You already own the value you need
The average American home has $7,000 worth of unused items. That's not clutter—that's dormant value. You don't need more money. You need better ways to unlock what you already have.
About Trade Up
One paperclip.Fourteen trades.One house.
That's the power of trading. We're building the platform to make it happen for everyone—without the friction, with all the trust.
Kyle MacDonald, 2006
Traded a red paperclip for a house in 14 steps
Started with a paperclip
14 trades to a house
Average value per household in unused items
$7,000
That's not clutter. That's dormant capital.
Making value more liquid
Right now, most of the value you own is locked up. Your camera gear. Your designer furniture. Your collection of vintage vinyl. It's all just… sitting there.
Cash is liquid—you can spend it anywhere, instantly. But the items you own? They're frozen. Selling them takes weeks. Using them as collateral is complicated. Trading them has been impossible at scale.
Until now…
What we believe
The platform was founded upon these core beliefs.
Average unused items per household
52
Sustainability isn't a bonus. It's built in.
Every trade extends the life of two items. No new manufacturing. No shipping waste. No landfill. Trading is inherently circular—items flow to where they're needed most, staying in use longer.
Value shouldn't require cash
Money is just one form of value. Your guitar, your designer bag, your power tools—these all represent real, tradeable value. Commerce should be flexible enough to recognize that.
Exchanges over transactions
When you sell something, you're just converting it to cash. When you trade, you're finding someone who actually values what you have—and you're getting something you genuinely want in return.
Trading creates connection
Unlike selling to strangers, trades build community.
Selling is broken. Trading fixes it.
It's about time for a new way to get what you want.
The old way: Selling
- 1
Step 1: Create listing
Take photos, write description, research pricing, post on 3 platforms
~45 minutes
- 2
Step 2: Field inquiries
Answer "Is this available?" 20 times, negotiate price, get lowballed
~2-4 days
- 3
Step 3: Coordinate meetup
Schedule pickup, deal with no-shows, reschedule, meet stranger
~3-7 days
- 4
Step 4: Complete sale
Accept payment, worry about scams, hand over item
~15-30 minutes
Total: 1-2 weeks of hassle
Plus you still need to buy the thing you actually wanted
The new way: Trading
- 1
Step 1: List what you have
Quick photo, description, done. No pricing research needed
~5 minutes
- 2
Step 2: Find a match
Browse items you want, propose trade, agree on exchange
~1-2 days
- 3
Step 3: Trade
Meet up (or ship), exchange items. Both walk away with what you wanted
~15-30 minutes
Total: 2-3 days
And you got exactly what you wanted—no extra purchase needed
Protected by Trade Up Trust & Safety
Verified users, secure exchanges, dispute resolution
It actually happened
How one paperclip became a house
In 2005, Kyle MacDonald made 14 trades over roughly a year—each one a little bigger—until a single red paperclip became a home. That's the idea Trade Up is built on.
Start
One red paperclip
Where it all began
- 1
Trade 1
A fish-shaped pen
- 2
Trade 2
A hand-sculpted doorknob
- 3
Trade 3
A Coleman camp stove
- 4
Trade 4
A Honda generator
- 5
Trade 5
An "instant party"
A keg and a neon beer sign
- 6
Trade 6
A Ski-doo snowmobile
- 7
Trade 7
A trip to Yahk, BC
- 8
Trade 8
A box truck
- 9
Trade 9
A recording contract
- 10
Trade 10
A year's rent in Phoenix
- 11
Trade 11
An afternoon with Alice Cooper
- 12
Trade 12
A KISS motorized snow globe
- 13
Trade 13
A movie role
The goal
A two-story farmhouse
Kipling, Saskatchewan
The team
Three brothers. One shared vision for revolutionizing commerce. Zero corporate nonsense.
Harrison Kipper
Head of Product Design
Designs the interfaces. Obsessed with making complex things feel obvious. Previously designed at early-stage startups. Won't ship anything unless it feels right.
Noah Kipper
Head of Business Operations
Handles the business side. Thinks about growth, partnerships, and how to scale trust. Background in marketplace ops. Always asking "but will this actually work?"
Erik Kleiman
Head of Engineering
Builds the platform. Previously built systems at scale. Cares deeply about security and reliability. Believes good code is invisible code.
Your next upgrade is one trade away
List your items and start receiving trade offers today.
- Verified users
- Protected payments
- Secure trading
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