New on Colombia Move: “Trade-in accepted” and fast-responding sellers

Quick answer: from today you can mark your sales ad on Colombia Move with "I accept trade-in" and write down what you would accept (for example, “motorcycle of lower value + difference”). Buyers see this as a tag on the ad and can filter only for ads with trade-ins at /buscar?permuta=1. Additionally, sellers who respond quickly through the site's chat now show a badge “Responds in ~N min” on search cards.

These are two small changes on the screen, but they address two things that weigh heavily when buying used items in Colombia: “Will you accept my item as part of the payment?” y “Does this seller actually reply?”.

What is “I accept trade-in” and where does it appear?

In Colombia, trade-ins (permuta) are a normal way of negotiating: car for car, motorcycle plus cash difference, a high-end cell phone for a simpler one plus cash, even house for apartment. The Civil Code (article 1955) defines it as a contract in which parties agree to give one thing for another. Until today, in most classifieds, the only way to express this was to write “I accept trade-in” in the description and hope someone read it.

Now it is a field in the ad:

• When posting or editing a sales ad, activate the switch “I accept trade-in”. If you wish, complete “What would you receive?” with a short line (up to 140 characters).
• On the ad card the label 🔄 appears Accepts trade-in in search results.
• In the listing, right under the price, you will see the label with your note: “Accepts trade-in · motorcycle of lower value + difference”.
• In the search, the filter “Only ads that accept trade-in” leaves only those ads. It works with any other filter: city, price, category.

It only applies to sales ads. Rentals, jobs, and services do not show it because it doesn't make sense there.

Ready-to-use searches for buyers

If you have something to offer as part of the payment, start here:

• Cars that accept trade-in
• Motorcycles that accept trade-in
• Cell phones that accept trade-in
• Computers that accept trade-in
• Everything that accepts trade-in

If there is nothing in your city today, create a search alert for that category and we will notify you when someone posts something new.

How to do a trade-in without any surprises

The label says the seller is open to trading. It does not replace checking what you receive. Before closing the deal:

1. Vehicles: check both cars or motorcycles in the RUNT, request a vehicle inspection (peritaje), and confirm that neither has a lien or seizure. We have a guide on vehicle inspection for buying or selling a used car and another on vehicles with liens or seizures. The transfer of each vehicle is done at the transit authority; calculate the cost with the transfer calculator.
2. Cell phones: check the IMEI of both devices in the official CRC lookup (imeicolombia.com.co) before swapping. More details on selling a used cell phone and the IMEI.
3. Real estate: a real estate trade-in is formalized by public deed at a notary. Verify both property registration certificates (folios); we explain how in verifying real estate registration at the SNR.
4. The cash difference: put it in writing, with the value each party gives to their item. Avoid handing over cash on the street; if it is in cash, check the bills (how to identify counterfeit bills).
5. Meet in a safe place and in daylight. For vehicles, it is better to meet at an inspection shop or at the transit office itself.

New badge: “Responds in ~N min”

The other novelty is for buyers tired of writing and not getting a response. When a seller replies quickly through the Colombia Move chat, their cards in search results show a green badge with their typical response time: “Responds in ~15 min”, “Responds in ~2h”.

How it is calculated, no fine print:

• We look at the most recent conversations the seller has received on their ads and measure the time between the buyer's first message and the seller's first response.
• We use the median, not the average, so that a late response after a holiday weekend doesn't penalize someone who almost always replies in minutes.
• At least at least 2 conversations to display the data, and the calculation updates every hour.
• It only appears on cards when the typical response time is less than one day. The full data is visible in the shop and on the seller profile.
• Only site chat counts. We do not see responses via WhatsApp or calls, so they do not add or subtract from the time.

For sellers: how to earn the badge

Reply via Colombia Move chat, even if you continue the conversation on WhatsApp later. A “Hi! Yes, it’s available, would you like to see it?” in the first few minutes counts. Enable message notifications to stay updated on time. With two conversations replied to, the badge appears automatically in the next update.

And if you accept trades, enable it: it is already in the posting form, and for an ad you already have, go to My ads → Edit. A buyer with a car to trade as part of the payment will filter by trade-in and find you, not the seller who left it hidden in the description.

Looking for more marketplace news? Also check out the new AI features for posting and buying.

FAQ

How much does it cost to enable “Trade accepted”?

Nothing. It is a free ad field, just like the condition or the price, and it does not change the cost of posting. Since September 2026, it appears in the posting form and when editing any sales ad you already have active.

Is it safe to trade with someone I met on the marketplace?

It can be if you check what you are receiving with the same care as if you were buying it. Consult vehicles on the RUNT and through a vehicle inspection, the IMEI of cell phones in the CRC database, and property registration documents, and meet in a busy, public place during the day.

Where do I enable trade-ins on an ad I already posted?

Go to My ads, open the ad and tap Edit. There you will see the “Trade accepted” toggle and the “What would you receive?” field, with space for a line of up to 140 characters. It only appears in sales ads, not in rentals, jobs, or services.

Am I obligated to accept any trade offered to me?

No. The label only says you are open to negotiating a trade; you decide what you accept and under what conditions. To avoid receiving offers that do not work for you, write what you are actually interested in in the “What would you receive?” field, for example “motorcycle of lower value plus difference”.

How is the “Replies in ~N min” badge calculated?

Since September 2026, we calculate it using the median time between the buyer's first message and the seller's first response in their most recent conversations. We use the median and not the average so that one late response after a holiday doesn't hurt those who almost always reply in minutes.

Why don't I see my response time on the cards?

Because it requires at least two conversations replied to via the site chat and, on the cards, it only displays if your typical response time is less than one day. The data is recalculated every hour, and responses via WhatsApp or phone calls are not included in the calculation.