Question 1

What is Shopstr?

Accepted Answer

Shopstr is a permissionless marketplace built on Nostr that enables peer-to-peer commerce using Bitcoin. It provides a secure and private way to buy and sell items via the Lightning Network and Cashu token payments.

Question 2

What is Nostr?

Accepted Answer

Nostr is a protocol that allows you to take control of your digital identity and data. No one can stop you from posting what you want, and you can use your Nostr keys to sign into any other compatible Nostr applications, taking your content with you.

Question 3

What payment methods are accepted?

Accepted Answer

Shopstr supports Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network, Cashu, and Nostr Wallet Connect . These methods facilitate fast, low-fee transactions while maintaining privacy.

Question 4

How do I claim a Cashu payment?

Accepted Answer

You can instantly claim a received Cashu token to the Lightning address set on your Nostr profile by clicking the claim button then the redeem button when on the orders page. You can also receive the token directly into the integrated Cashu wallet and pay out to an external Lightning wallet at any time, or copy and paste the token into an external Cashu wallet (like Minibits, Coinos, cashu.me, etc.). Setting your profile payment preference to Lightning also automatically handles the claiming of tokens for you.

Question 5

What is Nostr Wallet Connect?

Accepted Answer

Nostr Wallet Connect (NIP-47) is a secure protocol that lets you connect your personal Lightning wallet (like Alby or Umbrel) to Shopstr. When you check out, Shopstr will ask your wallet to pay the invoice directly, so you don't have to copy and paste. You can set this up in 'Settings' -> 'Wallet Connection'.

Question 6

Does Shopstr control my funds with NIP-47?

Accepted Answer

No. Shopstr never sees your private keys or has control of your funds. The NWC connection only gives Shopstr permission to request payments for purchases you initiate. Depending on your wallet settings, you may need to approve each payment, or you can configure a spending budget that allows automatic payments up to a certain amount.

Question 7

How do I start selling on Shopstr?

Accepted Answer

To start selling, you'll simply need to: 1) Create a Nostr account or sign in with existing keys, 2) Set up your profile in settings, 3) List your products with descriptions and images, 4) Start receiving orders!

Question 8

What types of items can I sell?

Accepted Answer

Shopstr supports various product types including physical, resale, exchange, clothing, electronics, collectibles, and more. Each listing should clearly indicate the category and any shipping requirements.

Question 9

How does shipping work?

Accepted Answer

Sellers can offer different shipping options including free shipping, local pickup, or an added shipping cost. The shipping method and any restrictions should be clearly specified in each listing and fulfillment will be handled by the merchant themselves.

Question 10

Does Shopstr charge fees?

Accepted Answer

Shopstr has no mandatory platform fees — buyers and sellers keep the full amount of every transaction, minus only standard Bitcoin network fees. Sellers may optionally specify a donation rate on their listings to give back to the Shopstr platform on their sales; this is entirely at the seller's discretion and is never required.

Question 11

What are Communities?

Accepted Answer

Communities are public forums hosted by sellers to interact directly with their customers. Sellers can post announcements, updates, and news about their products, and any user can reply to these announcements to ask questions or give feedback.

Question 12

Who can post in a community?

Accepted Answer

Only the community creator and designated moderators (typically the seller) can create new top-level posts, which are called 'announcements'. This ensures the main feed stays on-topic with official updates.

Question 13

Who can reply to announcements?

Accepted Answer

Anyone can reply to an announcement. However, all replies must be approved by a moderator before they become publicly visible. This helps maintain a safe and constructive environment.

Question 14

How do I create my own community?

Accepted Answer

If you are a seller, you can create and manage your communities by going to 'Settings' -> 'Community Management'. From there, you can create new communities or edit your existing ones.

Question 15

Can I create more than one community?

Accepted Answer

Yes, sellers can create and manage multiple communities. You can find all of your communities under 'Settings' -> 'Community Management'.

Question 16

How do I delete a community?

Accepted Answer

You can delete a community you created from the 'Community Management' page in your settings. Please be aware that this action is permanent and cannot be undone.

Question 17

How can I sign in with an existing Nostr account?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended that you sign in using an extension (Alby, nos2x, etc.) or bunker application ( Amber, nsec.app, etc.) in order to keep your private key secure. It is also possible to sign in by pasting your nsec and setting a passphrase to encrypt and store it in your browser, but it is not recommended as it could potentially leak your private key.

Question 18

How are my messages and data kept private?

Accepted Answer

All messages are encrypted using Nostr's encrypted messaging protocol, specifically NIP-17. No one but the parties involved in a transaction can see what is happening. Your data is stored on your selected relays and isn't accessible by third parties.

Question 19

Why am I unable to view my messages?

Accepted Answer

If you are unable to view order or inquiry messages, this is most likely due to not having NIP-44 encryption/decryption permissions set within your extension or bunker application. Make sure to go into your settings to see if NIP-44 encryption is supported and approve those permissions. If the issue persists, you are also able to view messages via apps like 0xchat, Amethyst, and other Nostr clients as long as they support NIP-17 DMs.

Question 20

Is there a rating system?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Shopstr implements NIP-85 for reviews, allowing buyers to leave feedback for sellers and their products, helping build trust in the marketplace. To leave a review, find the leave a review button at the bottom of an order message window. Merchants are also able to carry over their reviews to other marketplaces that support NIP-85.

Question 21

How do I contact a seller?

Accepted Answer

You can contact sellers through Shopstr's encrypted messaging system. Simply navigate to a listing and click on the merchant profile to send a secure message to the seller.

Question 22

Am I able to return an item?

Accepted Answer

You can contact sellers directly in order to request a refund and initiate a return.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Payments

Selling

Communities

Account & Privacy

Customer Experience