Question 1

What is Bambino?

Accepted Answer

Bambino is a marketplace built for parents, by a parent. It's a place to buy and sell gently used baby and kids' items — strollers, clothes, carriers, toys, nursery gear — directly from other families. Babies grow fast and gear adds up quickly, so we made it easy to pass things on (and pick things up) without paying retail.

Question 2

Do I need an account to look around?

Accepted Answer

Nope. You can browse and search listings without signing up. You'll need a free account to message sellers, save favorites, list your own items, or check out.

Question 3

Is Bambino free to use?

Accepted Answer

Browsing and signing up are free. When a sale happens, sellers pay a 3% platform fee — that's how we keep the lights on, the site running, and support a real person you can reach when something goes sideways.

Question 4

How do I know what I'm buying is safe?

Accepted Answer

Sellers are asked to honestly describe condition, age of the item, and whether it's been recalled. We always recommend doing a quick check on the CPSC recall database (https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls) before buying anything mechanical (cribs, swings, bouncers, play yards). If something seems off, message the seller before you buy — most parents are happy to send extra photos or answer questions.

Question 5

What if my item arrives damaged or isn't what I expected?

Accepted Answer

You have 5 days from delivery to flag an issue. Funds stay held until that return window closes, so if something's wrong, you're protected. Just open a return request from your order page and we'll help sort it out.

Question 6

How do I message a seller?

Accepted Answer

Tap "Message Seller" on any listing. All conversations happen inside Bambino so there's a record if a question or dispute ever comes up later.

Question 7

Can I make an offer below the asking price?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. Sellers can choose whether to accept offers on each listing — if they've turned offers on, you'll see a "Make an Offer" button. If you don't see it, the price is firm.

Question 8

Can I buy from a seller in my area without paying for shipping?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if the seller has enabled local pickup, you'll see it as an option at checkout. Great for bulky items like cribs, gliders, and exersaucers where shipping costs more than the item itself.

Question 9

What can I sell?

Accepted Answer

Gently used baby and kids' items in safe, working condition. Think clothes, strollers, carriers, toys, books, nursery furniture, feeding gear, and more.

Question 10

What can't I sell?

Accepted Answer

For safety reasons, we don't allow: used car seats (more on why below); recalled items of any kind; expired or recalled cribs and play yards; used pacifiers, bottle nipples, or teethers; opened formula, baby food, or breast milk; used breast pump parts that touch milk (you can sell the pump itself with new accessories); anything broken, missing safety-critical parts, or visibly unsafe.

Question 11

How do I list an item?

Accepted Answer

Snap a few clear photos in good light, write an honest description (condition, any flaws, what's included), set your price, and choose your shipping options. Listings go live right away.

Question 12

How does shipping work for sellers?

Accepted Answer

You've got two options, and you can offer either, both, or just one per listing. 1. Ship it — We integrate with Shippo so you can print a prepaid label right from your dashboard. Shipping cost is calculated at checkout based on weight and dimensions, and the buyer covers it. 2. Local pickup — Skip shipping entirely. You and the buyer coordinate a pickup through in-app messaging. Perfect for bulky items.

Question 13

When do I get paid?

Accepted Answer

Funds are released to your connected bank account a few days after the buyer's 5-day return window closes. So roughly a week after delivery, the money lands in your account. This brief hold protects both you and the buyer if anything goes wrong.

Question 14

What does it cost to sell?

Accepted Answer

A flat 3% platform fee on the sale price, plus standard payment processing fees from Stripe. Both are deducted automatically — no invoices, no surprises.

Question 15

Can I let buyers make offers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When you create or edit a listing, you can toggle "Accept offers" on or off. If it's on, buyers will see a "Make an Offer" button and you can accept, decline, or counter from your dashboard.

Question 16

Who pays for shipping?

Accepted Answer

The buyer, calculated at checkout based on the package's weight and dimensions.

Question 17

What carriers do you support?

Accepted Answer

USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Sellers can set their carrier preferences in their shipping settings.

Question 18

How does local pickup work?

Accepted Answer

If a listing offers local pickup, you'll see it as an option at checkout. Once you check out, you and the seller can coordinate a time and place through Bambino's messaging. We recommend meeting somewhere public and well-lit — many police stations even have designated "safe exchange zones."

Question 19

What if my package is lost or damaged in transit?

Accepted Answer

We monitor tracking automatically. If something goes missing or arrives damaged, contact support and we'll help you file a carrier claim and get the order resolved.

Question 20

How are payments handled?

Accepted Answer

Through Stripe, the same payment processor used by companies like Shopify and Lyft. Bambino never sees or stores your card details.

Question 21

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

Yes — within 5 days of delivery if the item isn't as described. After the return window closes, sales are final.

Question 22

How do I return an item?

Accepted Answer

Open a return request from your order page within 5 days of delivery. The seller will get a return shipping label, and your refund processes once the item arrives back to them.

Question 23

What happens if the seller and I can't agree?

Accepted Answer

Reach out to support and we'll step in to help mediate. We've seen most situations and we're here to make it fair.

Question 24

Why don't you allow used car seats?

Accepted Answer

This is the question we thought hardest about, and we landed on prohibiting them for a few reasons. Expiration dates: car seats expire (usually 6–10 years from manufacture) because plastics degrade and safety standards evolve. It's hard to verify expiration from a photo. Hidden crash damage: a seat involved in even a minor accident can be structurally compromised in ways you can't see — and sellers may not know or remember. Recall complexity: car seats are recalled often, and verifying a specific seat's status is genuinely difficult. We know this is inconvenient — car seats are expensive — but it's one place we've decided not to take the risk. For a free or low-cost car seat, check with your hospital, pediatrician, or local programs like Safe Kids Worldwide (https://www.safekids.org).

Question 25

How do you verify users?

Accepted Answer

Email verification at signup, and phone verification before your first transaction (whether you're buying or selling). This keeps the community accountable.

Question 26

What about recalled items?

Accepted Answer

Listing recalled items isn't allowed. If you discover something you bought has been recalled after the fact, contact support — we'll help you figure out next steps.

Question 27

Is my personal information safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We only collect what we need to run the marketplace, we never sell your data, and your address is only shared with a seller after you've purchased something that ships. You can read the full details in our Privacy Policy.

Question 28

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

From Settings → Account. Deletion has a 30-day grace period in case you change your mind — after that, your data is permanently removed.

Question 29

How do I stop receiving text messages?

Accepted Answer

Reply STOP to any text from us, or update your notification preferences in Settings. Reply START to opt back in.

Question 30

How do I update my email or password?

Accepted Answer

Head to Settings → Account. You can update your email, password, and notification preferences any time.

Question 31

How do I contact support?

Accepted Answer

Email us at help@bambinoswap.com. We're a small team, but we read every message and aim to respond within one business day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

Buying

Selling

Shipping & Local Pickup

Payments & Returns

Safety & Trust

Your Account