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Messages

Messages let you contact a buyer or seller directly from a listing and keep the conversation in one place.

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Before you start

  • You need to be signed in.
  • Messages are tied to a listing conversation.
  • Conversations appear in the Messages tab after they are created.

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Start a conversation

  1. Open a listing.
  2. Tap or click Contact seller.
  3. The app creates a conversation for that listing.
  4. A short intro message is sent the first time the conversation is created.
After that, opening the same listing conversation takes you back to the existing thread instead of creating a duplicate.

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Open your inbox

Use the Messages tab to see all of your conversations.
  • Web: open Messages from the top navigation.
  • iPhone / Android: open Messages from the bottom tab bar.

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Unread message badges

When you have unread messages, the app shows a badge on Messages.
  • Web desktop: the badge appears next to Messages in the top navigation.
  • Web mobile: the badge appears on the menu button and on the Messages item in the menu.
  • iPhone / Android: the badge appears on the Messages tab icon.
The badge updates as messages arrive and clears after messages are read. New messages can also appear in your notification center, by push notification on iPhone or Android, or by email, depending on your notification settings. See Notifications.

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Message push notifications

On iPhone and Android, tapping a new message push notification opens the related conversation when possible. If you are already viewing the conversation, the app may skip the foreground push banner because the new message is already visible in the thread. The unread badges still update from your notification state.

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Send attachments

You can send supported media from a conversation using the attachment button in the message composer. On iPhone and Android, the attachment picker opens from the bottom of the screen. On web, image uploads use your browser’s file picker.

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Message actions

Inside a conversation:
  • Send messages with the composer at the bottom of the screen.
  • Add attachments from the composer when available.
  • Copy a message from the message actions menu.
  • Edit or delete your own message from the message actions menu.
  • Report someone else’s message if it is abusive, spam, or inappropriate.

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How to open message actions

  • Web: right-click or long-press a message.
  • iPhone / Android: long-press a message.

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Remove a conversation from your inbox

From the conversation list, swipe or drag left on a conversation and choose Delete. This removes the conversation from your inbox view.

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Troubleshooting

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”Messages says chat is unavailable”

Messaging may not be fully configured for the current environment yet. Try again later or switch to the latest app build.

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”I tapped Contact seller but nothing opened”

  • Confirm you are signed in.
  • Check your internet connection.
  • Try opening the listing again and tapping Contact seller one more time.

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”I do not see a conversation badge”

The unread badge only appears when you have unread conversations. If you already opened the conversation on another device, the badge may clear automatically. See Opening app links.

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”I tapped a message push but did not see the conversation”

Confirm you are signed in with the account that received the message. If the conversation was removed or you no longer have access, open Messages and look for the thread directly.
Last modified on May 16, 2026