The rules of the bazaar.
Eight principles every member follows. Sentinel enforces them; the community flags what we miss.
- 1
Be a real person.
Use your real name and a recognizable photo on your profile. We verify identity through Google or LinkedIn. Anonymous accounts cannot list.
- 2
Be accurate.
Photos must show what is actually being offered. Describe condition, location, and price honestly. If a listing changes (sold, withdrawn, edited), update it within 24 hours.
- 3
Keep money on-platform when possible.
Off-platform payments remove our ability to mediate disputes. If a seller insists on bank transfer, gift cards, or crypto with no prior relationship, that is a red flag. Report it.
- 4
Meet in public.
For high-value handoffs, use a Suggested Safety Point. Bring a friend if it feels right. Tell someone where you are going. We don't monitor those locations. Public visibility is the protection.
- 5
No discrimination.
Listings or messages that discriminate based on race, religion, caste, gender, sexuality, or disability are removed. Cultural preferences (e.g. vegetarian household, Telugu-speaking roommate) are allowed when they're about household compatibility, not exclusion.
- 6
No off-topic listings.
ChaiandCity is for the diaspora marketplace. Pyramid schemes, MLMs, generic spam, and unrelated services are removed. Sentinel pattern-matching catches most of these before publishing.
- 7
Respect reviews.
You cannot delete a review. You can flag a review for moderation if it violates these guidelines. Retaliatory reviews against people who left honest feedback are removed.
- 8
Report anything that feels off.
Use the Report button on any listing or message. Sentinel reviews every report within 24 hours. False reports designed to suppress competition are themselves a violation.
Violations are reviewed by humans, not by AI alone. Read the Security FAQ for what data we use during review.