Question 1

Who can use Scout?

Accepted Answer

Scout is available to anyone 18 years or older living in the United States. Users under 18 are not permitted to use the app.

Question 2

Where can I download the Scout app?

Accepted Answer

You can download Scout from the Apple App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scout-by-recess-marketplace/id6475358269) or the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.recess.app&hl=en_US).

Question 3

Is Scout available on the web?

Accepted Answer

No. Today, Scout is only available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Question 4

How do I create a Scout account?

Accepted Answer

Download the app and follow the on-screen prompts. You'll need to provide accurate and complete information to create your account.

Question 5

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

You can delete your account through the Settings menu. This will permanently delete all of your data from Scout.

Question 6

Can I edit my profile or my profile image?

Accepted Answer

Yes! To edit your profile or profile image, tap on Profile in the bottom right-hand corner of the main navigation, then tap the gear icon in the top right.

Question 7

How do I buy an item on Scout?

Accepted Answer

You can buy items on Scout through the mobile app. When you find an item you want to purchase, you can either use the "Buy Now" option to purchase at the listed price or make an offer to negotiate the price with the seller.

Question 8

What payment methods are accepted?

Accepted Answer

Scout accepts major credit cards and debit cards through Stripe, a secure payment processor. All payments are processed securely and your payment information is protected.

Question 9

Can I make offers on items?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can make an offer on items sold by individual sellers. The seller can accept, reject, or make a counter-offer. You can negotiate back and forth until you reach an agreement. To make an offer, you need to put a credit card on file, which is saved with Stripe, not Scout. If a seller accepts your offer within 72 hours, your credit card will be charged. Note that offers are not available when buying from businesses, which have fixed prices.

Question 10

What is Bundling and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Bundling lets shoppers add multiple items from an individual seller to one bundle, with no limit on the number of items. Shoppers can make one offer on the full bundle. Like offers on single items, the seller gets a notification and a direct message with the offer amount, and can accept or counter. Shipping is automatically calculated and shown to the buyer before they submit the offer. Sellers do not see shipping costs; whatever offer amount is accepted is the total amount the seller receives before credit card fees. Note that bundling is only available when buying from individual sellers. When shopping from a business, you can add multiple items to a shopping cart instead.

Question 11

Can I bundle items from multiple sellers?

Accepted Answer

No. Bundles can only include items from one seller or shop.

Question 12

Is there a limit to how many items I can add to a bundle?

Accepted Answer

There is no item limit. Shoppers can add as many items as they want from the same seller or shop.

Question 13

How are shipping costs handled for bundles?

Accepted Answer

Shipping is automatically calculated and shown to the buyer before they submit a bundle offer.

Question 14

What do sellers see when they receive a bundle offer?

Accepted Answer

Sellers receive a notification and a direct message with the bundle offer amount. They can accept or counter, and they do not see shipping cost in the offer details. Once accepted, the offer amount is what the seller receives before credit card fees.

Question 15

What is the "Buy Now" option?

Accepted Answer

The "Buy Now" option allows you to purchase an item immediately at the listed price without negotiating. This is the fastest way to complete a purchase.

Question 16

How does payment work?

Accepted Answer

When you purchase an item or your offer is accepted, your payment is processed immediately through one of the following options: Stripe, Shop Pay, PayPal, Amazon Pay, or Apple Pay.

Question 17

When do I pay for an item?

Accepted Answer

Payment is required immediately after your offer is accepted by the seller, or when you use the "Buy Now" option.

Question 18

When does the seller receive payment?

Accepted Answer

Individual sellers receive payment 3 days after the order is delivered. Scout will hold payment longer if you file a dispute within this 3-day window. Businesses receive payment based on the agreed-upon terms they have with their respective commerce platforms.

Question 19

How will I receive my item?

Accepted Answer

As the buyer, you determine how to receive your purchase. Options include local pickup (you meet the seller in person) or delivery (the seller arranges delivery directly with you).

Question 20

What if the item doesn't arrive?

Accepted Answer

If you don't receive your item within the expected timeframe, contact the seller first through the app's messaging system. If the seller doesn't ship within 7 days or the item doesn't arrive within 30 days, you can file a dispute in the app and Scout will side with you. If you are buying from a business, you must reach out directly to that business.

Question 21

Can I return an item?

Accepted Answer

Scout may allow you to return an item in limited circumstances. You can open a return case within 3 days of delivery for undisclosed damage, incorrect or missing item, or item not as described within the listing. Please note: You cannot open a return case more than 3 days after delivery. Trades, offline transactions, items that don't fit, or orders where you changed your mind are not eligible for return. If you buy from a business on Scout, the return policy is established by each business.

Question 22

How long do I have to file a return?

Accepted Answer

When buying from an individual seller, you have 3 days from the date of delivery to file a return. After 3 days, payment is automatically released to the seller and all sales are final. When you buy from a business, the return window is between you and that business.

Question 23

What is Scout Protect?

Accepted Answer

Scout Protect is our buyer protection program for products listed by individual sellers. We will give you a full refund if your item never ships or does not match the listing description. Scout Protect does not cover products listed by businesses. Listings that are covered by Scout Protect will display a Scout Protect badge on the listing page.

Question 24

How do I file a dispute?

Accepted Answer

You can file a dispute in the app. To file a dispute, you must: Tap on your profile, My purchases, The order you want to dispute, Then tap dispute order. Disputes are typically reviewed within 24-48 hours. You'll be notified of the resolution.

Question 25

What happens if I file a dispute?

Accepted Answer

When you file a dispute, your payment is held while Scout reviews your case. If your dispute is approved, you'll receive a refund and the seller is responsible for facilitating and paying for the return. If the dispute is not approved, payment will be released to the seller.

Question 26

Who pays for shipping?

Accepted Answer

Buyers are responsible for all shipping fees. An estimated shipping price is displayed on the product details page. When you enter your shipping and credit card information, you will also be given several shipping options that you can choose from.

Question 27

Why are Scout shipping labels required?

Accepted Answer

Our shipping labels allow our system to track the package and take care of any issues that may occur while it is in transit to the buyer. If our label is not used, we cannot offer insurance on the package and the buyer will not be able to accept the order through the app, causing a delay in your earnings being released to you. If you accidentally used a different label, please reach out to Scout Support and provide us with the tracking information: support@shoponscout.com

Question 28

What if my item doesn't arrive within 30 days?

Accepted Answer

If you purchased from an individual seller and your item doesn't arrive within 30 days of purchase, you can file a dispute in the app and Scout will side with you. However, if you and the seller agree to a shipping timeline that exceeds 30 days, you will not be eligible for Scout Protect. If you bought from a business on Scout, the shipping policy is set between you and that business.

Question 29

What if the seller doesn't ship within 7 days?

Accepted Answer

Individual sellers must ship items within 7 days from the date the order was purchased, unless otherwise agreed between you and the seller. If the seller doesn't ship within 7 days, you can file a dispute in the app and Scout will side with you. If you bought from a business on Scout, the shipping policy is set between you and that business.

Question 30

How do I use a Scout gift card?

Accepted Answer

To redeem your gift card, go to the Scout app: Tap profile, Tap settings, Tap Redeem Gift Card, Enter the Code. Now, when you make a purchase your gift card should appear as a payment option. Gift cards can only be used for purchases from individual sellers. They cannot be used when buying from businesses.

Question 31

What is a storefront?

Accepted Answer

A storefront is your business's presence on Scout. Benefits of having a storefront include: a dedicated support team, tools for running your business including shipping labels and buyer protection, exclusive opportunities to earn Scout credits, and support migrating your existing listings from other marketplaces.

Question 32

I'm just starting a business. Can I join?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The Shopowner program is for both new and established businesses.

Question 33

What does this program cost?

Accepted Answer

The program is free to join, and we currently do not charge any seller fees.

Question 34

I have a lot of inventory. Can you help me bring it over?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We provide a lot of different ways for sellers to get their inventory onto Scout easily. 1. You can use the app to create new listings through voice, photo or video. 2. You can use the app to add to your seller profile. This means that you can just tell Scout about what items you don't have yet listed but could sell or categories of products you tend to be able to source. 3. If you have your inventory already listed on Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Shopify, Vendoo, ListPerfectly or elsewhere, we can help you bring it over. Please apply for a storefront at shoponscout.com/shopowners to access a dedicated support team that can help you with these types of requests.

Question 35

How do I get a storefront?

Accepted Answer

You can sign up on shoponscout.com/shopowners.

Question 36

How do I list a product?

Accepted Answer

Open the Scout app and tell it what you want to buy or sell. Enter that you'd like to sell an item. From there, just follow the steps.

Question 37

Do I need to download the app to sell?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You need to download the Scout app to list items for sale.

Question 38

How do I bring over my listings from Poshmark or other marketplaces?

Accepted Answer

Please apply for a storefront at shoponscout.com/shopowners to access a dedicated support team that can help you with these types of requests.

Question 39

Why don't I see the "Buy Now" option on my listings?

Accepted Answer

To enable the "Buy Now" button, you will need to connect your payout account to Stripe. In the app, go to Profile > Settings > Bank Account Setup to set up your payout account in Stripe.

Question 40

Why is my listing showing as Draft?

Accepted Answer

Your listing is in Draft because we don't have a way to pay you yet. Scout sends your earnings directly to your bank account after each sale — but we need it connected first before your listing can go live. It only takes about 3 minutes, and once you're done, every future sale pays out automatically. To get set up: Open the Scout app, go to Profile > Settings > Bank Account Setup, and follow the prompts to connect through Stripe. Once your account is verified, your Draft listings will go live automatically.

Question 41

How do bundle offers work for sellers?

Accepted Answer

Sellers receive bundle offers the same way they receive single-item offers: through a notification and direct message with the offer amount. Sellers can accept, counter or reject the offer.

Question 42

Do sellers see shipping costs on bundle offers?

Accepted Answer

No. Shipping is automatically calculated and shown to the buyer before they submit an offer, but sellers do not see shipping cost in the offer details because shipping is paid by the buyer. The amount you see and accept is the amount you'll get before credit card fees. After you accept the offer, you'll be prompted to create a shipping label.

Question 43

What happens after I accept a bundle offer?

Accepted Answer

Once a seller accepts a bundle offer, the accepted offer amount is the total amount the seller receives before credit card fees, and the seller can print a shipping label.

Question 44

Can I edit a product listing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Once a product listing is live, you can edit it in the app by visiting the listing page. During listing creation, Scout helps you identify the brand and product, generate a suggested description, and recommend a price. You may adjust these suggestions before posting or edit them after the listing is live.

Question 45

What information do I need to provide?

Accepted Answer

When creating a listing, you should provide: Clear photos of the item, An accurate description of the item's condition, A fair price, Sizing information, Shipping price (whether free or there's an additional price), Shipping preferences (local pickup, delivery, or shipping).

Question 46

How much does it cost to list an item?

Accepted Answer

It's always free to list an item for sale on Scout. There are no listing fees or upfront costs.

Question 47

What fees do I pay when my item sells?

Accepted Answer

Scout does not charge seller fees. However, if the buyer pays by credit card, a credit card processing fee is deducted from your payout. This fee is calculated on the full order total — including shipping and tax paid by the buyer — not just your sale price.

Question 48

How are selling fees calculated?

Accepted Answer

The credit card processing fee is 2.9% of the full order total, plus $0.30 per transaction. Because shipping and tax are included in that total, the fee will be slightly higher than 2.9% of your sale price alone. For example, for a $100 item with $7 shipping and $8 tax: the full order total is $115, the fee is $3.64 (2.9% × $115 + $0.30), and your payout is $96.36. Note: shipping and tax are paid by the buyer and are not part of your earnings — but because the credit card fee applies to the full transaction, a small portion of that fee is reflected in your payout.

Question 49

When do I get paid?

Accepted Answer

You receive payment when the buyer confirms they've received the item in good condition, or automatically within 72 hours of confirmed delivery if the buyer doesn't take action.

Question 50

How do I receive payment?

Accepted Answer

Payments are processed through Stripe and deposited directly to your connected bank account. You need to set up a Stripe account through the Scout app to receive payments.

Question 51

What is Stripe and why does Scout use it?

Accepted Answer

Stripe is a secure payment processor that handles all payment transactions on Scout. Scout uses Stripe because it's PCI compliant (your sensitive payment data is never stored on Scout servers), it provides secure, reliable payment processing, it enables direct payouts to your bank account, and it protects both buyers and sellers with industry-standard security.

Question 52

How do I set up Stripe to receive payments?

Accepted Answer

To receive payments, you need to connect a Stripe account: Open the Scout app, Go to your profile or settings, Look for "Connect Stripe Account" or "Set Up Payments", Follow the prompts to complete Stripe's verification process, Once verified, you'll be able to receive payments from sales.

Question 53

Do I need an ITIN or an SSN?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to sell on Scout. As part of Stripe's seller onboarding process, Stripe collects this information to comply with IRS reporting requirements. When setting up your payout account, enter the last four digits of your SSN or ITIN in the field that asks for your Social Security number.

Question 54

How long does Scout hold my payment?

Accepted Answer

Once your item is marked as delivered, payment is automatically released within 72 hours if the buyer doesn't confirm receipt or file a dispute. Buyers can confirm receipt at any time to trigger an immediate payout.

Question 55

When do I receive payment after a sale?

Accepted Answer

You receive payment when the buyer confirms they've received the item (immediate payment) or within 72 hours of confirmed delivery if the buyer doesn't take action. If the buyer files a dispute, payment is held while Scout reviews the case.

Question 56

What happens if the buyer confirms receipt early?

Accepted Answer

If the buyer confirms receipt, you receive payment immediately. This is the fastest way to get paid.

Question 57

What happens if the buyer files a dispute?

Accepted Answer

If a buyer files a dispute, your payment is held while Scout reviews the case. You'll be notified and should respond within 48 hours. If the dispute is resolved in your favor, payment will be released. If the dispute is resolved in the buyer's favor, you'll need to facilitate and pay for the return.

Question 58

How do I handle shipping?

Accepted Answer

Scout creates the shipping label for you. To download the shipping label: 1. Tap My Sales. 2. Tap the name of the product you sold. 3. Tap Get Shipping Label. 4. Tap View Shipping Label. 5. Download and print the label.

Question 59

Do I need to provide shipping labels?

Accepted Answer

No, Scout provides shipping labels to sellers. We calculate shipping based on the item information you provide during listing, your location, the buyer's location, and the buyer's preferred delivery. You can print your shipping label for each sale you've made by visiting your profile and tapping my sales.

Question 60

How long do I have to ship an item?

Accepted Answer

Sellers must ship items within 7 days from the date the order was purchased, unless otherwise agreed between you and the buyer. If you don't ship within 7 days or the item doesn't arrive within 30 days, the buyer can file a dispute and Scout will side with the buyer.

Question 61

What if I can't ship within 7 days?

Accepted Answer

If you need more time to ship, communicate directly with the buyer through the app's messaging system to arrange a different timeline. However, if you and the buyer agree to a shipping timeline that exceeds 30 days, the buyer will not be eligible for Scout Protect.

Question 62

Can I offer local pickup only?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can set your listing to "Local Pickup Only." Buyers will arrange to meet you in a safe, public location. This is often the best option for heavy or bulky items like cribs, which are expensive to ship.

Question 63

What happens if a buyer wants to return an item?

Accepted Answer

Buyers can file a return within 30 days of purchase for specific reasons (undisclosed damage, incorrect/missing item, or item not as described). If the return is approved by Scout, you are responsible.

Question 64

Who pays for return shipping?

Accepted Answer

If a return is approved, you (the seller) are responsible for facilitating and paying for return shipping.

What is a video receipt?