Complete guide to using PowerBuyer's professional marketplace monitoring tools
PowerBuyer requires an account to save your preferences and deliver personalized results. Account creation takes less than two minutes.
Your trial begins immediately and includes full Pro features. No credit card is required to start.
After signing in, you'll see the PowerBuyer dashboard with three main sections:
The Live Feed updates automatically without page refresh. New listings appear at the top within 30-60 seconds of being posted.
Setting up your first search takes just a few steps:
Results will begin appearing in your Live Feed within 60 seconds. The feed updates automatically as new matching listings are posted.
The Live Feed is the heart of PowerBuyer. Unlike manual marketplace searches that require constant refreshing, the Live Feed uses real-time technology to push new listings directly to your screen as they appear.
New listings matching your criteria appear at the top of the feed within 30-60 seconds of being posted on the marketplace. You don't need to refresh the page or click anything. Background scanning runs automatically, and results are delivered instantly via persistent connection.
The feed displays up to 250 listings at once. As new items arrive, older items are removed from the bottom to maintain performance. You can dismiss individual listings by clicking the "×" button to keep your feed clean and focused.
Search Configuration determines what listings appear in your Live Feed. You can configure searches for each marketplace independently.
Search Terms: Enter keywords that describe what you're looking for. Separate multiple terms with commas or newlines. For example, "14k gold, sterling silver" will search for items containing either phrase.
Exact Phrases: Use quotation marks for exact phrase matching. "vintage Nike" will only match listings containing that exact phrase, eliminating false matches like "Nike-style vintage shoes."
Multiple Search Terms: You can enter multiple keywords to cover variations. Each term is searched independently, and all matching results appear in your feed.
Content filtering is how you eliminate 90% of the noise from marketplace results. Instead of showing you everything and forcing you to sift through junk, PowerBuyer filters out unwanted listings on the server before they reach your feed.
Title Exclusions: Block keywords from appearing in listing titles. For example, if you're searching for real gold jewelry, add exclusions for "plated," "filled," and "tone" to hide gold-plated or gold-tone items.
Description Exclusions: Remove listings with specific words in the description. This catches items that might pass title filters but reveal issues in the full description.
How to Use: Enter exclusion terms in the Content Filtering section of Settings. Separate multiple terms with commas. Exclusions apply immediately to new listings and won't show previously filtered items.
Professional resellers quickly learn which sellers are worth monitoring and which ones waste time. PowerBuyer's seller management tools let you curate your feed by blocking time-wasters and prioritizing trusted sellers.
Blocking Sellers: When you block a seller, their listings are automatically removed from your feed and will never appear again. This is permanent and applies to all future listings from that seller across all marketplaces.
To block a seller, right-click their name in any listing and select "Block this seller." You can also manually add sellers to your blocked list in Settings → Seller Management.
Saved Sellers: Save sellers who consistently list profitable inventory. Listings from saved sellers are highlighted in your feed, and you can optionally receive Telegram notifications when they post new items.
To save a seller, right-click their name and select "Save this seller." Saved sellers are stored in your account and can be managed in Settings.
Each marketplace has unique characteristics, and PowerBuyer provides platform-specific filters to refine your results.
Etsy Filters: Etsy allows sellers to list items in bulk quantities. For resellers looking for unique items, this creates noise. PowerBuyer's Etsy quantity filter removes listings with quantity greater than one, eliminating wholesale and bulk listings automatically.
You can also filter by Etsy marketplace type (Vintage, Handmade, Craft Supplies), price range, and when the item was made (vintage date range).
Mercari and Poshmark Filters: Configure item condition, price range, department, and sort order to narrow results to your target inventory profile.
Many sellers cross-post the same item on multiple platforms. PowerBuyer automatically detects duplicates by matching normalized titles and prices across Etsy, Mercari, and Poshmark.
When a duplicate is detected, Poshmark listings are prioritized. This is because Poshmark has no buyer protection fees, making it the most profitable platform for resellers. Mercari and Etsy versions are automatically removed when a Poshmark equivalent exists.
Duplicate detection runs automatically in the background. You don't need to enable or configure anything—it just works.
Highlighting helps you quickly identify important details in listing titles and descriptions without reading every word.
Green Highlights: Configure positive keywords that indicate opportunity. Examples: "vintage," "rare," "authentic," "NOS" (new old stock). Green highlights draw your attention to listings with these terms.
Red Highlights: Configure warning keywords that indicate risk or irrelevance. Examples: "replica," "damaged," "custom," "reproduction." Red highlights help you quickly dismiss problematic listings.
Highlighting is applied on your device in real-time and doesn't affect which listings appear—it only changes how they're displayed. Configure highlight keywords in Settings → Display Options.
Telegram integration delivers instant mobile notifications when new listings from saved sellers appear, so you can act immediately even when you're away from your computer.
PowerBuyer uses a modern pairing system with one-time codes. You don't need to configure chat IDs or bot tokens—just scan a QR code or tap a link.
Connecting Telegram:
Once connected, you'll receive notifications when saved sellers post new items matching your search criteria. Notifications include item title, price, seller, and a direct link to the listing.
One-time codes expire after 5 minutes for security. If your code expires, simply generate a new one in Settings.
PowerBuyer allows you to monitor multiple search terms simultaneously. All configured search terms run in parallel, and results from all searches appear in your unified Live Feed.
Each marketplace can have its own set of search terms. For example, you might search Etsy for "14k gold" and Poshmark for "vintage Nike" at the same time. Results are tagged with their marketplace source.
Your filters and exclusions apply to all searches. Blocked sellers and content filters work across all marketplaces and search terms.
The difference between amateur and professional sourcing is precision. Too broad and you waste time on junk. Too narrow and you miss opportunities.
Start Broad, Then Narrow: Begin with general search terms and minimal filters. Watch your feed for a few hours and note patterns in unwanted listings. Add exclusion keywords based on what you actually see.
Use Layered Filters: Combine title exclusions, description exclusions, seller blocks, and marketplace filters together. For example, exclude "plated" from titles, block specific sellers who list overpriced items, and use Etsy quantity filter to remove bulk listings.
Test and Iterate: Filters are not set-and-forget. Markets change, sellers adapt, and new patterns emerge. Review your feed weekly and adjust filters to maintain signal quality.
Each listing in your Live Feed includes:
Listings are sorted by time posted, with newest items at the top. The feed auto-scrolls to show new arrivals.
Set Up Notifications for Saved Sellers: Don't rely on checking the feed manually. Connect Telegram and save your best sellers. You'll be notified instantly on mobile when they post new items, giving you first-mover advantage.
Use Auto-Scheduling for Business Hours: Configure auto-scheduling to start monitoring at 8 AM and stop at 6 PM (or your preferred hours). This keeps your feed active during buying hours and pauses at night.
Block Aggressively: Time is money. If a seller consistently lists overpriced or low-quality items, block them immediately. Your feed quality improves exponentially as you build a robust blocked list.
Export Results for Analysis: Use the CSV export feature to analyze pricing trends, seller patterns, and market timing. Export weekly to track which search terms drive the most profitable opportunities.
All settings are stored in your account and synchronized automatically. Changes you make in the Settings panel are saved immediately and apply to future searches.
Marketplace Preferences: Enable or disable each marketplace independently. If you only want to monitor Etsy and Poshmark, disable Mercari in Settings.
Display Options: Choose between grid view and list view, configure image expansion size, and set your timezone for accurate relative timestamps.
Notification Preferences: Control when and how you receive notifications. Configure Telegram alerts for saved sellers or disable notifications entirely.
Auto-scheduling allows you to define specific hours when PowerBuyer should automatically start and stop monitoring. This is useful if you source inventory during set business hours and don't want to manually start searches each day.
To enable auto-scheduling:
PowerBuyer will now automatically start monitoring at your specified start time and stop at your stop time each day. Times are based on the timezone configured in your account settings.
Your settings represent hours of optimization work. PowerBuyer provides backup and restore functionality to protect your configuration.
Backing Up Settings: Open Settings → Management → Settings Management and click "Backup Settings." A JSON file containing all your preferences, filters, and saved sellers will be downloaded to your device.
Restoring Settings: Click "Import Settings" in the same section and select your backup file. All settings will be restored exactly as they were when the backup was created.
Backups are useful when switching devices, recovering from accidental changes, or duplicating configurations across multiple accounts.
PowerBuyer offers a 3-day free trial followed by a single Pro plan at $69/month. Simple, straightforward pricing with all features included.
Free Trial: New accounts automatically start with a 3-day trial that includes full Pro features. No credit card is required to start your trial.
Pro Plan ($69/month): After your trial, subscribe to Pro for $69/month and get unlimited access to all marketplaces (Etsy, Mercari, Poshmark), unlimited results, real-time updates, auto-scheduling, Telegram notifications, cross-marketplace duplicate detection, and priority support.
Subscribing: Click "Upgrade to Pro" in your dashboard to subscribe. You'll be directed to the pricing page to complete payment through Stripe. Your subscription activates immediately.
Managing Subscription: Access the Stripe Customer Portal from your account settings to update payment methods, view invoices, and manage billing details.
Canceling: Cancel anytime from your account settings. You'll retain access through the end of your current billing period, and your settings are saved for 90 days in case you reactivate.
Your PowerBuyer account is secured with industry-standard authentication provided by Supabase. Email and password authentication is used for all sign-ins.
Password Reset: If you forget your password, click "Forgot Password" on the sign-in page. A reset link will be sent to your email address. Click the link and create a new password.
Email Verification: All accounts must verify their email address. If you didn't receive a verification email, check your spam folder or request a new verification link from the sign-in page.
Data Security: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe—PowerBuyer never stores credit card information.
If your Live Feed is empty after starting a search:
Background scanning runs automatically every 60-120 seconds when you have an active search. New listings matching your criteria appear in your Live Feed within 30-60 seconds of being posted to the marketplace.
You don't need to manually refresh or restart searches. As long as your search is active (status shows "Running"), the background workers are continuously scanning for new listings.
If you're not receiving Telegram notifications:
Listings can disappear from your feed for several reasons:
No. Once a listing is dismissed, it's permanently removed from your feed. Dismissed listings won't reappear even if they match your search criteria.
If you accidentally dismiss a listing, you'll need to search for it manually on the original marketplace. The listing title and seller name are your best reference points.
Click the "Stop" button in the control bar to stop all active searches. Background scanning will stop immediately, and no new listings will appear in your feed until you click "Start" again.
Your filters and settings are preserved when you stop a search. Listings already in your feed remain visible until you dismiss them or clear the feed.
Your search configurations, filters, blocked sellers, saved sellers, and preferences are retained for 90 days after subscription cancellation. If you reactivate your subscription within 90 days, all your settings will be restored exactly as you left them.
After 90 days, your settings may be archived or removed. If you want to preserve your configuration permanently, export a backup before canceling.
It's easier to loosen filters than to tighten them. Start with aggressive exclusions to ensure you only see high-quality results. You can always remove filters if you feel you're missing opportunities.
Your best deals come from a small number of high-quality sellers. Once you identify them, save them and enable Telegram notifications. Being first to see their new listings gives you an insurmountable advantage.
Quotation marks are your friend. "14k gold" eliminates hundreds of false matches compared to searching 14k gold without quotes. Use exact phrases wherever possible.
Export your feed to CSV once per week. Analyze which search terms are producing profitable results and which ones are generating noise. Adjust your configuration based on data, not gut feeling.
Don't tolerate time-wasters. If a seller consistently lists overpriced items, block them immediately. Your feed quality improves dramatically as you build a robust blocked list over time.
Don't search for "$1-$10000" if your target range is "$20-$100." Narrow price ranges reduce noise and improve feed relevance. Configure price filters for each marketplace in Settings.
Can't find what you're looking for? Visit our FAQ or contact support.