Trading

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Trading is an in-game system first introduced in the Mann-Conomy Update that allows players to swap weapons, hats ,misc items and certain tools like dueling game and keys with others in order to obtain items they desire.

Mechanics

The trading screen, with an example trade in progress.

A successful trade.

To reach the trading screen from the main menu, select the Manage Items button, and then the Trading icon.

A player may select a fellow user from their friends list, from the current game server or by entering their Steam Community URL. A trading request will be sent to that player, providing they are online and are currently playing Team Fortress 2. Should the reciever choose to accept the trade, the game screen will be replaced with the trading screen. Should the player deny the trade or not accept within the 30 second time limit, the trade will be cancelled.

Up to eight items of any kind can be traded from one player to another. Items may be selected and dragged from the user's backpack on the left side of the screen to the upper eight trading boxes on the right side of the screen. The lower eight trading boxes display the other user's trade offer. The trading window also shows the color of the item's Rarity as a background and outline. Both users can communicate and determine the trade using the provided private chat box visible under your backpack.

Gift Wrap allows you to "wrap" an item, creating a "Carefully Wrapped Gift". Some normally untradeable items can be wrapped and traded. A wrapped item can be delivered to offline players. Gift Wrap is available in the Mann Co. Store for $1.99 / £0.99 / €1.99.

After reviewing the items offered in the trade, both users must click the "Ready to Trade" checkbox. If the offer is changed, the players will be required to click "Ready to Trade" again. Once both users are ready to trade, they must then click "Trade Now" to complete the trade.

Some items purchased from the Mann Co. Store are untradable.

A player wishing to block all trade requests can do so using the game options.

Trading Tips

Due to the wide range given to trading, players may be subject to scam attempts and or offer disagreements. They are advised to consider the following advice.

• Items should never be purchased using money from another player. One should only purchase items from the Mann Co. Store in order to ensure safe transactions and prevent account details being used maliciously by others. It is also against the Steam User Agreement and doing so can get you banned. In a similar vein, you should avoid selling or purchasing items with out of game goods, such as games on Steam.
• Do not agree to trade more than eight items.
• Always check if there is a Blueprint for the item you want before trading. Creating it yourself might be cheaper.
• Trading keys and crates is comparable to trading lottery tickets. If you trade for them, be aware that you may get items from the crates that you did not want; do not value them solely for what they might hold.
• The trading section of the TF2 Steam User Forums is a good place to communicate with players who wish to trade their items. It can also give you a sense of what items are worth at the time. Keep in mind that posters will only post offers favoring themselves (sometimes heavily) and that ultimately, you decide what your items are worth.
• When attempting to trade for an untradeable item through Gift Wrap be sure to only trade with someone you trust. It is impossible to know the contents of a Carefully Wrapped Gift without opening it.
• Before you make any trade give yourself one minute to think it over before hitting the accept button, especially if the other person tries to rush you. Being patient, responsible, and safe are key factors of making a good trade.

Untradable items

Due to the possibility of selling items outside of the Mann Co. Store for real money, some items are not tradable.

• Weapons and Hats bought from the Mann Co. Store
• Gifts bought from the Mann Co. Store
• Golden Wrench
• Ghastly Gibus
• Dueling Mini-Game Badges
• Cheater's Lament
• 119th Update Medals
• Polycount Pin
• Community weapons
• Developer Weapons
• Horseless Headless Horsemann's Head

Notes

• In the October 20, 2010 Patch, the maximum items one player can trade at a time was increased to eight (from four) to help prevent scamming. Chat warnings in red text and item-type-colored background were added to stop fast switching between unusual, vintage and normal items. In addition, Mann Co. Supply Crate Keys, Paint Cans, Name Tags, and Dueling Mini-Games bought from stores were made tradable.

See Also

• Scams
• TF2TP
• TF2 Backpack Examiner