Business & Operations
How does ShopBroker make money?
ShopBroker charges a service fee on completed transactions. There are no listing fees, subscription fees, or charges for transactions that do not complete successfully.
Does ShopBroker hold customer funds?
No. All payments are processed through PayPal Commerce Platform or Stripe Connect, depending on which provider the seller has connected. The payment provider authorizes and holds funds during the transaction. ShopBroker never takes custody of buyer or seller funds.
Is ShopBroker funded by investors?
ShopBroker is self-funded. The company has not raised external capital.
Where does ShopBroker operate?
ShopBroker is currently focused on Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Both professional delivery through Trexity and in-person pickup are available in the GTA. The platform is designed to scale to additional Canadian markets as each one reaches the local density that makes the service useful for buyers and sellers.
How ShopBroker Differs
There are already marketplaces for local buying and selling. What makes ShopBroker different?
Existing platforms for local transactions are primarily classified ad boards. They connect buyers and sellers but do not facilitate the transaction itself. ShopBroker provides the infrastructure that sits between "I want to buy this" and "I received it safely": protected payments, professional delivery, and AI-powered pricing. The platform handles the transaction end-to-end rather than leaving buyers and sellers to arrange payment and logistics independently.
Why would someone use ShopBroker instead of meeting in person with cash?
Payment protection and convenience. Buyers' payments are secured at checkout and released only after the item arrives. Sellers' authorized payments are captured and released when the delivery is confirmed. Professional courier delivery means neither party needs to travel or meet a stranger. For many transactions, this removes the friction and safety concerns that discourage local sales.
Technology
What is Price Genius and how does it work?
Price Genius is ShopBroker's AI-powered pricing tool. When a seller creates a listing, Price Genius checks multiple data sources in sequence: internal transaction history for similar items, UPC product databases for retail pricing context, and Claude AI for current market comparison. The system provides a suggested price range, auto-generated descriptions, and estimated delivery dimensions (size and weight). Sellers can accept, adjust, or ignore the suggestions.
What AI does ShopBroker use?
ShopBroker uses Claude AI (Anthropic) for pricing intelligence, item identification, description generation, and delivery dimension estimation in Price Genius. Gemini (Google) is used for image generation in marketing materials. AI is used to assist sellers. It does not make purchasing decisions or handle payments.
Safety & Regulation
How does ShopBroker protect buyers and sellers?
Every transaction uses an authorize-and-capture payment model. The buyer's payment method is authorized at checkout but not charged until the item is delivered or pickup is confirmed. If the transaction is cancelled, the authorization is voided with no charge. PayPal and Stripe each provide additional dispute resolution processes on their side.
Is ShopBroker regulated?
ShopBroker operates as a marketplace platform under Canadian law. Payment processing is handled by PayPal and Stripe, both regulated payment providers. The company complies with PIPEDA (federal privacy law), CASL (anti-spam legislation), and the Ontario Consumer Protection Act.
Related: Browse the full Press & Media collection: About ShopBroker, How ShopBroker Works, Meet the Founder, and Press Contact.