Frequently Asked Questions

General

Q: What is Hobby Nest? 

A: Hobby Nest is a peer-to-peer marketplace where crafters, hobbyists and makers can buy and sell their new, leftover or unused craft and hobby supplies. 

Q: Who can join?

A: Anyone with a passion for hobbies — from collectibles, crafts, and games to unique handmade items.

Account & Security

Q: How do I create an account?

A: Simply click Sign Up, provide your email address, and follow the verification steps.

Q: I forgot my password. What should I do?

A: Use the Forgot Password option on the login page to reset it.

Q: What if I lose access to my email?

A: For security reasons, we recommend creating a new account with your current email.

Subscription Plans

Q: Do I need a subscription to use Hobby Nest?

A: Yes. Both buyers and sellers need a subscription to access the platform. This helps keep the community safe and dedicated to people who are serious about crafting and destashing.

Q: How much does a subscription cost?

A: Hobby Nest offers two plans:

• Starter (Nest Builder) Plan: 10 listings per month is $5 per quarter or $15 per year.
• Premium (Nest Pro) Plan: 25 listings per month is $20 per quarter or $60 per year.

View detailed subscription and credit options by clicking on the “Subscription Plans and Credits” link at the bottom of the Hobby Nest page. 

Q: What is the difference between subscription plans and credit packs?

A: Subscription plans renew automatically and provide ongoing benefits. Credit packs are a one-time purchase you can use until they run out.

Q: Can I cancel my subscription?

A: Yes. You can cancel anytime, and your plan will remain active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Q: Can I upgrade my subscription later?

A: Yes, you can upgrade from the starter plan to the premium plan at any time.

Credits

Q: What are credits on Hobby Nest?

A: Credits are optional add-ons that sellers can purchase to boost visibility or increase their listing limits.

Q: What can I use credits for?

A: Credits can be used in three ways:

• Bump a Listing early: every listing automatically receives one free bump every 5 days to move it back to the top of its category. If you want to bump your listing before the 5-day window, you can use a credit for an early bump to increase visibility.
• Pin a Listing: Keeps your item pinned at the top of its category for 24 hours.
• Additional Listings: Allows you to post more items for sale or trade beyond your monthly subscription limit.

Q: Do I need credits to sell on Hobby Nest?

A: No. Your subscription already includes a set number of listings each month (10 with the Starter Plan, 25 with the Premium Plan). Credits are completely optional and only needed if you want extra visibility or additional listings.

Q: How do I purchase credits?

A: Credits can be purchased directly from the my subscription page. Once purchased, they will be available immediately to use.

Q: Do credits expire?

A: Credits do not expire.

Selling

Q: How do I list an item for sale?

A: Once subscribed, you can create listings from your listing dashboard. Just upload photos, add a description, add your payment and shipping details and set your price.

Q: How many items can I list?

A: With the Starter Nest Builder plan, you can post up to 10 listings per month. With the Nest Pro plan, you can post up to 25 listings per month. If you want to list more items beyond your plan’s limit, you can purchase additional listings using credits.

Q: Can I add multiple items to one listing?

A: We recommend creating one listing per item for clarity and easier searching. However, you may create a listing for a bundle or lot of items if you want to sell or trade them together (for example: a set of fabric scraps, a group of beads, or a mixed box of supplies). If you choose to sell multiple items in one listing, make sure your description and photos clearly show everything included.

Q: Can I sell finished handmade items?

A: Hobby Nest is designed for destashing supplies, not selling finished products. If you’re unsure whether your item qualifies, check our seller guidelines.

Q: I don’t see the hobby I want to list an item in. What should I do?

A: At this time, Hobby Nest offers a limited selection of hobbies and categories to keep the marketplace simple and easy to use. As our community grows, we’ll be expanding to include more hobbies and subcategories. If you’d like to suggest a hobby for us to add, we’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to support@hobbynest.com with your recommendation.

Q: Does Hobby Nest take a percentage of my sales?

A: No. Hobby Nest only charges for subscriptions. Sellers keep 100% of their earnings.

Q: How do I get paid for my sales?

A: Hobby Nest does not handle payment transactions between buyers and sellers and cannot issue refunds. Payment must be arranged directly between the seller and the buyer. We strongly recommend using secure and trusted payment methods such as PayPal Goods & Services, Venmo, or other reputable services to protect both parties.

Hobby Nest is not responsible for any payment disputes or lost funds, so it's important to agree on payment terms and methods before completing a sale.

Q: Should I include my personal email, Venmo, Paypal, or other payment details in my listing?

A: No - For your safety, please do not include personal payment information in your listing description or payment details. Only share payment details through the Hobby Nest messaging system after you and the buyer have confirmed the transaction. This helps protect you from scams and keeps all transactions secure.

Q: How do I ship my items?

A: Sellers are responsible for arranging shipping. Be sure to communicate clearly with the buyer about shipping costs, timing, and tracking information.

Buying

Q: How do I purchase items?

A: Once subscribed, you can browse listings, message sellers directly through Hobby Nest, and arrange payment and shipping details with them.

Q: Are transactions protected by Hobby Nest?

A: No, Hobby Nest does not process payments or handle shipping. All transactions are arranged directly between buyers and sellers. We strongly recommend using safe payment methods and clear communication.

Q: Can I return items I buy?

A: Returns are not handled by Hobby Nest. Any return or refund arrangements are worked out directly between buyer and seller.

Messaging

Q: How do I send and receive messages on Hobby Nest?

A: Hobby Nest has a built-in messaging system to help buyers and sellers communicate safely.

For Buyers:

Click “Tweet with Seller” on the item listing or on the sellers profile page. Your message will be sent to the seller’s Selling tab in their inbox. This tab contains all messages that buyers send to the seller.

For Sellers:

Selling tab: View messages sent by buyers who are interested in your listings.

Buying tab: Use this tab to manage messages you initiate with other sellers. To send a message, you must start from a product listing or the seller’s profile page. The Buying tab then stores and organizes these conversations. Keep all communications within Hobby Nest messaging so you have a clear record of agreements, questions, and details about items.

Sold Items

Q: How do I mark an item as sold?

A: To mark an item as sold, go to your Messages and open the conversation with the buyer. Inside the message thread, you’ll see a “Mark as Sold” button. Click this button to confirm the sale. Once marked, the buyer will be notified and will have the option to leave you a verified review.

Q: Can I mark an item as sold for multiple buyers? 

A: No.  Even if you have multiple items listed under one listing, you can only mark the item as sold once. This will generate only one verified review. If you plan to sell multiple quantities, we recommend creating separate listings for each item to ensure every buyer can leave a verified review.

Q: Can I mark an item as sold from my listing dashboard? 

A: Not at this time. Currently, items can only be marked as sold through the messaging system. However, the ability to mark items as sold directly from your listing dashboard is planned as a future enhancement.

Reviews

Q: How does the Hobby Nest review system work?

A: Hobby Nest uses a 5-feather review system instead of stars to help buyers and sellers rate their experiences. Here’s how it works:

Verified Reviews

• When a buyer initiates a message from a product listing, that message is linked to the specific item.
• Once the seller marks the item as sold within the message, the buyer is prompted to leave a review.
• This review is recorded on the seller’s review profile as a verified review, since it is linked to an actual sold item.
• Verified reviews are considered more valuable because they are tied to a completed transaction.

Unverified Reviews

Buyers can also leave a review without linking it to a specific product. To do this, they go to the seller’s profile page and click “Leave a Review.” These reviews are general feedback and are not tied to a specific product.

Summary

Verified reviews = linked to a sold product = higher value.

Unverified reviews = general feedback = not product-linked.

Both types of reviews appear on the seller’s profile, helping other users evaluate their trustworthiness and service.

Q: Can I leave a verified review for the buyer? 

A: Not at this time. Currently, only buyers can leave verified reviews for sellers. However, this feature is planned as a future enhancement.

Badges

Q: What are badges and how do they work?

A: Badges are visual indicators that appear next to a seller’s profile name to highlight their status or achievements on Hobby Nest.

Pro Seller Badge: Sellers subscribed to the Nest Pro Plan will have a Pro Seller badge displayed next to their name.

• Badges help buyers quickly identify trusted or experienced sellers.
• Badges are automatically applied based on your subscription and do not require any additional action from the seller.

Safety & Community

Q: How do I stay safe when buying or selling?

A: Always use secure payment methods, communicate within the Hobby Nest messaging system, and confirm shipping details before sending or paying for items.

Q: What if I have an issue with another user?

A: Please report any suspicious behavior or rule violations to Hobby Nest support. We take community safety seriously.

Q: What if I have an issue with a payment or transaction?

A: Hobby Nest does not handle payment disputes or third-party payment issues. All transactions, including payments and trades, are arranged directly between buyers and sellers.

If you report a payment or transaction problem to Hobby Nest, you may not receive a response. We strongly recommend using secure payment methods with buyer/seller protection (such as PayPal Goods & Services) and keeping clear records of all communications and agreements.

Click here for more Safety Tips…..(add link to Safety Tips once we go live)

Payment Issues

Q: What should I do if my subscription payment doesn’t go through?

A: If you have trouble submitting a subscription payment:

• Check your payment details – make sure your card or payment method is entered correctly and has sufficient funds.
• Try a different payment method – for example, use another card
•  Check with your bank or payment provider – some banks may block payments for security reasons.
• Clear your browser cache or try a different device/browser – sometimes technical issues can prevent the payment from completing.

If you’ve tried these steps and still cannot complete your subscription purchase, contact Hobby Nest support with details about your issue so we can help.

Remember: HobbyNest cannot process payments directly; all subscription payments go through our third-party payment processor.

Trouble Shooting

Q: Why wont the “Publish Listing” button respond?

A: Most likely, a required field is missing. Please scroll through your listing form and ensure all required fields have been completed. You’ll also need to confirm that you’ve accepted our Terms of Service before publishing.

Q: Why wont my images upload?

A:  Check that your image is in an accepted format (e.g., JPG or PNG) and under the maximum file size limit. If it still won’t upload, try a different browser or device.

Q: Why does my image appear distorted or unclear on the website?

A: Images may appear stretched, blurry, or cropped if they don’t meet Hobby Nest’s recommended specifications. To ensure your images display correctly:

• Use JPG or PNG format.
• Keep the file size under 5 MB.
• Follow the recommended dimensions (e.g., 1200 × 1200 pixels for listings).
• Use a square aspect ratio for listing photos.
• Tips: Use good lighting, avoid adding text, watermarks, or busy backgrounds that can make your item hard to see.

By following these guidelines, your images will display clearly and professionally across the site.

Q: Why don’t I see my “Pinned” or “Bumped” Item on the home screen?

A: Hobby Nest features a rotating Top 5 display. Only five categories are shown on the home screen at any given time, and they rotate regularly. If your bumped or pinned item doesn’t appear on the home screen, you can still find it by sorting by hobby and then selecting the specific category where your item is listed.

Rest assured, bumped and pinned items still receive priority placement within their hobby category, giving them greater visibility to buyers browsing that section.

Q: Why does the "New Message" indicator stay visible even after I read my messages?

A: Sometimes the “New Message” indicator doesn’t clear right away after you open your messages. If you refresh your page, the indicator will update and disappear. We’re working on improving this so it updates automatically—thank you for your patience!

Refunds

Q: Can I get a refund for my subscription or credits?

A: No. All Hobby Nest subscriptions and credit purchases are non-refundable. Once a subscription or credits are purchased, they cannot be returned or exchanged for cash.

Subscriptions remain active for the full billing period, even if you cancel early.

Credits for bumps, pins, or additional listings are non-refundable once added to your account.

We recommend double-checking your subscription plan and only buying credits when you’re ready to use them. If you have questions, please contact Hobby Nest support before making a purchase.

Support

Q: How do I contact support?

A: You can reach us via support@hobbynest.com. Our support hours are Monday–Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM (local time).