Trading or bartering is the act of exchanging goods for goods (instead of goods for money).
Etsy does not have any formal rules for trading in our marketplace, but we do have some basic guidelines that will help keep both sellers involved in a trade transaction within Etsy's policies for transactions.
Trading is not a practice Etsy supports, but we also do not prohibit it. In theory, it is just an alternative method of payment. However, there are additional risks for both sellers involved in the trade. Since neither seller can wait to receive payment before shipping the item, there is an increased risk of non-payment and non-delivery. For these reasons, Etsy cannot mediate a dispute that arises due to a trade. If both sellers are willing to accept the inherent risks, then we wish you happy trading.
If you choose to trade, both sellers need to agree to the trade by Conversation, email or other communication before the transactions occur so there is no confusion about the method of payment. Keep the items listed at their full value so that no Etsy fees are avoided. Remember: you are still receiving payment for your item; it just happens to be in the form of another item instead of money. Be sure you and the other seller check out the items via Etsy's Checkout so there is record of the transactions.
As a seller, if you are open to trade offers with other sellers, you may wish to put this information in your Shop Announcement or on your Shop Policies page. This way other sellers will know it is acceptable to send you a Conversation with an offer to trade.
No seller is obligated to participate in trading, and each seller determines their own acceptable payment methods for their shop. If you receive a trade request and you are not interested, please politely decline the offer.