Frequently Asked Questions

LEM (Local Event Marketplace) is the first-of-its-kind app that lets you see exactly what's at an event before you walk in. Browse real items sellers have posted ahead of time — photos, prices, descriptions, the event they'll be at, and even where their table or booth is located — so you know what to buy and where to go.

There are no in-app payments or fees; all buying and negotiating happens face-to-face at the event. LEM keeps the live-event experience intact — just smarter, faster, and way more confident!

Short answer: nope. Once your email and username are set, they're locked in.

We do this to keep the community safe and legit. If people could constantly change their info, it would be a lot easier for bad actors to impersonate others or do shady stuff. Keeping your username and email fixed helps everyone know who they're really dealing with.

Tip: Take a second to choose a username you're happy with before you hit "Create Account."

Don't worry, your app isn't broken — it usually just means there aren't any active events near your current location right now.

You can try:

• Expanding your search radius at the top of the app
• Using Search to look for events in a specific city

Only cities with active events will show up in your search results, so if nothing comes up, it's likely that there's simply no live event in that area at the moment.

Using LEM as a buyer is all about saving time, skipping the guesswork, and going straight for the items you actually want. Instead of walking into an event blind and hoping you stumble on something good, LEM lets you plan your visit before you even get there.

You can browse items that sellers have already posted, complete with photos, descriptions, prices, and the event they'll be at. Sellers add all this info when they post items in the app, making it easy for you to see exactly what's available at upcoming events.

So if you're hunting for something specific, the app makes life way easier. For example, let's say you're determined to buy Jordan 11 Gamma in size 13. Just pop into the Search tab and type: "Jordan 11 Gamma size 13."

If any sellers are bringing that exact pair to an event, you'll instantly see them listed — with their posted details ready to view.

Once you find what you want, you can tap Claim to let the seller know you're truly interested. Then simply check the seller's Find Me At details, head to their table at the event, complete the deal in person, and finish the transaction in the app so both sides can leave ratings and feedback later.

In short:

• You see exactly which items will be at the event before arriving.
• You know which sellers have the items you want.
• You avoid wasting time walking around the venue.
• You can claim items ahead of time so sellers expect you.
• You shop with a plan instead of relying on luck.

The Claim button is how you tell a seller, "I'm genuinely interested in buying this item at the event." When you tap Claim, the seller is notified, and you officially join the pool of buyers who want that specific item. Sellers can then mark the item as sold to one of the claimants, and everyone who claimed it will be notified of the final outcome.

Because of this, Claim is not just a "like" button. You can Like as many items as you want — use likes to bookmark cool stuff, keep track of favorites, or just show appreciation.

But Claim is different:

• Claiming signals real buying intent.
• Sellers rely on claims to plan their sales and understand demand.
• Claims help identify hot items and guide buyers to active tables.
• Claims contribute to a smoother in-person transaction since sellers know who to expect.

Sellers can only mark an item as sold (in the app) to someone who has actually claimed it, which keeps things fair and consistent.

Claiming also lets sellers see your buyer rating, which can help you stand out as a serious and reliable buyer.

Important: Please only Claim items you truly intend to purchase. Using Claim casually or excessively can confuse sellers and frustrate real buyers — so treat Claim like a commitment, not just a casual tap.

Likes are simple — they're your way of saying "Hey, this is cool." You can like as many items as you want, use them as bookmarks, or just keep track of stuff you think looks interesting. No pressure, no commitment.

Claim, on the other hand, is serious. When you tap Claim, you're telling the seller you're genuinely interested in buying that item at the event. The seller gets notified, and you become one of the official claimants for that item.

Because claiming directly affects real buyers and sellers, it's not something to spam or play around with.

You can like freely — but when it comes to Claim, we strongly recommend only claiming items you truly intend to buy.

Featured Sellers are sellers who have earned that spotlight by being reliable, well-reviewed, and consistently bringing items buyers want.

• Strong positive reviews
• Multiple hot items
• A solid track record with buyers

They're usually the trusted, go-to sellers at events — the ones people know they can rely on.

Bulk upload isn't available yet, but it's on our roadmap.

For now, we recommend:

• Posting your best, most in-demand, or attention-grabbing items first.
• Using great photos and clear titles so buyers spot them quickly.

These "headline" items help draw buyers to your table or booth. Once they're there, they'll naturally check out everything else you're selling in person.

LEM provides multiple tools to help buyers find you easily, regardless of the event size.

Cover Photo

You can upload a photo of your table as your cover photo. This allows buyers to visually identify your setup when navigating the event floor.

Upcoming feature: Event organizers will be able to upload an official event layout showing table placements. You'll be able to download this layout, mark your table location, and upload it as an additional cover photo alongside your table image.

"Find Me At" field

Located on your Profile page, this section allows you to add written directions to help buyers reach your table quickly and confidently.

Example: "From the main entrance, turn left. Continue to the 3rd aisle. My table will be on the right, marked with a JoeFricards banner."

Combining photos with clear directions helps reduce confusion and ensures a smoother experience for both buyers and sellers.

Messaging is intentionally not enabled within the app. LEM was designed to facilitate direct interactions between buyers and sellers at events, rather than relying on messaging.

When you select Claim for an item, you notify the seller of your interest, after which negotiations and payments are conducted in person at the seller's table. LEM aims to enrich the buying experience at local events while preserving the essence of event participation.

If you're a Featured Seller, turning on the Featured Item toggle lets that item show up in the Featured Items section on the home page.

It's a way to spotlight your best stuff and get it in front of more buyers faster.

Trading lets buyers and sellers swap items — with optional cash on either side to balance the deal — instead of doing a straight cash purchase. It's perfect for collectors who'd rather move items they already have than spend out of pocket.

How it works:

• Sellers enable the Open for Trade toggle on any item they're willing to trade.
• Buyers build a trade offer — picking the seller's item they want, picking items of their own to offer, and optionally adding cash on either side to even things out.
• The seller receives the offer and can accept, decline, or counter it.
• Either side can keep modifying the offer until both agree.
• Once accepted, the trade is completed in person at the event — same as any other LEM transaction.

Every new offer or counter triggers a notification you can tap to jump straight into the trade.

Tip: Be thorough with photos and descriptions on your tradeable items — the more confident the other party feels about what they're getting, the more likely the trade goes through.

Bounty flips the marketplace. Instead of only browsing what sellers have posted, buyers can post what they're looking for — and sellers respond if they have it. It solves a real problem: sellers are heads-down at their tables during events and don't always have time to post every item. Bounty makes sure buyer demand still gets seen.

How it works:

• A buyer posts a Bounty with the item name, description, category, event, optional price, and optional photo.
• The Bounty appears in Browse Bounties for that event, visible to all sellers attending.
• Any seller who has that item can respond by posting it. The item also becomes a regular public listing for everyone to see.
• The buyer gets a notification that a seller responded and can view the seller's profile.
• Multiple sellers can respond to the same Bounty — the buyer sees all responses.
• If interested, the buyer taps Claim on the seller's item. From there it's the same flow as any regular listing: head to their table, complete the deal in person, mark the sale in the app.

Two ways to post a Bounty:

• From a "No results found" search: When you search for an item inside an event and nothing comes up, a Post Bounty button appears. Tapping it pre-fills the item name and event for you.
• From the Post button: Tap Post on the home page and choose Post Bounty instead of Post Item. You'll pick the event inside the form.

When can I post a Bounty?

Just like regular listings, Bounties go live the moment an event is posted — often weeks ahead. Post early to give sellers maximum time to spot your request and bring the item with them.

Tip: Be specific in your description (year, set, grade, size, edition, condition) so sellers can quickly tell whether their item matches what you're after.

This is a great chance to introduce them to the app. You can politely ask the seller if they'd like to use LEM — then simply open your app and show them the QR code so they can download it quickly.

Once they install the app, they can create an account and post the item you're trying to buy. After they post it, you can Claim the item, head to their table, complete the deal in person, and the seller can mark it as sold to you (a claimant) inside the app.

The whole process is quick (usually under 5 minutes), and it helps both of you keep the interaction clean and organized inside the app while helping the seller become part of the platform for future events.

This is a perfect moment to casually introduce the app — no pressure at all. You can just let them know that LEM makes buying and selling at events way smoother and more organized.

Here's the quick rundown:

• Ask the buyer to download the LEM app
• You can share it straight from the App Store via text or Facebook Messenger
• Have them create an account (takes about 2 minutes)
• Head to your Profile and tap Generate Seller QR Code
• Let the buyer scan your QR code
• That instantly pulls up all your Active Items
• They scroll, pick what they want, and Claim the item
• Once you finish the in-person sale, you just mark it as sold to that buyer

The whole thing usually takes less than five minutes, and it helps buyers get comfortable with the app so future purchases are even easier.

Pro tip: You can print your QR code and put it on your table so buyers can scan it on their own — super quick and convenient. Bonus: every time you introduce someone to LEM, you're helping grow the community and making local events more connected, organized, and fun for everyone.

That's fantastic! Negotiating in person is one of the best parts of buying at local events — and it's exactly why LEM is designed the way it is. Since LEM does not process payments and all deals happen face-to-face, you and the seller have complete freedom to settle on whatever price feels right for both of you.

However, there's one important step to keep things accurate inside the app:

Important: Make sure the seller updates the item's price in the app before completing the sale. When the seller marks the item as sold to a claimant, the sale price recorded should match your negotiated price.

If the seller forgets — no problem. Before the transaction is finalized, you'll get a chance to review the sale, including the price, before either party can give ratings. This ensures everything stays correct and transparent.

Once the sale is completed, LEM automatically attaches a transaction record showing:

• The buyer
• The seller
• The final sale price
• The date and time of the sale

This creates transparency, protects both sides, and keeps the marketplace honest. Anyone in the community — buyers or sellers — can look up the last sold price of the same item to use as a real, verified reference for future negotiations.

Completing the sale in the app isn't just a final step — it's essential to keeping the marketplace trustworthy, transparent, and sustainable for everyone.

When a sale is finalized in the app, it creates a verified transaction record. This real sales data powers key features that benefit buyers, sellers, and the entire LEM community.

Trust & Reputation for Buyers and Sellers

• For Sellers: Buyers can leave ratings and feedback after the sale. These ratings strengthen your seller reputation over time.
• For Buyers: Completing the sale allows you to review the seller and boosts your Buyer Rating. Sellers see a list of all claimants — including their ratings. Buyers with strong ratings stand out immediately and are often chosen first.

Accurate Market Data That Benefits Everyone

Every completed sale records the seller, buyer, final negotiated price, and date/time of the transaction. This creates real, reliable market data the community can reference for:

• Fair price negotiations
• Understanding item value over time
• Establishing accurate price baselines

Without completed sales, this data simply doesn't exist.

The App's Survival Depends on Logged Sales

The long-term success of the platform depends on real transactions being completed inside the app. If users only use LEM to connect and then finish deals off-app, sales data becomes too low to justify maintaining and improving the platform.

Simply put: If the community stops completing sales in the app, the app may eventually be discontinued. Finalizing sales keeps the marketplace clean, accurate, trustworthy — and alive.

Not yet, but it's coming. Right now, event creation is limited, but we're working on opening this up so organizers can add their own events directly in the app. Stay tuned for future updates — this is definitely on our list.

You can bulk update your items to:

• Set to Active
• Set to Inactive
• Change Event
• Delete

To move your items to another event: Go to My Listings → tap Select (top right) → choose the items you want to transfer (or Select All) → tap the ellipsis (...) → choose Change Event → search for and select the new event.