TopHatter Review 2024

Tophatter is online market place where you can explore and purchase extraordinary items from around the globe in a blink of an eye! This lightning-fast, auction-style marketplace makes it simpler than ever for anyone to find their ultimate treasure.

TopHatter was established in 2012. The website is operated by TopHatter Inc, which is an incorporated California based company.

TopHatter is also a platform that connects people selling items online to people who want to purchase items online. Thus, it is simply an online marketplace.

This means that TopHatter is a platform provider and not a retailer. Thus, when you make a purchase in TopHatter, the item is not sold to you by TopHatter, but by another member using TopHatter as a Seller. Apart from bringing buyers and sellers together; what TopHatter also does is to use third-party service to process payments and make payments to the Sellers.

Yes, TopHatter is legit. It is not a scam because they have been online for a very long time and selling products without a problem.

However, being an online marketplace is not only what distinguishes TopHatter from other e-commerce sites. Rather, TopHatter is different from many of the rest in that it is an online auction site. It says that its mission is to “spark a moment of fun and fulfilment”. Thus, it pushes aside “boring” traditional purchase, where customers are welcomed to make payment for items listed for particular prices; and it brings the fun, thrills and excitement of auctions to online shopping.

Thus, when you join TopHatter (as a buyer), you’ll see an auction schedule; and when the auction for the product you like starts, you can make bids, and see how other buyers are reacting. One of the attractiveness of auction sales is that you set the price as to how much you want to pay; and when you have a winning bid, you know it is just a fraction higher than how much another person was willing to pay.

Being a marketplace two categories of people can use TopHatter (Buyers and Sellers). Thus, what follows is a review of TopHatter as pertaining to a Buyer, then as pertain to a Seller.

In this digital world, almost everything is done with “clicks”; and that is why online shopping has come to stay. With a few clicks, a customer can, in the comfort of his/ her home, purchase an item online, and it will be delivered.

However, instead of the traditional purchases, where a customer simply pays the price set by the retailer; online shopping has changed tremendously, and can now be a lot more fun.

TopHatter is an online marketplace that advertises that it has changed with the changing trends in online shopping, such that it is now “a fast, fun way to discover cool stuff and win amazing deals”.

“Cool Stuff” speaks of a range of high-quality products; “amazing deals” speaks of offering the products at relatively low and affordable prices; while “fun way” speaks of a very satisfying, exciting, and even entertaining buying experience. Does TopHatter really offer all of these, or are these just advert blurbs? Is TopHatter any different from the many e-commerce platforms out there, and is it worthwhile to buy from TopHatter? In the first place, is TopHatter a genuine e-commerce platform or just another scam?

This TopHatter review will examine TopHatter in other to provide the information that will help you answer these questions and more.

TopHatter review at a glance

• Website is tophatter.com
• Based in California, and established in 2012
• It is an online marketplace that connects sellers and buyers from all over the world
• It is a fast-paced free auction shopping platform
• It is free to bid
• Have 30 days return policy as buyer protection
• Customer support is available via email (help@tophatter.com)

TopHatter – for Buyer

If you want to make online purchases, there are certain things to look out for in the shop which include product range, shipping, return policies, costs, etc

Is TopHatter legit?

TopHatter is legitimate. A must asked question is whether an online platform is legit. Asking this question and getting the answer can be the difference between being ripped off or not when making online transactions. Some scam stores are set up to just collect “payment” from unsuspecting buyers and disappear, so before making that payment in an online store, make sure to determine that it is legit.

So the big question is whether TopHatter is legit. The short answer to that is: Yes, it is legit. The long answer is that the online marketplace is operated by a 100% legal company, has industry-wide reputation, has a long operating record, and it actually delivers functional products that are fit for purpose.

Our first test of a legit e-commerce site is usually legality. This is because platforms that are operated by 100% legal companies are less likely to be scams. TopHatter ticks this box; because the website is owned and operated by TopHatter Inc, which is a duly registered and incorporated company in the US.

Another test of a legit platform is visibility and industry-wide recognition. This is because scam platforms operate in the shadows. TopHatter ticks this visibility box. First, the platform is accredited by the BBB (Better Business Bureau); secondly, it is recognized by many industry leaders and followers, and widely regarded as one of the top online auction sites around.

Another test of a legit platform is the test of time. This is because scam stores naturally die with the passage of time especially as their scamming activity is exposed. TopHatter passes the test of time; because it has been operating since 2012. 7 years is more than enough for a scam site to be exposed and dies off; but TopHatter is waxing stronger as an auction site.

Our ultimate test of a legit platform is “fitness for purpose”. That is, the platform would do that which it purports to do. Also, TopHatter ticks this box. It plays its role excellently as a marketplace; it connects sellers and buyers, with make the necessary arrangement to make sure that all is happy. There are many testimonials to this effect both in the TopHatter website, in blogs, and in the independent online customers’ review platforms. Sellers can use TopHatter to get direct sales for their products via auctions; while buyers can use TopHatter to get cool products at wonderful prices. Though, there are the occasional unsatisfied customers with some scathing reviews about quality; but there are many positive reviews, to show that on the whole, quality is good.

That said; with TopHatter 100% legal, having industry wide recognition, having a relatively long operating record, and fit for purpose as testified by many Sellers and Buyers, there is no doubt that it is a legit online marketplace.

Is TopHatter Safe?

TopHatter is safe. You’ll want an online store that is able to safeguard the sensitive information that you share with it such as your personal contact information and your credit card details. If information like credit card detail is allowed to leak out, the card owner can be defrauded. Thus, the ideal online store need not only be legit, but also safe.

TopHatter ticks this box. When you make payment in TopHatter, your transaction data is securely transmitted to TopHatter using 128-bit SSL encryption. SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is the industry standard for creating private communication between a device and a web server; and the encryption standard is bank-grade, ensuring that unauthorized third parties will not capture and read customer’s data. With the use of this technical security measure amongst others, it’s safe to say that TopHatter is safe.

Product Range

The ideal online store should offer a wide range of products. That way it will be a shop where buyers can get all their needs in one place. Apart from having different products, you’ll want to find a large inventory of each product type; that way, you’ll find different types of a particular product and will be more likely to find something that you like.

The items you can buy in the TopHatter platform fall into the following categories:

• Fashion and Beauty – Apparel (dresses, tops, shirts, pants, etc), Shoes (Sneakers, Boots, etc), Bags (Backpacks, Children Lunch Bags, Women Fashion Bags, etc), Fashion accessories (Nail trimming kit, Eyelashes,
• Electronics – Pet GPS tracker, Cameras, Bluetooth Wireless Headset, phone accessories, gaming items, and more
• Home and Hobbies – Kitchen items (Thermos, Cookware, Utensils, etc), DIY Home Tools (Drills, etc), and more
• Jewellery – Earrings, Necklaces, Rings (including Engagement Rings), Bracelets, Fine Jewelry, and more

Discussing its product range, TopHatter advertises that “you’ll find a little bit of everything when you browse [its] millions of items”. On that, the platform is on point. You’ll find a little bit of everything, from sweet new gadgets to trusted brands; and from perfect gifts for someone to beautiful little treats for yourself.

However, while you can find different types of cool products, TopHatter differs significantly from other marketplaces where a store owner can put up have his/ her range of products for sale. Many times, Sellers come to TopHatter to auction a few of their products. The implication is that TopHatter is not a marketplace where you’ll go to if you have something specific in mind, rather it is a marketplace you should go to to find something that might interest you.

We also found that though TopHatter allows its Sellers to put up branded items for sale, most items that sell in the platform are not brand names. Thus, Top Hatter may not be for you if you are into brand names. Another interesting fact is that at any time of the day, you’ll find a lot of auctions in TopHatter.

Product Quality

There is not a buyer that’ll want poor quality products, so the ideal e-commerce platform should list only high-quality products.

Quality is largely subjective, but almost everyone will converge on functionality and durability when describing quality products. Thus, these are the parameters we’ll use in discussing the quality of items coming from TopHatter. Because TopHatter is simply a marketplace, where anyone can go to sell a product, quality varies greatly from Seller to Seller. However, it will seem, on the whole, TopHatter is given the thumbs up. This is because of the ratings of the TopHatter in the independent online customers’ review platforms.

In the top platforms, TopHatter is highly rated. For example, it is rated 8.5/ 10 in Trustpilot.com (from 10,304 reviewers), and it is rated 3.9/ 5.0 in Sitejabber.com (from 5,902 reviewers). You’ll find comments from literally thousands of customers satisfied with the quality of their order. However, this is not to say that there are no negative reviews of TopHatter’s quality. But the positive reviews are overwhelmingly more than any negatives. Thus, there’s no doubt that you’ll find top quality products in TopHatter.

Using TopHatter

You’ll have to register by submitting your email address before you can use TopHatter. Even if it is to just take a look at the website, you’ll have to sign up. Evidently, this is so that they can later reach you with some marketing emails. Needless to say, having to submit an email address before even seeing what a platform offers will be off-putting to many. It sure was for us.

However, if you look beyond the enforced registration, you’ll a lot of things to like about TopHatter. As mentioned, it is primarily an auction site. Live auctions are scheduled, and members are invited to make bids for an item. The highest bid is the winning bid, and the item is sold to the member that made the highest bid. However, while TopHatter is primarily an auction site, you can also buy items from the platform via regular purchase. There are many items available for “Buy Now” purchase. This is a regular purchase where the Seller sets a particular price for an item, and you pay the amount to accept the offer of the seller.

It’s also relatively easy to use TopHatter as a buyer. After signing up (or logging in), you’re taken to the homepage where you can explore the field of what’s up for auction at the time; and go through the list to find something that you like. For a more directed search, you can click on the product categories (fashion and beauty, home and hobbies, electronics, etc), and you’ll find products in the relevant category that is up for auction. You can also see products that are scheduled for auction soon.

If you find something that you are interested in, you can click on it to view details that will include product description, product images, as well as reviews of the product by other customers who have purchased it in the past. If you trust what others say, these reviews will be good for gauging whether the product will function well.

If you still like a product after checking its details, you can then join other bidders in bidding for it. That too is relatively easy because making an initial bid (and higher bids) is simply by a click of a button. Bids in TopHatter starts at $1.00. Thus, when an item is up for bid, the auctioneer invites customers to bid for it; against the item, you’ll find the button “Bid $1”. Simply clicking it sends in your bid. Being a live-action auction site; when a bid is made by a customer, and it is accepted, the auctioneer calls for a higher bid. The prompt button declares a higher figure; like “Bid $2”. At any time, you’ll see the number of bids that have been made, and the user name of the customer winning the auction.

TopHatter advertises that it is a place where you can truly have fun while shopping, and that is so correct. With auction sales the primary activity in the site, you’ll be thrilled in TopHatter. Instead of the traditional purchase where you just pay a set price and go; auction sales bring the excitement and curiosity that combines to give more than a dose of fun. When you see an item you like and want to bid on, you’ll be curious as to how far another bidder will want to go to get it; then the competitiveness of making bids and watching how other bidders react crowns the excitement. What makes TopHatter even more fun is the speed of its auctions; like most of its auctions last only about 90 seconds.

However, there’s a catch to the fast-paced 90 seconds auction, which is that there may be no time to really research a product once it is up for auction. Before you’ll be done with checking the detailed product description page or doing any necessary product research, 90 seconds are up, and the product is sold. Thus, you’ll have to act really fast. However, if you’ll rather take your time to do your product research (which is advisable if you don’t want to end up buying an item that you’ll later hate), you can simply click on the heart icon beside the item’s picture. That way, the particular auction will be over by the time you are done with your research, but you’ll be notified when next the item comes up for auction. Alternatively, you can view upcoming auctions, so that before they’ll be up for auction, you’ll be done with your research of the products.

Costs and Pricing

When it comes to cost, customers want the lowest possible costs. Thankfully, TopHatter ticks the box in this regards. We are used to auctioning sites that charge customers a token for their services. That is, customers have to pay to be able to bid for products. This is one area where TopHatter shines. It is a free auction site. That is, it is free to bid for items. You pay only you win a bid.

Another area in which TopHatter shines is that its Sellers are willing to sell products at low and attractive prices. We found that we were able to win a lot of bids. When making trial purchases for the purpose of this review, we had winning bids with ridiculously low bids, and in the process purchased cool products for very low prices. When making some of those ridiculously low winning bids, we were confident that there will be a higher bid, or that if there is no higher bid, the sale will not go through for the highest bid so far being lower than the Seller expects. In fact, we were even prepared to go higher; but to our bewilderment, we’ll win the bid, and be directed to the payment page.

Granted, auctions can go either way, a winning bid can easily be higher than the cost of the product in the regular stores, and also can be considerably lower than it can be found in the stores. Our experience in TopHatter leads us to believe that the latter is the case. Thus, if you’ll want to score great deals on cool products, you may want to visit TopHatter.

Shipping

When making an online purchase, an important consideration is shipping. You’ll need to consider if the online store ships to your destination, how long it takes to deliver, as well as how much it’ll take to get your order (shipping cost).

Because TopHatter is simply a marketplace, shipping depends on the individual Seller. However, you’ll find that many of the Sellers in TopHatter ships products to worldwide locations.

In terms of delivery time, there is no buyer that’ll be willing to wait forever to get delivery of an online order, so the ideal online store should offer fast delivery. Delivery time is determined by order processing time (the time from when you place an order to when the order is dispatched for shipping) and shipping time (the time from when the order is dispatched for shipping to when it is delivered). For fast delivery, both order processing time and shipping time should be relatively fast. TopHatter does relatively well in this regard. In terms of order processing; it’s a rule in TopHatter that Sellers cannot list items with processing time above 5 days. Thus, all items bought in the platform will be processed within 1 – 5 business days. Then the actual shipping times vary depending on the Seller. Typically, the farther the country the Seller is located, the longer will be the shipping times. Also, some Sellers offer expedited shipping options, offering customers the opportunity to get their orders faster.

In terms of shipping cost, you’ll not want expensive shipping cost so that the total expenditure on the item will still be reasonable. Shipping cost varies like the delivery times, depending on where the item will be shipping from, where it is shipping to, its weight, and whether expedited shipping option is available (and selected).

When making a bid, you can also view how much it’ll take to ship the product to your location. The shipping cost we saw for many of the products up for bid were relatively low. However, because winning bids were also relatively low, the shipping cost in relation to the winning bid (which is the product’s price) almost always turn out to be very significant. For example, an elegant wine red prom dress was quoted a shipping cost of $6 (which is relatively okay), but the winning bid was also $6.00. Also, we got a tooth whitener with a bid of $5.00, but its shipping cost was $4.00. Thus, while the shipping costs were always relatively low, they were often close to or even more than the final cost of the product itself. However, you’ll also see many products with free shipping.

Buyer’s Protection

There are many reasons that can cause you to be unsatisfied with the order, and you’ll want to be able to return it to the retailer to get a replacement or a refund. Thus, the ideal online platform should have some form of buyer’s protection.

Thankfully, TopHatter has. It has a 30 days return policy that serves as buyer protection. IF you do not like the product when you receive delivery of it, TopHatter allows you 30 days (from the delivery date) to return it to the retailer. 30 days (from delivery date) is a generous offer, as it is the industry average returns window.

TopHatter for Buyer (Pros and Cons)

Pros

• It is a fun way of making online purchases with fast-paced circa 90 seconds auctions
• You’ll find a lot of auctions at every time of the day
• It is free to bid for an item; you only pay for an item when you win its bid
• You can get great deals, as many auctions will be won with reasonably low bids
• There is relatively fast processing time, and many shops ship fast, so delivery is relatively fast for most items
• There are some items for free shipping; and where free shipping is not available, shipping cost are relatively low
• There is a 30 days (from delivery date) buyer’s protection return warranty

Cons

• You have to register even to view the website
• There are very few branded items
• Because auctions take about 90 seconds, there may be no time for in-depth product research before bidding
• You may be unable to bid for more items until you pay for items that you won

Top Hatter – for Sellers

If you have an online store and want another selling outlet for your products, TopHatter can be a solution. However, there are some things to look out for in any online marketplace, which includes hassle-free services (registration, adding products, receiving payments, etc), the pool of visitors, costs, and more.

Pool of Buyers

Location! Location!! Location!!! Just as you’ll want to locate your brick and mortar business where it’ll see traffic, you’ll want an e-commerce platform (especially for auction sales) where many buyers can see your product when it is up for auction. Thus, the ideal online platform should have a lot of visitors.

TopHatter ticks this box. First, it has a lot of visitors. It’s Android and iOS apps have seen a combined download of over 20 million, while the website is visited by thousands on a daily basis. Another important thing is that because everyone visiting the TopHatter website have to register, the site is less likely to have disinterested visitors. The registration gate will turn away disinterested persons, and those that do join will more likely convert to sales.

Easy Registration

You won’t want to be put off using an online marketplace because of a difficult registration process, so the ideal platform should provide easy signup.

In TopHatter, the registration process is relatively easy. It starts from submitting your email address. The next page asks of your contact detail (telephone number) and information about your stores, such as the store name, the size of the business, your URL, and others. After this step, TopHatter advice using a computer for the other steps of the registration process. This might be off-putting because many persons will want to be able to do everything on their mobile devices. These steps include: Add products, Confirm terms, Set Return Shipping Address, and Set how you’ll receive payments.

One of the most important of these steps is adding products. Thankfully, that is also relatively easy. The sections you’ll fill to add products are:

• Basic information – Here, you’ll supply: a unique ID, product category, product description, product condition (whether it is new, used, etc), brand, sizes, colour, etc.
• Pricing – Here, you’ll state some prices, which include: Buy Now price (the price of the product when it appears in your store), target price (the amount you must sell the product to break even), the retail price, etc.
• Shipping – Here, you’ll state where the item will be shipping from (the country you are domicile), the weight of the item, and how long it’ll take to process (not exceeding 5 business days).
• Images – Here, you’ll have to upload product images, which the bidders can view to help with their buy decision. The minimum of images is 2, and the maximum number 8.
• Scheduling – Here, you’ll set a campaign, which controls how your product will be presented to buyers. That is, whether it’s a New Auction, New Reminder, etc. You’ll also get to set how many times in a day you’ll want your product scheduled.

Thus, it’s relatively easy to get started, and list a product in TopHatter.

Receiving Payments

As mentioned earlier, when a customer buys something from you, the payment is made directly to TopHatter, and not to you. However, you’ll not want to be given a run around to receive your payments. Thus, you’ll want an online marketplace that processes your payments swiftly and without hassles.

TopHatter does relatively well in this regards. As long as the amount to be disbursed to you exceed $5.00, you’ll receive payment after delivery of the item has been confirmed through the tracking information that you provided in connection with the shipping. It is only when there is a return request, that payment will be held.

To receive payment for sales you make on TopHatter, the platform supports 2 payouts options. You can use Payoneer to withdraw funds to your local bank account or to a prepaid debit Mastercard; alternatively, you can receive payouts to WorldFirst bank account.

Costs

We always want cost to be as low as possible. This is especially so when using an online e-commerce platform to sell products because high service costs will eat up your profits. Sadly, TopHatter does not come out flying in this regards.

First, you’ll notice that when getting started as a Seller in TopHatter; “add a product” comes before “confirm Sellers’ term”. Thus, it is after adding a product that you can view the applicable fees. This policy, in our opinion, is very unfriendly. After going through adding a product, we don’t think there is that Seller who’ll simply not go on with the service.

When the costs are finally revealed, they come out as too many and steep. There is a scheduling fee which is determined by the product, there is a payment processing fee, and then there is the TopHatter Commission which is a whopping 15% of the item’s winning bid. Thus, before you’ll be done, the total TopHatter charges can get as much 35% of the item’s winning bid. Needless to say, that is too high.

Special Sellers Features

Reserve Price

In auctions, the item is sold to the highest bidder. But what if the highest bid is lower than what you’ll want to sell the item for?

TopHatter solves this problem with its “reserve price” feature. When listing items that will be sold by auction, you can set a “reserve price”. This is a protection in auction sales, which ensures that the highest bid is not lower than what you expect for the item. If the highest bid is less than the “reserve price”, the sale will not go through. However, “reserve price” is an add-on that comes with an extra payment. It cost $2.00 per item.

Guaranteed Sales

One of the good parts of using TopHatter is that, as an auction site, you are guaranteed the sale of the item when it is up for auction. If the sale does not go through because the highest bid does not meet the reserve price, the product will be rescheduled for auctioning. Thus, if you are tired of having inventory in your store, and will want to convert them to sales; an auction site like TopHatter is a solution.

You can also use the TopHatter platform to push traffic to your regular online store. You can use usernames that are identifiers, which can cause the buyers to look up your store.

TopHatter for Sellers – (Pros and Cons)

Pros

• Relatively easy to register, and add products
• Getting payment is swift and without hassles
• You are guaranteed a sale
• It can drive traffic to your website

Cons:

• Seller registration requires a computer
• There are many fees, and adding a product comes before the page to view applicable fees
• Fees are a bit steep

Customer Support

An ideal online platform will provide for answering questions that people will have, and for resolving issues that members may have. Thus, effective customer support service is a must.

The first place to get answers is usually an FAQ page of the website. Thankfully, TopHatter has a very detailed FAQ page. It makes life easy by grouping its support articles into two (Seller FAQs or the Buyer’s FAQs) catering specifically to the two categories of its users. Within each page, you’ll also find that the articles are grouped by subjects, which allow users to find what they want. In the buyers’ FAQs, you’ll find subjects like: Bidding and Buying, My Account, My Orders, Rewards, Paying, Promotions and Credits, Common Issues, Shipping and Delivery, and Others.

For direct contact with a customer support rep, TopHatter supports an email service. The email to send your submissions is help@tohatter.com.

Summary

TopHatter is a legitimate online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers. However, it makes online shopping fun via auction sales. There’s no doubt that TopHatter is a legit and safe e-commerce platform. As a buyer, you’ll get the fun and excitement of auctions, you’ll find a wide range of high-quality products, you’ll win bids for cool stuff with relatively very low bids, you’ll get relatively fast delivery, and you’ll get a 30 days buyer’ protection.

As a Seller, the platform has the large pool of very interested visitors that’ll excite you, it’s relatively easy to register and use, and you’ll not be given the run around when it comes to payments.