Profile Setup

Right after you finish signing up, 12sell walks you through a five-step profile setup. This is the most important moment for new users — the answers shape your Deals feed, your Showcase feed, and how other businesses discover you.

You can take less than two minutes for this. Don't skip it.

Why profile setup matters

12sell is a B2B trading network, not a generic marketplace. The platform shows you deals and showcases that match your business — but it can only do that if you tell it what your business is about. Profile setup creates your target business profile: the categories, subcategories, and brands you care about. From that moment on, the feeds you see are filtered for relevance.

The sooner you finish profile setup, the better your first day on 12sell will feel.

Step 1 — What do you want to do?

Pick one:

• Sell — you have inventory you want to move.
• Buy — you're sourcing products for your business.
• Both — you do both regularly.

Your choice sets the default deal type when you post your first deal. You can always post the opposite type later — it's just a default, not a lock.

Step 2 — Choose your categories

Pick the categories that match your business. The list is sourced from 12sell's full catalog — you can pick more than one. After you pick categories, the screen reveals subcategories that drill into specifics.

Examples of how to pick:

• A phone retailer picks Mobile Phones as a category, then Smartphones, Feature Phones as subcategories.
• A trader who deals in laptops and tablets picks both Laptops and Tablets, then their specific subcategories.

The more accurate your selection, the more useful your feed becomes. You can change these later from your profile.

Step 3 — Pick your brands

Based on the subcategories you chose in Step 2, 12sell shows the brands available in that space. Pick the brands you actually buy from or sell. Search by name to narrow the list quickly.

Brands with logos appear first so you can scan visually. Pick everything that's relevant — there's no penalty for being thorough.

When you tap Next, 12sell saves these preferences as your target business profile. From this point on, your Deals feed and Showcase feed prioritize content matching your categories, subcategories, and brands.

Step 4 — Post your first deal

Setup walks you through posting your first deal right inside the wizard:

• The deal type (Sell or Buy) is pre-filled from your Step 1 answer.
• Add a title for the deal — short, specific, and searchable.
• Add a description with details: model, condition, quantity, target price, location, contact preference.

This first deal is automatically targeted at the categories/subcategories/brands you just picked, so the right buyers and sellers see it from day one.

If you'd rather skip and post later, you can — but posting one deal during setup is the fastest way to get your first messages.

Posting a deal uses tokens. Every new account starts with a small bonus balance, so the first one is on the house.

Step 5 — Profile photo

Upload a photo or logo for your profile. This is the avatar buyers and sellers see in the feeds, in messages, and on every deal you post. A clear logo or face dramatically improves trust.

• Tap to upload from your device.
• The image is automatically compressed for fast loading.
• A built-in cropper lets you frame the photo.
• Square photos work best.

A profile photo is required to finish setup. You can change it later anytime from your profile.

What happens next

When you finish Step 5, 12sell:

• Saves your profile photo.
• Marks your account as fully onboarded.
• Drops you on the Deals feed, now personalized to your business.

Your first deal (from Step 4) is live and visible to matching buyers/sellers. You should expect messages within hours if your title and description are clear and your business is in an active category.

Things you can come back to

Setup is one-time, but every choice can be edited later:

• Business title and industry — Profile → Edit profile.
• Categories, subcategories, brands — these power your feed personalization and can be refined as your business changes.
• Profile photo — replace anytime.
• First deal — manage from My Deals like any other deal.

Common questions

Why do I have to pick categories and subcategories and brands?

Each level adds precision. Categories alone are too broad — "Electronics" covers phones, laptops, cameras, drones, and more. Subcategories narrow it. Brands narrow it further so 12sell can show you the deals from the manufacturers you actually trade in.

What if my brand isn't on the list?

Pick the closest match and submit a brand request through your profile. 12sell adds new brands regularly as the catalog grows.

Can I skip Step 4 (the first deal)?

You can — close the deal modal and continue to Step 5. But posting a real deal during setup is the single highest-impact thing a new user can do for early activity.

What if I sell across many categories?

Pick all of them. There's no penalty for breadth. Your feed will weight content based on all selected categories, and your profile will signal your range to buyers.

Why is the profile photo required?

Profiles without photos get drastically fewer messages and replies. Requiring it during setup is the kindest thing 12sell can do for new users — it makes sure your first impression is a strong one.

Can I redo profile setup from scratch?

Setup itself only runs once, but every individual setting (target categories, brands, photo, business title) is editable from your profile and from Settings. The "target business" that drives feed personalization can be edited or replaced anytime.

Next steps

• Browse the Deals feed — see deals matched to your business.
• Browse the Showcase feed — discover product galleries from suppliers.
• Tokens — how posting and boosting works.
• Verification — earn a verified badge.