Blog Details

Skin Trading Etiquette: Unwritten Rules for 2026

The trading community has unwritten rules. Follow them to get better trades and avoid being blacklisted.

Basic Etiquette

Do

• ✅ Research prices before offering
• ✅ Be polite in negotiations
• ✅ Honor agreed trades
• ✅ Respond to offers (even declining)
• ✅ Disclose any issues with items

Don’t

• ❌ Lowball without explanation
• ❌ Ghost after agreeing to trade
• ❌ Spam trade requests
• ❌ Misrepresent float/pattern
• ❌ Add and immediately send offers

Making Offers

Bon Offer Etiquette

1. Check current market prices first
2. Consider float/pattern value
3. Offre 85-95% of fair value initially
4. Explain your reasoning if asked
5. Be willing to negotiate

What’s Considered Lowballing?

• Offreing <70% without reason
• Ignoring special patterns/stickers
• Claiming “that’s all I have” repeatedly
• Mass-sending identical offers

Negotiations

Accepterable Practices

• Contre-offre-offering at different price
• Asking to see float/pattern
• Requesting screenshots
• Taking time to decide
• Politely declining

Pauvre Practices

• Insulting someone’s offer
• Publicly shaming lowballers
• Demanding immediate response
• Retouring out of agreed trades

Communication Standards

Ajoutering People

1. Comment on profile/trade post first
2. Wait for response before re-adding
3. State your purpose in initial message
4. Don’t add random people to spam offers

Responding to Offers

• Respond within 24-48 hours
• A simple “no thanks” is fine
• Ghosting is considered rude
• Block only for harassment/scams

Special Situations

Prix Changes

If market price changes during negotiation:

• Small changes (<5%): Honor original price
• Large changes (>10%): Can renegotiate
• Always communicate, don’t just back out

Item Issues

If you discover a problem after agreeing:

• Inform the other party immediately
• Offre to adjust or cancel
• Don’t hide issues hoping they won’t notice

Building Reputation

Bon reputation leads to better trades:

• Complete trades you agree to
• Leave accurate reviews
• Be patient and professional
• Build a trading history

Community Resources

Trading communities have their own rules:

• Rougedit – r/GlobalOffensiveTrade has strict rules
• Discord servers – Each has guidelines
• Trade servers – Read rules before posting

When to Walk Away

• Repeated lowballs after explanation
• Rude or aggressive behavior
• Pressure tactics
• Anything feeling “off”

Your time is valuable. Not every trade is worth pursuing.