About The App
What is The App?
The App is an app developed by BitBoost. It is a global, encrypted, online marketplace where you can buy and sell with privacy. For a good introduction, check out our video above.
How does The App work?
The App is an application that you install on your computer. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is built on the smart contract blockchain Ethereum, and is therefore completely decentralized.
How can I use it?
To use Our App, just download and install the application, and then create a Wallet. You can load your Wallet from within the application.
Do I need to register to use The App?
No, there is no registration process, and you do not need to disclose any personal information. You only need to create an Ether wallet, which is part of the initial setup process when you run The App for the first time. Ether wallets are anonymous.
Why should I use The App instead of another service?
Tired of having your personal data collected and sold to third parties? Concerned about the risk of data hackers? Our App doesn’t collect or sell your information. Using our app reduces your risk and protects your privacy. Also, do you like low fees? Our App charges very low fees compared to many other markets. Improve your profit margin!
Is The App anonymous/private?
The App does not require any personal information, nor does it track you in any way. Transactions are written to a public blockchain (Ethereum), but accounts are anonymous. By using best practices, you can keep your account anonymous if you choose.
Are internal messages encrypted?
Yes. Messages between buyer and seller, including address and shipping method, are encrypted.
What if The App is not available in my language?
We want Our App to be available in as many languages as possible. If you are able to translate into your native language from English, please contact us.
How can I refill my wallet?
It is possible to fill or refill your Wallet in two ways. Once you have created your Wallet, you may either send Ether to it directly, or you may buy Ether from within the Wallet, using Bitcoin.
Can I create more than one wallet?
Not yet, but multiple wallet support is planned.
Buying and Selling
What can I sell?
You may sell anything that complies with the Terms of Use. You must agree to these Terms before you can buy or sell using The App. For example it can be services similar to services of Taas stock companies.
Can I buy/sell illegal items?
BitBoost does not encourage or support the sale of illegal items. Be aware that The App is built on a public blockchain, and law enforcement can track illegal items. Do not use The App for criminal activity.
The App is a global marketplace. Not every item is illegal, or legal, in every jurisdiction. The Terms of Use require that you comply with your local laws, which is your responsibility when listing items for sale. Use the provided filter, which is turned on by default, to avoid seeing potentially illegal items.
What happens to my listings if I am offline?
Your item listing lives on the Ethereum blockchain, so you do not need to be online for your item to be found by shoppers and purchased.
What are the fees?
The listing fee for an item is only 1 USD, paid in BitBoost tokens. The BitBoost token fee will be adjusted frequently to stay as close to 1 USD as possible. The price of a BitBoost token will depend on the market. Unlike other popular markets, The App takes no percentage from your final sale price.
Can I use BTC or other coins?
Not at the moment. However, you may buy Ether using Bitcoin from within your App Wallet. We are investigating how to offer support for other currencies, including Bitcoin and Komodo.
What if I lose my password?
Your password is important. Do not lose or forget your password, or you will be unable to access your Ether. Since The App is completely private, the developers will never have access to your information or passwords. They cannot help you if you lose your password, so be careful.
How does escrow work?
If a seller chooses to offer an item for sale with escrow protection, then the seller must select an “Arbiter.” When a buyer purchases an item with escrow protection, then his funds do not go directly to the seller, but instead are locked in escrow. The Arbiter is a third party who takes control of the escrowed funds in the event that the buyer or the seller opens a dispute. It is the job of the Arbiter to review the dispute and distribute the escrowed funds as he sees fit. If there is no dispute and the buyer and seller both finalize the transaction, then the escrowed funds are released to the seller automatically, with no Arbiter involvement.
Other Questions
Why is it necessary to log in?
It is necessary to log in to unlock your Wallet. Your Wallet is protected by your password, so you may only buy or sell if you logged in first. In other words, you are logging in to access your own Wallet, which stored on your own computer.
What is a Filter?
Filters are a way for you to control which items you see in The App. There is no censorship in The App, but some items are filtered from view by default through blacklisting. The BitBoost-maintained filter is turned on by default, but it is possible for you to turn it off if you want to see a completely unfiltered view of all items available in The App.
How do I turn filters on/off?
Filter controls are in the Preferences section of the application.
What is a third-party filter?
While the developers provide a single, default filter, it will be possible for you to subscribe to more than one filter. For example, you may wish to subscribe to a filter which only removes items that are illegal in your jurisdiction, or that are inappropriate for children, or that are forbidden by your religion. We hope that providers will make a wide variety of third-party filters available.
How can I subscribe to a third-party filter?
You will be able to subscribe to filters in the Preferences section of the application.
Is there a reputation system?
Yes, you can rate both buyers and sellers on The App. Reputations are important in establishing user confidence. We will be making every effort to improve this system as we go, to ensure as much user integrity as possible.
What features are in development?
Check out our page on Planned Features and also take a look at our Technical Roadmap to find out when implementations will occur.
What if I have an idea for a new feature?
Be sure to check the Planned Features, to make sure your idea is not already in development. You may send feature requests from within The App application, using the Feedback feature, or by writing to us.
How can I report a bug?
You may report bugs within The App application using the Feedback feature, on the BitBoost forum, or via email us
About BitBoost
Where are you based?
BitBoost is based and incorporated in Zug, Switzerland. Our team, however, is global.
How long have you been around?
Some members of the team have been working together for over ten years. The first e-commerce blockchain app we released was in 2015. BitBoost as a company was officially incorporated in early 2017.
Who are the developers?
The core development team is:
Andrew Lekar, Smart Contract Developer
Paul Mahone, Lead UI Developer
Max Sergeev, Application Architect
Why make an e-commerce app?
We strongly believe in the power of trade to change peoples' lives. We envision a global economy in which all participants can do business with each other peacefully, efficiently, and privately, regardless of their location and without interference, censorship, or high fees. We will work with the community to develop The App and meet these goals.
Are you hiring?
If you have skills related to Smart Contracts, cryptography, Angular 2, or UI/UX design, we’d like to hear from you. We are always looking for new language translators to help us localize The App for as many regions as possible. And, if you have an idea for making The App a better app, talk to us. We might have a spot for you.
Are you looking for advisors?
We are looking for Advisors who have experience in e-commerce and are familiar with blockchain technology. Those with banking connections would also be extremely helpful to our long-term goals.
How do I buy an item on The App?
First, you purchase the item by clicking the Buy button. Ether will be withdrawn from your wallet and placed in escrow. The seller must approve the purchase and send you the item. Finally, both you and the seller must mark the transaction as completed for the seller to be paid, or either one of you may open a dispute with your selected Arbiter instead.
Where can I find information about Arbiters?
A list of known Arbiters will be available at the BitBoost website soon.
How can I become an Arbiter?
To act as an Arbiter, a seller simply has to use your Ethereum address as the “Arbitration Provider” when listing an item. Any disputes will then fall to you for resolution, and you will have control of the escrowed funds. It is up to you to set your fees, but understand that you will be competing with other Arbiters for sellers’ business.