Last Updated: 09/17/2026
Local Pickup lets you buy and sell items in person while keeping the payment protection that comes with every Second Catch transaction. It's a convenient option any time the buyer and seller are close to each other, and it's especially handy for larger items where shipping is a hassle. This page explains how it works for both buyers and sellers.
How Local Pickup Works
When a seller offers Local Pickup, the buyer pays on the platform as usual, then the two arrange to meet and hand off the item in person. No shipping label is created, and there is no shipping charge. Because payment still runs through Second Catch, both parties keep the same buyer protection and dispute coverage as a shipped order.
For Sellers
When you create a listing, you choose how you want to fulfill it under Delivery Method: shipping, local pickup, or both. At least one method must be selected before your listing can go live. Save local pickup for the big stuff where shipping's a hassle; smaller items ship just fine and reach a larger audience.
Your Delivery Method choice determines what you fill out next:
- Shipping – enter your shipping details.
- Local pickup – enter your ZIP code (or city and state).
- Both – fill out both shipping details and your pickup location.
If you offer Local Pickup, your general location (based on your ZIP code or area, never your exact address) is used to figure out which nearby buyers can see the pickup option. Your precise address is never shown publicly.
For Buyers
You control how far you're willing to travel using a distance slider. Second Catch compares your general location to each seller's general location and shows the Local Pickup option only on listings where the seller is within the distance you set. If a seller is farther away than your chosen range, Local Pickup won't appear for that listing, and you'll only see shipping (if the seller offers it). Locations are approximate, which protects everyone's privacy while still keeping pickups practical.
Choosing Pickup at Checkout
If a listing offers both pickup and shipping and the seller is within your travel range, you choose which you want at checkout. If only one method is available to you, it's applied automatically. A pickup order is simply the item price plus the platform fee, with no shipping line. Once you choose pickup, you'll move to messages to arrange the pickup location with the seller.
Coordinating the Handoff
Before a sale, in-app messaging keeps addresses and personal contact details private. Once a pickup sale is complete, those restrictions lift for that transaction so you and the other party can share what you need to and arrange a meetup directly. Please keep in mind this means your address may be shared with the other party in order to coordinate.
Confirming Pickup with a Code
Pickup is confirmed with a 6-digit code. When a pickup order is placed, the buyer receives a 6-digit confirmation code. At the handoff, the buyer gives this code to the seller, and the seller enters it in the app to confirm the exchange and release payout. A seller cannot release payout without the buyer's code – there is no seller-only "mark as picked up" step. This ensures the buyer has actually received the item before any money moves. In exceptional cases, an admin can override to resolve an order manually. Entering the code confirms the pickup and opens the standard 72-hour dispute window – the same window that applies to shipped orders. Sellers are paid on Second Catch's standard payout timing once that window passes without a dispute.
If the Buyer Won't Share the Code
If the item has already changed hands but the buyer won't enter or share the code, the seller can use the "Report handoff issue" button on the order screen. This sends an email to support@secondcatch.com where the seller can explain the situation, and support will help resolve it. This is different from a pickup that never happened – it's for when the exchange took place but confirmation is being withheld.
Canceling a Pickup Order
A pickup order stays in a "pending" state until the item is exchanged, so there's a clean window to cancel before any money moves to the seller.
- Buyer cancellation before pickup: You can cancel from the order screen while the order is pending, for a full refund of the item price.
- Seller cancellation before pickup: A seller can cancel before the handoff, and the buyer receives a full refund. Repeated seller cancellations are flagged for review.
Once the buyer's code is entered and pickup is confirmed, the order is complete and the standard returns and disputes process applies instead of cancellation.
No-Shows
If a meetup is scheduled in the app and one party doesn't appear, the person who showed can report the no-show from the order screen. This doesn't automatically refund or penalize anyone – instead it prompts both parties to reschedule or cancel. If the parties can't reschedule, an admin can cancel the order with a full refund to the buyer. Repeated no-shows by either party count toward an account flag.
Orders That Stay Pending
Pickup orders do not auto-release to the seller. If a pickup order sits pending without a confirmed handoff, Second Catch sends reminder emails to both parties at day 3 and day 7. If the order still isn't resolved, an admin can cancel it and issue a full refund to the buyer, so items don't stay locked in limbo. Payout is only released when the buyer's code is entered (or by admin override).