A real-life second-hand marketplace
inside a virtual world you can live in.
Click the Sign-Posts to Learn More About How It All Works!
Once upon a time, there lived a mother of four, named Ashley, who understood how difficult it could be to raise and support a family through life’s ever-changing chapters. She envisioned a Community Marketplace where Families Help Families by giving the things they no longer needed and receiving the things they did.
One day, Ashley met Justin, a talented software engineer with a love for games and creativity. They fell deeply in love, and Justin desired to create Ashley's vision as an expression of his love for her. Justin brought the concept to life through his creation of a Virtual Town. Hand in hand, Ashley and Justin grew the idea into what has become Hand-Me-Down Town.
Hand-Me-Down Town began as a concept of love, was built with love, and exists to help families show love through generosity with one another.
Join Hands with our community, where Families Help Families.
And so, Hand-Me-Down Town was created for families from near and far to join by contributing to the Marketplace with items they no longer need and Shopping for treasures awaiting a new home.
Ashley desired to create a fair means of giving and receiving that would be beneficial for all. So, she created a community-based Point System for “buying” and “selling”. She also desired to make the shipping process from one home to another affordable and predictable through Shipping Tiers and Swap Spots.
Justin desired to create more than just a marketplace. So, he brought it to life as an entire virtual town experience, where families can move into and set up a Virtual Home, explore Shops, play Games while shopping, complete Quests, and discover the town.
The more families who join Hand-Me-Down Town, the more treasures there are to share, the more needs can be met, and the more our little town can grow.
So, come Share, Shop, and Save, because in Hand-Me-Down Town, one family’s ending can become another family’s happily ever after.
Every treasure in Hand-Me-Down Town has another chapter waiting to be written. Through a cycle of giving and receiving, Families Help Families.
Giving:
Post Items - Ai makes posting quick and easy by helping create your listing from pictures of the items you would like to share.
Pack & Ship - Once a neighbor purchases your items, you package them with care, attach the prepaid label, and drop the box off at the Post Office.
Earn Points - Once your neighbor has received the items, you receive your points. You can even earn bonus points if your neighbor gives you a good review.
Receiving:
Shop & Play - Visit the shops to discover the treasures your neighbors would like to share. You can even play games with the items to make shopping fun!
Claim & Pay - When you find treasures you love, use your Points to claim them, and purchase the shipping label for your neighbor to ship them.
Receive & Review - Once you receive your new treasures, give your neighbor a review to show Gratitude and encourage Integrity and Respect.
***Give & Receive….Share, Ship, Swap, Shop, Save, Support
In Hand-Me-Down Town, generosity has value. Our Point System makes giving and receiving fair by turning the treasures you share into points you can use for treasures you need.
Ways to Earn Points in Hand-Me-Down Town:
Sharing - When another neighbor claims your item and successfully receives it, you earn the point value assigned to that item. This ensures that points are earned through completed exchanges.
Positive Reviews - Our community relies upon honesty, reliability, and mutual respect, so we want to reward good neighbors who exemplify these qualities. You can earn up to 5 extra points with every positive review you receive. We value our neighbors who make our town a place people can trust.
Referral - Every new family brings more possibilities for sharing, helping, and finding what you need. If you invite someone to join our town, you will receive 5 bonus “thank you” points, and they will receive 5 “welcome” points, after they successfully join our town and post their first item.
Quests - There are stories to explore and quests to discover throughout the town. Some are simply for the joy of the adventure, while others reward you with extra bonus points when you complete them.
Join Hand-Me-Down Town, post your items, refer your friends, share with integrity, have fun…And Earn Points!
Ashley wanted every treasure’s journey to be simple, affordable, and predictable, so she created Shipping Tiers and Swap Spots..
Shipping Tiers are set box sizes with a set shipping price.
Swap Spots are the estimated amount of space each item takes up inside the box.
Justin created a Virtual Packaging system that shows what box size you need for your items, highlights other items from that neighbor that may still fit in that shipping tier, and allows you to package multiple boxes before you decide which one best fits your needs.
The more treasures you purchase from the same neighbor, the more cost-effective shipping can become. So, fill your boxes, optimize shipping, and make every journey count.
| Tier | Slots | Weight label | Max lb | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xs | 1–4 | 0-16 oz | 1 | $7.95 . |
| Small | 5–12 | 17-48 oz | 3 | $11.95 |
| Medium | 13–28 | 49–112 oz | 7 | $19.95 |
| Large | 29–48 | 113–192 oz | 12 | $25.95 |
| Xl | 49–80 | 193–320 oz | 20 | $34.95 |
Town Square - Meet Mayor Ashley and Architect Justin in their offices inside Town Hall. Find helpful resources and news inside the Visitor’s Center. Check on shipping at the Post Office. Explore treasures inside the Shops.
Shops - Inside town square, little Shops are filled with treasures shared, awaiting their next chapter. Click on the shops to go inside. Click on the items in the shopkeepers’ hands to explore the inventory.
Townsfolk - As you explore, you’ll meet members of Ashley and Justin’s family to welcome you and bring Hand-Me-Down Town to life.
Games - Justin wanted shopping to feel like part of the adventure, so he created Games for each shop where you can have fun while shopping. Find and click the stars in each shop to Play To Shop.
Quests - No storybook town would be complete without a few Quests. Some are simply for the joy of the adventure, while others may lead to bonus Points or special rewards. Among them is Justin’s Love Quest he made for Ashley’s avatar within the town.
So, explore the shops and buildings, meet the townsfolk, play the games, explore the quests, and see where each chapter takes you!
When you’re ready to become part of the story, it’s time to Move Into Hand-Me-Down Town!
Each family receives their own Virtual Home to decorate and make their own. Your home is more than just a place to live in the town. It can also help you find the treasures your family needs.
Tell us what you’re looking for, and matching items can appear right inside your home for you to discover and shop without ever leaving your virtual doorstep.
As your needs change, your home can change with you, helping you keep track of what your family is searching for while making treasure hunting feel personal, simple, and fun.
So, choose your home, decorate your space, fill it with the things you’re looking for, and begin your next chapter as a neighbor in Hand-Me-Down Town.
Choose the condition that fits: New with tags, Like new, Good, Fair, or Playwear. Show wear in your photos and describe missing pieces.
If AI helps draft your listing, give it a careful read before publishing. Clear expectations make for a better exchange.
Children’s clothes, shoes, toys, baby gear, books, learning supplies, and useful family items belong here when they can be shipped or picked up.
Leave out anything recalled or unsafe. If you’re unsure whether an item is safe for another family, please don’t list it.
Pickup is available when the listing family offers it. It has a platform fee, but no shipping label. Follow the family’s instructions and share only the details you need to find each other.
Choose a public place where you feel comfortable. If the arrangement doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to say no.
Neighbors see your Town address, your home and the items you list. Your real street address is separate and used where necessary for shipping.
More detail lives in our Privacy Policy.
Visit Town Hall to open a problem report or check one you already filed. An exchange can be paused while the report is reviewed.
We can help you report a problem, but we don’t insure items, verify every listing, or inspect items before listing. A cash refund isn’t guaranteed.
For questions outside an exchange: hello@handmedowntown.com.
Pick a topic. The complete FAQ is available on one searchable, scrollable page.
Big question or little one, you’re welcome to ask. Send us a note and we’ll help you find your way.
