimates
- Bio: Brief description (up to 100 characters) about your wagering style
- Avatar: Choose from fun emoji avatars to represent yourself
- Social Links: Optionally share Twitter, Instagram, or other social profiles
Your profile appears when other users hover over your name on challenge cards, helping build trust and community!
How do ratings and reputation work?
BarneyBay features a comprehensive mutual rating system that builds trust and accountability in our community:
When Rating Happens:
- After a wager is completed and game results are final
- Both participants can rate each other (winner rates loser, loser rates winner)
- You can only rate someone once per completed challenge
- Ratings are optional but strongly encouraged
What Gets Rated (1-5 Stars):
- Communication: How responsive and professional they were via eBay messaging
- Shipping Speed: How quickly they shipped after game completion
- Item Condition: Whether the item matched the eBay listing description
- Overall Experience: Would you wager with this person again?
Written Feedback (Optional):
- Up to 200 characters of detailed feedback
- Appears on the user's profile for others to read
- Focus on specific aspects: "Fast shipping, great communication!"
- Recent feedback is displayed prominently
How Your Rating is Calculated:
- Average Rating: Total stars ÷ number of ratings (displayed to 1 decimal)
- Rating Count: Total number of completed wagers you've been rated for
- Profile Display: Both stats appear on your Locker Room and in challenge cards
- Community Trust: High ratings (4.5+ stars) with many wagers build strong reputation
🌟 Pro Tip: Maintain a 4.5+ star rating by communicating promptly, shipping quickly, and accurately describing your items. High-rated users get their challenges accepted much faster!
🔄 Mutual System: Since both parties rate each other, everyone has incentive to provide great service. Winners and losers both want good ratings for future wagers!
What happens when games end?
Our system automatically checks game results from official sports APIs based on Hawaii Standard Time (HST):
- Automatic Results: Games are marked complete with winners determined instantly
- Notifications: Both participants receive immediate notifications with next steps
- eBay Communication: Use eBay messaging to coordinate item shipping
- Challenge Cleanup: Open challenges auto-delete 6 hours after game start (HST)
- Dispute Window: 48-hour window to report any scoring discrepancies
🕐 Time Zone Note: All auto deletion of open challenges will be 12:01 AM next day from game day. (HST)
What happens if there's a dispute?
BarneyBay provides multiple layers of protection:
Automatic Protections:
- eBay message history preserved for evidence in disputes
- eBay's standard buyer/seller protection applies
- Official sports API results prevent scoring disputes
- User ratings track reliability and trustworthiness
When to Contact Support:
- Items not shipped within reasonable timeframe
- Incorrect or misrepresented items received
- Harassment or inappropriate behavior
- Technical issues with platform functionality
- Questions about game results or scoring
🛡️ Report Issues: Email support@barneybay.com with your challenge ID, screenshots, and detailed description. We typically resolve disputes within 24-48 hours.
How do I troubleshoot common issues?
eBay Item Fetching Issues:
- Use full eBay URLs instead of shortened mobile links (ebay.us/m/)
- Ensure your item listing is active and public
- Try refreshing the page and re-entering the URL
- Desktop URLs work more reliably than mobile URLs
Game Search Problems:
- Search by team names or major keywords
- Try refreshing if you see "undefined" errors
- Games appear 2-3 days before start time, or when odds are placed on games
- Check that you're searching the correct sport category
Communication Issues:
- Use eBay's "Contact Seller" feature found on item listings
- Make sure you have the correct eBay username from My Wagers
- Check your eBay account's message settings
- Try sending messages through eBay's mobile app if desktop isn't working
How does eBay integration work?
BarneyBay connects seamlessly with eBay for all transactions:
- eBay Authentication: Your eBay credentials are held securely with eBay through standard OAuth
- Direct eBay Communication: All purchasing, shipping and communication happens through eBay
- Item Verification: We only access your public eBay listing data to verify items
- No Direct Handling: BarneyBay never handles money or items - we facilitate sporting event outcomes
🎯 Simple Process: Create your wager, connect via eBay, and let the games begin! We're building a fun community of sports fans who love item-based wagering.
Still have questions?
Our team is here to help! Reach out anytime at support@barneybay.com for any questions about using the platform.