Frequently Asked Questions

KnifeMarket is the first online marketplace for knives and knife-related products. It is simple to use, and most importantly, a transparent and secure platform dedicated to trading knives.

KnifeMarket is all that a regular knife shop is not! You can sell, you can buy, you can haggle, you can find new, scratched, pre-owned, old stock, samples, knives from local blacksmiths, knives from far-away blacksmiths... You feel us? It's all about knives!

And if you're lucky, you'll find the best deals of your life.

So go ahead and find your new knife on KnifeMarket: Browse knives

Anyone can sell on KnifeMarket, as long as you sell knives or knife-related products. You can sell your old knives to make space and get extra budget for new ones, you can sell the knives you made if you are a hobby or professional blacksmith, you can be a reseller and create your own storefront on KnifeMarket to expand your reach, you can be a handle maker and sell your handles here, or you can offer knife-related services to the local community (knife sharpening, knife-making, etc).

If you are ready to start selling, you can create your first, free listing in minutes: Create listing

KnifeMarket was created by the knife-enthusiastic people of SharpEdge. SharpEdge is an online shop for Japanese kitchen knives. Knives are our passion so we wanted to offer a platform where knives can be traded safely and efficiently. Learn more about the team behind KnifeMarket.

The purpose of KnifeMarket is to provide a secure space for knife enthusiasts to trade knives. A platform where people can sell their knives or find new ones - there are so many places around the world where quality knives are made!

KnifeMarket was also built for all those hobby (and not-so-hobby-anymore) blacksmiths who don't have the time / energy / skills to properly advertise their hard work. Blacksmiths can create their own storefront and list their knives in minutes so they can keep their focus on the work that they love - making knives! While we make sure that their work is properly presented and advertised so they can quickly sell their knives and grow their business.

Follow KnifeMarket on Instagram for automatic new listing updates and blacksmith presentations. We proudly feature their work! Also, subscribe to our newsletter for curated updates and other content.

KnifeMarket offers a wide variety of knives from knife makers all over the world, including kitchen, EDC, pocket, folding, hunting, and fixed blades. Whether you're looking for new knives, scratched or pre-owned knives, old stock, restored pieces, or samples, you can find them all here at KnifeMarket: Browse knives

In addition to knives, you can also find knife-related accessories like sheaths, handles, holders, stands, sharpening stones, and other knife-related tools.

Knife-related services can also be advertised on KnifeMarket. Services such as knife sharpening services, knife sharpening classes, knife-making classes, or any other knife-related services.

If you want to sell your own knives or knife accessories, you can sign up and create a free listing: Create listing

Buying a knife on KnifeMarket is almost the same as buying from an online shop, but there are some specifics. The buying process is secure and the Seller only receives your payment once you confirm the delivery of the ordered item(s). Learn more about our Buyer Protection.

To buy a knife, you must be registered on KnifeMarket. Log in to your KnifeMarket account with your email address and password. Sign up if you haven't registered yet, it's free.

Buying a knife on KnifeMarket is done in 3 steps:

1. Browse to find your new knife, then click on the "Add to cart" button. You can add multiple items to your cart, even from different Sellers, regardless of their location.
2. Head over to your Cart. Select one of the delivery methods offered by the Seller(s).
3. Click on "Checkout", enter your delivery address and proceed to payment. Enter your credit card information and place the order.

IMPORTANT: Once you submit your order, we check if enough funds are available on your card and create a pre-authorization (no money is taken from your card at this time).

Seller has 72 hours to accept or decline your order. When the Seller accepts your order, your funds will be transferred to a secure Escrow account at Stripe (the world's leading credit card processor) where it is kept safe until you have the knife in your hands. Only when you confirm that you have successfully received your order, the payment will be transferred to the Seller. You have 5 days to confirm delivery.

In case the Seller declines your order, pre-authorization will be removed from your card in 1-3 business days.

Learn more about the Buying Process.

Yes, this allows us to better assist you if any questions arise, as well as enables us to inform you about your order status. By registering you can also add items to your Wishlist and contact sellers on KnifeMarket. You can register here. We ask for your first and last name, your country, and your email address.

If you have any questions about the listing, you can send Seller a message via the "Contact Seller" button. It is located on every listing page, just below the "Add to cart" button. The Seller will receive your message in their Inbox on KnifeMarket, as well as an email notification.

Once the Seller replies, you will receive their answer in the Inbox of your KnifeMarket account. You will also receive an email notification.

What to do if the Seller doesn't reply?
There are many reasons why a Seller might not respond to your inquiry in a timely manner. KnifeMarket is an international platform with sellers from around the globe. Many sellers take national holidays off in addition to other vacation days. Increased demand can also result in a backlog of inquiries, leading to delayed responses. Please give the Seller an appropriate amount of time to respond.

In case you don't receive an answer from the Seller in 7-10 business days, contact us and we will reach out to the Seller and see what is going on. If they still don't reply, it might be a red flag to not purchase from them. Sellers who will repeatedly not respond to us will have their accounts and listings suspended until they reply.

Escrow is an agreement between two people or organizations in which money is kept by a third person or organization (in our case this is Stripe, the world's leading payment processing platform) until a specific condition is met.

On online marketplaces such as KnifeMarket, the customer will pay for the goods or services by transferring money to a third-party solution. The money is placed in escrow until the order is completed. Then the money is transferred to the Seller.

Learn more about how Escrow payments work.

All payments are processed directly on KnifeMarket. We accept all major debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB).

Payments are handled by Stripe, a secure third-party payment processor. After you place the order, your money goes into a secure escrow account where it is kept safe until you have the knife in your hands (in the same condition as advertised).

IMPORTANT: We strongly advise paying the Seller directly on KnifeMarket to be covered by our escrow account. Orders placed outside of our platform are at your own risk.

The KnifeMarket team is always available to help ensure the entire purchasing process runs smoothly.

We charge a 3% service fee for every accepted order. Only if the seller accepts the order, a fee will be charged. If the order is rejected, the full amount, including the service fee, will be refunded. A service fee is added at checkout.

Example: You want to purchase a knife priced at $100. At checkout, a 3% service fee will be added, increasing the total amount to 103$.

With a service fee, we can keep the lights on and continue providing knife communities with a safe and transparent platform to trade knives and knife-related products.

Sellers are required to describe their knives to the best of their ability. You can find the Condition of each item under product specifications in every listing. Condition is a mandatory field, so every listing will have it. Sellers also have a dedicated field to describe in detail any imperfections, if applicable. This information (if submitted by the Seller) can also be found under product specifications.

The following classifications are meant to help you better assess a knife's condition:

• Unused (new item)
• Unused with imperfections
• Very good (little to no signs of use)
• Good (light signs of use)
• Fair (obvious signs of use)
• Poor (heavy signs of use)
• Damaged (parts missing or broken)

Please note that these classifications only serve as a rough estimate and that the assessment of a knife's condition is always subjective. Buyers and Sellers may view a knife's condition differently.

We recommend closely examining the images uploaded by the Seller, especially if it's a pre-owned knife. This helps to avoid potential disappointment resulting from unexpected defects. If the listing only has a few images, we suggest contacting the Seller to ask for additional images.

All buyers on KnifeMarket are protected by our 5-day Return Policy in case the item arrives in a different condition than specified. Learn more about our Return Policy.

Shipping is organized by KnifeMarket to ensure the best deliverability, traceability and security.

Every order placed on KnifeMarket is shipped with a tracking number and is insured for the full amount (including the shipping cost).

After you place an order on KnifeMarket, the Seller will have 72 hours to confirm it. Once they do, they receive a prepaid shipping label from KnifeMarket. They have 5 business days to ship your order. Once the Seller ships your order, they will enter tracking information in their Dashboard. At that time you will receive an email notification with the tracking number. You can also find the tracking number by logging into your KnifeMarket account under Orders.

Learn more about shipping on KnifeMarket.

Delivery times vary based on the location of the Seller and the Buyer. Sellers choose their own shipping destinations, depending on their location and their preference. Some sellers will also allow for a local pickup.

When you place the order, Seller has 72 hours to accept or decline your order. Once they accept it, they have 5 business days to ship it. Normally, Sellers accept & ship the order in 1-2 business days.

Delivery times (from the moment Seller ships the order):

• Domestic shipments usually arrive in 1-3 business days .
• International shipments will take longer, from 5-15 business days, depending on the distance.
• To arrange a local pickup, always contact the Seller before placing an order to agree on a pickup time & location.

Shipping costs are displayed on every listing, just below the "Contact Seller" button. If you have any additional shipping questions, contact us.

IMPORTANT: Shipping is managed by KnifeMarket to ensure a smooth delivery process. Every order on KnifeMarket is shipped with a tracking number and insured for the full amount (including the shipping cost).

When the Seller confirms your order, they receive a prepaid shipping label from KnifeMarket. Once they ship your order, Seller needs to submit the tracking number. You will receive it via email, and it will also be available in your KnifeMarket account under Orders.

Every order placed on KnifeMarket is shipped with a tracking number for traceability and proof of delivery. Prepaid shipping labels are provided to Sellers by KnifeMarket. All shipments are insured for the full amount, including the shipping cost. The only exception is if the Seller offers a Local pickup option. In this case, you need to contact the Seller before placing an order to arrange for a safe (public) meeting place.

As soon as the Seller ships your order and enters the tracking number in their Dashboard, you will receive an email notification with the tracking number. Alternatively, you can also find the tracking number by logging into your KnifeMarket account under the section Orders.

Orders shipped overseas will likely incur additional costs such as customs fees and import taxes.

For the exact price and costs involved, please reach out to your local customs authorities. Import fees are usually available online, simply Google "import duties and fees for {your country}" or use this Duties and Taxes calculator.

NOTE: Shipments to the United States valued at $800 or less are typically duty-free, so no additional taxes and fees will apply if you are buying items from overseas into the US (if the order value is below $800).

Some examples:

• Seller is based in the US. Buyer is located outside the US, in the European Union. Import taxes and fees will apply. As a buyer, we recommend contacting your local customs authorities for more information (or Google it, this information is normally available online).
• Seller is based in the EU. Buyer is located in the US. If the total price of the order is $800 or less, no additional taxes will apply at import. Hooray!
• Seller is based in the US. Buyer is located in Canada. Import taxes and fees will apply. As a buyer, we recommend contacting your local customs authorities for more information (or Google it, this information is normally available online).

There are two types of Return policies on KnifeMarket.

1. KnifeMarket's Return policy
   This policy protects Buyers from defective or misrepresented items (see Eligible Returns for details). This policy applies to every item sold on KnifeMarket. Sellers bear all costs of return shipping. The Buyer receives a full refund, including the shipping costs.
2. Sellers' Return policy
   Sellers can choose if they support a "no-questions-asked" return policy (in case the Buyer doesn't like the item, changes their mind, or for any other reason wants to return the item) or not. It is mandatory for a Seller to choose their return policy for every listing they create. You can find the return policy next to the Product specifications. Buyer bears all costs of return shipping. The Buyer receives a full refund minus the two-way shipping costs. 

For more details on returns, read our Return policy.

Your payment is securely stored in the Escrow account for an additional 5 days after you receive the purchased item. You want to sort things out in this time frame. If the item is not in the same condition as advertised, or if the Seller's return policy allows for returns, contact us at returns@knife-market.com immediately to arrange for a return and a refund. You have 5 days after delivery to contact us.

Learn more about KnifeMarket's Return policy.

This depends.

1. If the item you received is not in the same condition as advertised, you are covered by our Buyer Protection and the Seller pays for the return shipping costs. The Buyer receives a full refund, including the shipping costs.
2. If you changed your mind about the item you purchased and the Seller's return policy allows returns for this item, then you, the Buyer, cover return shipping costs. Buyer receives a full refund, minus the two-way shipping costs.

If you would like to return an item, contact us at returns@knife-market.com no later than 5 days after you have received your order. We will inform you about the return process and guide you along the way.

IMPORTANT: All returns are handled by KnifeMarket. Once we approve the return, we will email you a prepaid return shipping label with full insurance for the item. Buyers should NOT arrange their own return shipping unless it is previously agreed by KnifeMarket.

Learn more about KnifeMarket's Return policy.

You can create a listing and start selling your knife (or knife-related items) on KnifeMarket in a few minutes:

1. Sign up to KnifeMarket with your email address.
2. Create your first listing. Select the category of the item you want to sell.
3. Provide the details of your item and upload photos. Quality images sell better. Read our Photo Guidelines for tips.
4. Select your own Return Policy. Learn about the Sellers' Return policy.
5. Select shipping regions that apply to you.
6. Publish the listing.

Note: If this is your first listing on KnifeMarket, once you publish your listing, you will be redirected to the identity check and bank account information section. Complete the information required by Stripe so you will be able to receive the payout once you sell your knife. The listing you created will be published but until you complete Stripe's Verification process, buyers will not be able to purchase your item. The "Add to cart" button will be hidden until you complete the verification process.

Learn more about the Selling Process.

Creating a listing on KnifeMarket is completely free. For every accepted order, we charge a commission fee of 7% 1%* (promotional fee). This fee is deducted from the Seller's account during payout.

*Note: KnifeMarket was created and is supported by SharpEdge, an online shop for Japanese kitchen knives. The 1% commission fee is a promotional fee to help bring in new sellers, as KnifeMarket is a new service in the knife industry. We invite all sellers to join now and take advantage of the promo fee. The promo fee will eventually end, and a standard 7% fee will apply, but we will announce any change in fees ahead of time via email.

You can sign up to start selling on KnifeMarket regardless if you are a Private or a Commercial Seller.

Once you publish your first listing, you will be redirected to Stripe's Verification process (https://stripe.com/legal/connect-account). There you can specify if you are a Private or Commercial seller. Commercial sellers will be required to enter additional information about their business. The requested information varies based on the country of registry of your business.

Commercial Sellers will also need to issue an invoice, deduct VAT (if necessary) and send it to the Buyer (ideally enclosed in the box with the ordered item(s)).

The sales process takes place using the secure Escrow Service on KnifeMarket. That means you only send the knife after the Buyer has transferred the purchase price to an escrow account. This happens automatically after you confirm the order. Once the Buyer has received the item, the payout is initiated to your account 7 days after delivery (courier's time of delivery).

Find more information about the Selling Process.

If you want to sell on KnifeMarket, you will have to complete an identity check to be able to collect payments for items sold through our marketplace. This process is called “Know Your Customer” (KYC) and is required by Stripe (our payment processor and Escrow account provider). These requirements come from Stripe's regulators and are intended to prevent abuse of the financial system.

Generally, private sellers need to enter the following information, but this can vary depending on your country:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Address (validated city, state, and ZIP code)
• Email
• Phone
• Tax information (US-only, last 4 digits of SSN)

Commercial sellers will need to provide additional details about their business. For a complete list of requirements by country, see Stripe's documentation: https://stripe.com/docs/connect/required-verification-information

All payments are facilitated by KnifeMarket via the Escrow Service powered by Stripe (the world's leading payment processor).

We accept payments from major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB).

You will be paid to your bank account provided during the Verification process. You can always change your bank account in your Account.

This normally happens because you haven't completed your Verification process. Before Sellers can sell on KnifeMarket, they have to submit certain personal details to Stripe (our payment processor and Escrow account provider). You can see the status of your Verification process in your Dashboard.

If you have successfully completed the Verification process and still don't see the "Add to cart" button on your listing, contact us.

The following classifications are meant to help you better assess a knife's condition:

• Unused (new item)
• Unused with imperfections
• Very good (little to no signs of use)
• Good (light signs of use)
• Fair (obvious signs of use)
• Poor (heavy signs of use)
• Damaged (parts missing or broken)

Please note that these classifications only serve as a rough estimate and that the assessment of a knife's condition is always subjective. Buyers and Sellers may view a knife's condition differently.

In case you are not sure of the condition of your knife, email us at support@knife-market.com with detailed photos of your knife and we will help you classify your knife's condition.

For full transparency and traceability, all orders placed on KnifeMarket are shipped with trackable and fully insured courier shipping labels. All shipping labels are provided by KnifeMarket. At the moment, it is not possible to use your own shipping services.

You can choose between multiple shipping options for each listing you create:

• Domestic shipping only
• Domestic & International shipping
• Local pickup (free)

Shipping costs are predetermined based on your location and the location of the Buyer. We have negotiated rates from multiple courier services to get the best prices available for most destinations around the world.

Shipping cost is added at checkout and is covered by the Buyer. We currently do not offer a "Free shipping" option, but you can always lower the price of your item.

Once you confirm the order for your listing (you have 72 hours to do so), you will receive from KnifeMarket a prepaid shipping label via email. You have 5 business days to ship the order, otherwise the order will be canceled and the Buyer will receive a full refund. Contact us if you will need more than 5 business days to arrange for shipping.

Learn more about Shipping on KnifeMarket.

Your earnings will be released from our Escrow account 7 days after the delivery has been made (based on the courier's delivery time on the tracking information). Your earnings (minus KnifeMarket's 1% commission fee) will be transferred to the bank account you specified during the Verification process. Please allow for an additional 1-3 business days for your earnings to reach your bank account.

Buyers have 5 days from the posted delivery date to accept or reject their order. In case they receive a damaged or misrepresented item, Buyers are protected by our Buyer Protection to be eligible for a full refund (including shipping costs) and receive a prepaid return shipping label from KnifeMarket (Seller will bear the cost of return shipping). Additionally, depending on your own Return policy that you selected for your listing(s), Buyers might be able to return their order if they change their mind (at their own cost) to receive a refund. Buyers have 5 days from the posted delivery to notify KnifeMarket (not the Seller) of the return.

In these two cases, Sellers will not receive any payment to their bank account. The Buyer's payment will stay on our Escrow account until the matter is resolved and until the Seller has successfully received their item back.

All shipping labels are provided by KnifeMarket. Shipments are fully insured for the value of the order and are trackable.

See all details of KnifeMarket's Return policy.

Yes, you will receive your 1099-K form directly from Stripe.

Contact us via our contact form or email us at support@knife-market.com. We normally reply the same or the next business day.