TF2 is famous for its memes, nostalgia, and wacky gameplay. A game that has lasted so long must have something special about it. One of those things is the trading of in-game items.
For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of TF2 trading, here’s the gist of it. There are in-game items like weapons, cosmetics, and tools, and these items have different levels of rarity. Trading is basically when players exchange these items. You can either trade items for other items or in-game currency called “keys”.
Obviously, some items are rarer and more desired by players; otherwise, why would anybody want to trade? Rarer items have more value in the market. Some items even have unique qualities and are thus considered highly valuable.
You see, the marketplace in TF2 works like an economy, meaning the prices fluctuate constantly, and some items even lose a ton of their value overnight. So to avoid being caught with your tail between your legs, you should be very careful and alert when performing trades. With all that said, here are some tips and solutions to help you start trading in TF2 in 2023.
Where Should I Trade TF2 Items?
It’s also essential to find the right platform to trade on. An infinite number of scammers swim out there, looking for their next prey. Therefore, you must choose a trusted and reputable site when making your trades.
DMarket is one of the most secure sites we’ve mentioned so far. With one of the highest ratings on Trustpilot, it is highly secure and offers one of the lowest fees out of all the sites. The site also has trusted third parties you can trade with without fear of getting scammed, and a number of ways to pay, including cryptocurrency, which makes trading in TF2 much easier.
What Should I Trade?
The most important question. Picking the right items to trade seems easy, but it isn’t.
If you want to learn how to trade in TF2, you should familiarize yourself with the items. There are thousands of items in-game divided into different categories:
- Hats
- Cosmetics: Items that change the appearance of the character.
- Paints: Items that can be used to change the color of weapons and hats.
- Stranges: Special weapons that track the number of kills, assists, and achievements made with them.
- Unusual: Special version hats and cosmetics that have a unique particle effect attached to them, making them very rare and valuable. One of the rarest items in the game, the “Burning Flames Team Captain” hat, sold for $14,000 in 2017.
- Vintage: Items that have been in the game for a long time and are considered to be of historical significance.
Scrapbanking is a great way to start. You probably already have some weapons in your inventory; you can sell these for one scrap each. You can trade scrap with other players for two random craftable weapons. Repeat the process until you have a large stockpile of scrap. Of course, having craftable weapons is paramount in this process.
Cheap hats are also more profitable than they sound. Begin purchasing low-cost hats with the scrap metal you obtained from scrapbanking. Combining two hats gives you one that has a greater value. These hats aren’t exactly team captains, but they’re worth something. If you manage to get a team captain this early, you should buy a lottery ticket.
“Unusuals” are not your friends for now. Once you’ve gathered more scrap and keys, that stuff comes way down the line. Right now, they’re too expensive, plus that part of the market is filled with scalpers. Item hoarding is also not as profitable as it seems. The profit you gain from the item isn’t remotely worth the time you waited for its value to increase.
As a beginner, you can always use a trading bot. You just select the items you want to trade, and the bot does it for you. It’s that simple! There are a lot of numbers and algorithms involved, but let’s not pretend that either of us will understand any of that. The bot is pretty good at its job; let’s just leave it at that.
Conclusion
You should remember that the economy is always evolving; that’s why you need to keep your ear to the ground if you want to trade in TF2. Joining community forums and discord servers will sometimes give you valuable information.
Also, don’t cheap out on the trading site you use — instead, protect yourself from the lurking scammers out there. Now that you know the trading scene in TF2, you can begin trading yourself. Off to the races, you go!
