BuyHappyThings.com reviews listings, seller profiles, and member content to keep the marketplace safe, accurate, and trustworthy. This policy explains what content is prohibited, how we moderate, and what options are available if your content is removed. It also covers our obligations under US trade sanctions law.

1. Prohibited Content

Prohibited Items

The following items may not be listed on BuyHappyThings.com under any circumstances:

• Counterfeit or unauthorized replica items. Do not list items represented as a specific brand that are not genuinely that brand. Reproductions must be clearly disclosed as such in both the title and the description.
• Stolen goods or items obtained illegally. This includes items with a removed or altered serial number.
• Recalled items. Items subject to an active US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall may not be sold, even if they are vintage or collectible. Check the CPSC recall database before listing if you are uncertain.
• Items with known hazardous materials not disclosed. Pre-1978 painted items may contain lead paint. Sellers must disclose the likelihood of lead paint in the listing description for any item manufactured before 1978. Selling items with lead paint to households with young children without clear disclosure may violate federal law. When in doubt, add a disclosure.
• Unsafe electrical equipment. Vintage electrical items with damaged cords, cracked housings, or known safety issues must be clearly disclosed. Items known to be unsafe may not be sold for active use; if sold for parts or display only, state that explicitly in the listing.
• Functional weapons, live ammunition, and explosives. Functional firearms, live ammunition, explosive devices, and pyrotechnics are prohibited. Decommissioned, inert, or display-only items are permitted with clear disclosure of their non-functional status.
• Human remains and grave goods. Human skeletal material, burial goods removed from graves, and associated funerary objects may not be listed regardless of age or origin. This includes items that may be subject to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) or equivalent laws.
• Protected wildlife products. Items made from endangered or protected species are prohibited, including illegal ivory, rhinoceros horn, sea turtle shell (tortoiseshell), whale bone, feathers protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and any other material regulated under the Endangered Species Act or CITES. Antique ivory (pre-1947, with documentation) may be permitted in certain jurisdictions — contact us before listing.
• Active government credentials and impersonation items. Current or recently issued law enforcement badges, military ID cards, federal or state credentials, active-issue uniforms, and any item that could be used to impersonate an official may not be listed. Decommissioned, historical, or clearly marked replica items for collectors are permitted with appropriate disclosure.
• Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia.
• Items requiring a license we do not support. Certain regulated items — including prescription medical devices, items requiring a federal firearms license (FFL), and export-controlled technology — may not be listed without the applicable licenses.
• Items prohibited by US federal or state law, or items subject to US trade sanctions or export controls (see Section 5 below).

Listing Image Requirements

Your listing photos are your buyer's primary way to evaluate an item before purchasing. Photos must meet the following standards:

• Photos must be of the actual item you are selling. Do not use manufacturer stock photos, catalog scans, or photos from another seller's listing — even if the item looks identical. Buyers expect to see the specific item they will receive.
• Accurately represent condition. If an item has scratches, paint chips, missing parts, a torn box, or any other wear, include clear photos of it. Hiding damage in photos is grounds for a buyer to open a Case.
• Show what is and is not included. If the item comes with a box, track, accessories, or manuals, show them. If those items are staged nearby but not included in the sale, label them clearly.
• Photos must be in focus and adequately lit. Dark, blurry, or obscured photos may be removed pending re-upload.
• No watermarks or overlaid logos from other platforms. Do not re-use photos that contain eBay, Etsy, or other marketplace watermarks.
• No explicit, hateful, or prohibited imagery in photos. See Section 2 (Mature and Sensitive Content) and our Member Conduct Policy for details.
• Photos you did not take must be licensed. If you use any photo that is not your own original work, you must have explicit permission. See our Intellectual Property Policy.

Misleading Listings

The following are prohibited in listing titles, descriptions, and photos:

• Listings that materially misrepresent the item's condition, authenticity, scale, manufacturer, or features.
• Photos that do not accurately represent the item being sold, including photos that obscure or omit visible damage, wear, or missing parts.
• Prices listed in a way that differs from what is charged at checkout without clear disclosure.
• Keyword stuffing, irrelevant tags, or deceptive listing titles designed to manipulate search results.
• Claiming professional grading (e.g., PSA, CGC, JSA) without including the certification number and corresponding photos.
• Using a brand name in a listing for an item that is not that brand (e.g., “fits Lionel” in the title of an unrelated item is permitted; “Lionel” as the sole descriptor of a non-Lionel item is not).

Restricted Listing Phrases

The following phrases may only be used when your listing photos and description clearly support the claim. Using them without supporting evidence is grounds for listing removal:

• Museum quality
• Investment grade
• Guaranteed authentic — authenticity claims require provenance, photos, or a named third-party certification
• All original — requires disclosure of any replaced, repaired, or restored parts
• Mint or Mint in Box — must reflect true unplayed, unhandled condition
• Rare or One of a kind — requires a factual basis in the description
• Estate fresh or Just found — permitted as provenance context, not as a substitute for condition disclosure
• Works great or Fully tested — requires a description of how and when the item was tested

Hateful and Offensive Content

Content that promotes hatred, discrimination, or violence against any individual or group is prohibited. This includes slurs, dehumanizing language, and hate symbols. See our Member Conduct Policy for full details.

Spam and Manipulation

• Duplicate listings created to circumvent search ranking or moderation decisions.
• Fake reviews or reviews solicited through incentives (discounts, refunds, free items).
• Coordinated campaigns to falsely report another member's listings or account.

Private Information

• Listings or messages that contain another person's private information — phone number, home address, financial information — without their consent.

2. Mature and Sensitive Content

BuyHappyThings.com is a family-friendly marketplace. The following content is prohibited in all listings, photos, seller profiles, and messages, regardless of context:

• Sexually explicit or pornographic content of any kind — including photos, descriptions, or links.
• Items whose primary purpose is sexual in nature.
• Content that sexualizes minors in any way. Such content will be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and law enforcement immediately.

Vintage and Historical Items with Period Imagery

Model trains and related collectibles span decades of history. Vintage items sometimes feature imagery that reflects the social norms of their era — pinup art on passenger cars, period liquor or cigarette advertising, or ethnic caricatures common in early 20th-century commercial art. These items can be listed on BuyHappyThings.com, subject to the following:

• Describe the imagery accurately and in an educational or historical context. Note the era, manufacturer, and why the item is historically significant.
• Do not present offensive imagery approvingly. Items that celebrate, glorify, or promote hatred toward any group are prohibited under our Member Conduct Policy, regardless of their age.
• No explicit nudity in listing photos. If a vintage item features nudity, photograph the item from an angle that does not prominently display it, or describe it in text without showing it.
• When in doubt, contact us first at support@buyhappythings.com before listing. We would rather review a listing proactively than remove it after the fact.

3. How We Moderate

We use a combination of reactive and proactive review:

• Member reports: Anyone can report a listing, profile, or message they believe violates our policies. Our team reviews every report.
• Proactive review: We periodically audit listings and accounts, particularly new ones or those that have received multiple reports.
• Automated screening: We use automated tools to flag content for human review. Automated flags do not result in automatic removal — a human reviews each case.

4. Consequences

When we find a violation, we may take one or more of the following actions depending on the severity:

• Remove the specific listing, message, or review.
• Require the seller to edit and resubmit a listing before it is reinstated.
• Issue a warning to the member's account.
• Temporarily suspend listing or buying privileges.
• Permanently terminate the account.

For serious violations — content involving illegal items, credible threats, or child safety — we may act immediately without prior warning and may notify law enforcement.

5. Sanctions and Export Controls

BuyHappyThings.com is required by US law to comply with economic sanctions and trade restrictions administered by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These obligations apply to all members and all transactions on the platform.

Prohibited Transactions

We cannot facilitate transactions involving:

• Individuals or entities on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list or other government sanctions lists.
• Countries subject to comprehensive US trade sanctions, which currently include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
• Any party or transaction prohibited by applicable US export control laws.

Account Actions for Sanctions Issues

If we have reason to believe a member, transaction, or item may be subject to sanctions, we may place a hold on the account or transaction pending review, request identity verification, or permanently suspend the account and report the matter to the appropriate authorities. We are unable to provide advance notice when such actions are required by law.

Our payment processors (Stripe and PayPal) also independently perform sanctions screening. A payment may be declined by a processor even if not separately flagged by us.

6. Appeals

If your listing or account was actioned and you believe the decision was made in error, you may appeal by contacting us at support@buyhappythings.com within 30 days. Please include the listing ID or a description of the content, and an explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect.

We will respond within 5 business days. Our decision on appeal is final.

7. Limitation of Our Responsibility

BuyHappyThings.com is a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers. While we actively moderate content, we cannot guarantee that all content complies with our policies at all times. We are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or quality of individual listings. Buyers are encouraged to review seller ratings and ask questions before purchasing.

Contact

To report a violation or ask questions about this policy, contact us at support@buyhappythings.com.