Welcome to this episode of the dialogue. Today, we have invited an OKX C2C merchant "Yunxiang" (pseudonym) to talk about how he entered the crypto space, why he chose to become a "newbie-friendly" merchant on OKX, and how to better provide patient and detailed services to new users, helping them successfully complete their first C2C transaction. We hope everyone can understand the value and services of OKX C2C from scratch through this interview.
To facilitate reading, we have distilled the core viewpoints of the merchant～
The following is the full dialogue (organized):
The key to the success of OKX C2C merchants is: patience, professionalism, and trust, all of which are indispensable. Patience ensures smooth communication, professionalism reassures users, and trust stabilizes transactions in the long term.
The main reason for choosing OKX is that it is safe and very friendly to newbies.
OKX and merchants truly implement newbie-friendliness into action, rather than just staying at the slogan level.
After becoming a "newbie-friendly" merchant, the volume of transactions has achieved a qualitative leap.
The launch of "newbie-friendly" has simplified the process for users during OKX C2C transactions, with risk warnings being contextualized, etc.
Giving users a little more patience is beneficial not only for the platform but also for the merchants.
C2C will be more compliant, professional, and contextualized in the future.
In the process of helping others enter the crypto world, merchants have found the industry's value and the meaning of long-term operation, while also enhancing their personal sense of achievement.
The compliance and professionalism of C2C present both opportunities and challenges for merchants, but the opportunities outweigh the challenges.
Compliance will eliminate non-compliant merchants, leaving those who can operate in a healthier environment, which also increases users' trust in merchants. Professionalism will compel merchants to enhance their service capabilities, forming core competitiveness.
I. Entry into the Industry and Growth Experience
Q: How did you first get in touch with the crypto industry? What prompted you to officially enter the space? What is the scale now?
Yunxiang: I was introduced to crypto through friends. At that time, I mainly focused on Ethereum and officially entered the space around 2022 by joining the OKX platform. Initially, I mainly engaged in ETH contract trading, and it was actually a bear market with significant price fluctuations, but I was very interested in this industry, so I persisted. We now have our own team and have set up three studios, including one that serves all users and another specifically for newbie-friendly transactions, which can meet different user needs.
When I applied to become an OKX C2C merchant, I was preparing the merchant review materials and learning the platform rules and operational requirements every day. I even joked that "I never worked this hard during the college entrance examination." During that time, I almost studied all the mechanisms of the platform. In the end, I successfully passed the certification and officially became an OKX merchant, which was a particularly fulfilling achievement for me.
Q: How did the transition from contract trading to becoming a C2C merchant happen? Is C2C your main business or a side business now?
Yunxiang: Due to the demand for trading coins, I initially often bought coins from other merchants. Later, I felt that being a merchant would be much more convenient and could bring in extra income. For example, buying USDT at 7.3 and selling it at 7.4. So I started observing the market while trying it out, and gradually transitioned to being a merchant. Especially when I accurately identified the profit potential in C2C, I was determined to pursue this business. However, at that time, similar funding schemes were quite popular, and I was particularly worried about the platform collapsing, fearing that I would lose all my investment. After two to three months of observation and interaction, I confirmed that the OKX platform was very safe. I still had some liquid funds on hand, so I gradually started and quickly recouped my principal while achieving stable profits. Now C2C has become my main business, and I devote most of my energy to it.
Q: From entering the industry in 2022 to now, your C2C business has been operating for 3-4 years. What special cases, setbacks, or success stories have you encountered during this process?
Yunxiang: The most memorable experience was when I first started dealing with bank card operations. Due to my lack of understanding of the rules, all the bank cards under my and my family's names were frozen. At that time, someone tried to trade with me using an account with unusual transaction flows, and I didn't refuse in time, which triggered risk control. This made me realize the potential risks for the first time. Later, I gradually studied the risk control rules provided by the OKX platform, such as paying attention to user payment records, account transaction flows, and whether there were platform identifiers, etc. I gradually understood the potential risks. Now, I can also pass this experience on to newbies, educating them about anti-money laundering and compliance trading rules. Especially for users who have fallen into traps or been deceived, if I can help them turn back in time, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. While being a merchant, I can not only do good business and make money but also help more users trade safely and compliantly, which is my deepest feeling.
Q: How did you go from starting alone to building a team? Did you mainly do it independently, or was there collaboration? How was the team formed and operated?
Yunxiang: At first, I was completely on my own, both collecting coins on the platform and selling them myself. At that time, I was actually working in sales, which was quite stable, but I was determined to fully commit to the OKX C2C merchant business, so I resolutely quit my job and focused entirely on being a merchant. Later, as the trading volume increased, I realized that one person's energy was limited, and after working for more than ten hours, I was very tired and could no longer operate efficiently, so I started hiring employees and building a team. Now the studio operates in two shifts, 24 hours a day, with dedicated teams for collecting and selling coins, allowing for efficient operation around the clock.
I deeply understand that only by fully familiarizing myself with the processes and business can I lead the team to operate efficiently. Through practice, I have understood every link and detail, knowing how to coordinate the various positions in the team most reasonably. As the team gradually matured, our business also achieved scaled and systematic operations, making the entire process more professional and reliable.
Many employees who learn the OKX C2C business from me may choose to independently start their own businesses. I completely understand and support their development aspirations. I believe that employees learning from me cannot rely on me 100%. If they want to develop independently, I am also willing to provide support in terms of funding and technology to help them become independent C2C merchants. My team management principle is cooperation rather than simple employment; we do not enforce binding, so team personnel changes are not too significant. The philosophy I have always adhered to is to provide growth space for employees while promoting our business expansion in the process of helping them grow. I believe this model is a win-win for both employees and the team.
Q: What do you think is the most important quality or ability for a merchant?
Yunxiang: I think the most important qualities for being an OKX C2C merchant are patience and professionalism; these two points are the core of building trust. Many users are willing to place orders in my shop based on this trust. At the same time, we also provide professional training in cryptocurrencies for the team, including Ethereum, Bitcoin, etc., to ensure everyone masters professional knowledge. For new users, since they are unfamiliar with the industry, we need to patiently guide them and use professional knowledge and platform rules to help them solve problems. Only in this way can we establish users' trust in merchants. In summary, I think there are three key points: patience, professionalism, and trust. All are indispensable. Patience ensures smooth communication, professionalism reassures users, and trust stabilizes transactions in the long term.
II. Reasons for Choosing OKX and Becoming a "Newbie-Friendly" Merchant
Q: Why did you choose OKX as your main platform, and why invest effort in becoming a "newbie-friendly" merchant?
Yunxiang: I chose OKX mainly because it is compliant and very friendly to newbies. The platform provides newbie guidance pop-ups and simulated trading functions, allowing users to practice before formal trading, reducing trial and error costs. The C2C merchant onboarding process is transparent, and customer service responds promptly, which makes me feel the platform is reliable. Although I have compared other platforms, considering factors like newbie-friendliness, customer service response, and compliance, these are the core reasons for my final choice of OKX. As a former contract player, I initially used simulated trading to familiarize myself with the operations and experienced the convenience of onboarding for newbies.
Q: After transitioning from a contract player to a C2C merchant, has your life and social circle changed? Do you have new insights into the industry?
Yunxiang: The main change has been in my social circle and industry connections. I have gradually established some contacts through communication on the platform and collaborated with other merchants, which has given me a new understanding of the community. After becoming a C2C merchant, I have gained new insights into team management and personal space development, transitioning from working individually to managing a studio team. Additionally, in the process of serving users, my communication skills and confidence have greatly improved. Providing high-quality service has allowed me to accumulate more experience in my interactions with users.
Regarding the extreme views in the industry that "money is easy to make" or "scammers are rampant," my perspective is that as a C2C merchant, the first priority is to manage risks, screen users, and use professional knowledge and experience to help users who may be scammed return. Although risks cannot be completely avoided, we should try to minimize them while avoiding transferring risks to users. Most importantly, we need to be patient with users to understand their needs, identify quality users, and effectively mitigate risks during the service process.
Q: Your transition from an ordinary C2C merchant to an advanced newbie-friendly merchant is not common in the industry. Many merchants refuse to trade with newbies, thinking the risks are high and that newbie transaction volumes are small and profits low, leading to direct order refusals. But you chose to go against this trend. Why did you make this choice?
Yunxiang: First of all, I am very grateful for the trust from the OKX C2C team. Secondly, I feel that the platform's approach to being newbie-friendly is genuinely implemented and not just a gimmick for traffic. I can feel this—both the platform and our team are seriously managing the newbie-friendly group every day. Although I don't speak often, I pay attention to their discussions. I believe that the platform and merchants truly implement newbie-friendliness into action, rather than just staying at the slogan level.
"OKX Newbie-Friendly" is not just a concept; it is reflected in specific service details. For example, whether the newbie guidance customer service can genuinely solve problems and whether risk warnings are in place, all of this has moved me. In contrast, without merchant support and customer service manager assistance, it would just be a superficial formality. OKX is centered on being newbie-friendly, genuinely implementing it at every step. Because of this, I am also very proactive in cooperating with the platform's work, hoping to promote better development for the platform.
Q: After transitioning from an ordinary C2C merchant to a newbie-friendly merchant, have there been changes in your investment? For example, what adjustments have you made in terms of funding, energy, etc.?
Yunxiang: For our team, being newbie-friendly is actually very beneficial for team development. In the past, when we did C2C market orders, even for newbies, we would provide service. Now with the newbie-friendly orders, we can more accurately target our service audience. Our studio has multiple shops, and we only use the highest-rated core shop for C2C, while the other shops serve as support. Since many large merchants are unwilling to take on newbie orders and generally have low ratings, we have positioned all small shops as newbie-friendly, accepting newbie orders 24 hours a day, which greatly helps the team's utilization.
As for the capital investment, I actually feel that the capital occupied has decreased. This is because the amounts for newbie orders are not large; although there may be sudden surges at times, the overall capital occupation is not high. I have also observed the order situation of newbie merchants, and most of them are small orders, with many merchants dealing in amounts like 10 to 200, while there are very few merchants dealing in 2000 to 5000 or even 8000. To ensure that there are services available for newbies placing orders, our team focuses on orders around 5000, which keeps the volume relatively controllable and the profits reasonable. Our positioning is not to inflate order numbers or pursue extra rewards, but to genuinely take on the platform's newbie orders and serve users. In simple terms, it used to be "walking with one foot," but now it has become "using both legs," making operations more efficient and smoother. Additionally, we are currently considering expanding our services to larger merchants.
Q: Can you provide a few specific cases that illustrate how you helped users solve problems? For example, situations where users made incorrect transfers, bought the wrong coins, or did not make payments.
Yunxiang: These are actually common occurrences we encounter daily. For instance, some users may not understand that C2C risk control operates 24 hours for transfers. They see that we haven't released the coins in time and become particularly anxious, worrying that the funds have been transferred to us but haven't arrived. We tell users not to worry because we can only release the coins after the funds arrive. Once we receive them, we will handle it immediately.
There are also users who make non-real-name transfers. The platform requires verification of real names, and if the account does not belong to the user, we will not release the coins, which can cause anxiety for users. The way to handle this is to first return the funds through the original route and then ask the user to transfer again using their real-name account. If they do not have a real-name account, they may not be able to continue trading due to high risk control requirements.
Of course, we have also made mistakes ourselves. Once, for an order over 9000, I accidentally added an extra zero, turning it into over 90,000. Through platform appeals and phone communication, most of the funds were recovered.
Q: After the launch of the newbie-friendly label, what specific operational and procedural changes have you made in serving newbies compared to before? Have you invested more energy?
Yunxiang: First, the trading process has become simpler. For example, when placing an order in C2C, steps like payment, remarks, and confirmation of receipt are highlighted in red, making the operation more intuitive. Second, risk warnings have become more contextualized; for instance, when users transfer large amounts, the platform will pop up a prompt for a small test transfer, which is safer. Third, merchant tools have become more user-friendly; we can set up exclusive welcome messages for newbies, and the newbie labels are more prominent, making it easier for users to choose service merchants. If every merchant patiently guides newbies through the process, it will be very beneficial for the long-term development of the platform.
Q: From your observations, after joining the newbie-friendly program, what changes do you think you or your shop have experienced?
Yunxiang: The most direct change is that the user types have significantly diversified; many complete newcomers to cryptocurrency have started trading, and their activity levels have noticeably increased. My order volume has also increased significantly. Initially, I might have only had 56 or 57 orders a day, but now we provide continuous service to newbies 24 hours a day. As of the 23rd of this month, my team and I have served approximately 15,000 users across two shops, achieving a qualitative leap in order volume.
In this process, I am very grateful for the support from the OKX C2C merchant manager. He maintains communication with merchants in the group and provides in-depth guidance. Since many newbie merchants are unfamiliar with how to serve newbies, the platform trains them, teaching them how to avoid risks and compiling cases of abnormal users. It is evident that OKX has invested a lot of effort into the newbie-friendly project to help the team operate smoothly. Overall, the platform provides training and support, and after merchants put in the effort, the order volume has significantly increased. This not only reflects the continuous expansion of the C2C business but also indicates that more and more new players are joining the market, with activity and participation levels continuously rising.
Q: Do you think it is possible to balance being newbie-friendly and high efficiency? Many merchants believe that being newbie-friendly is too cumbersome and requires more patience and process guidance, which may affect taking on large orders. What is your view?
Yunxiang: I believe it is entirely possible to balance both. In fact, from the very beginning of doing C2C, I have believed that what we are selling is time. It is not enough to understand the operations ourselves; the key is to teach others how to operate, translating complex content into simple and understandable terms so that those who have never been exposed to it can also comprehend. This is a process; we have also gone from not understanding to understanding, gradually evolving from small merchants to being able to operate smoothly on the platform. Giving users a little more patience is beneficial not only for the platform but also for the merchants. The initial workload may be large, but in the long run, quality users will gradually form, which requires joint efforts from both the platform and the merchants.
III. Advice for Newbie Merchants and the Future of C2C
Q: What are your thoughts on the future of C2C?
Yunxiang: I believe that C2C will become more compliant, professional, and contextualized in the future. Compliance is fundamental, as regulatory clarity is increasing in various countries, and identity verification and anti-money laundering measures will become more robust. Professionalism will manifest in the refined services of merchants, such as localized payment methods and language services tailored to users from different regions. Contextualization refers to the interconnectedness of the C2C ecosystem, such as the integration of trading and payment scenarios to meet users' diverse needs.
Q: Do you have any advice for new C2C merchants?
Yunxiang: I recommend starting with depth and precise positioning. Newbie-friendliness is a great entry point, and the platform's focus and investment in this area are high. First, clarify the payment methods you want to operate. Then, during the trading process, record problems and experiences, analyze the market, and identify specific service segments. Start with a small group, perfect the newbie-friendly approach, and then gradually expand. In short, finding a good entry point and precise positioning is key to excelling in being newbie-friendly.
Q: Do you think the OKX C2C newbie-friendly label is just a gimmick, or is it genuinely providing services for new users? Specifically, in what areas do you think it has been implemented best?
Yunxiang: I don't think it's a gimmick; it is genuinely implemented and executed. First, there is the newbie-friendly label. Before this label existed, newbies might randomly choose merchants, but the professionalism of merchants varied widely. If they encountered experienced merchants, they would take the time to explain things to newbies; however, if they randomly selected a merchant, that merchant might not be familiar with the process. With the newbie-friendly label, newbies can more accurately find those merchants who specifically serve them and can provide detailed explanations, which is very good and gives newbies a more precise choice.
Q: Besides the label, what changes have merchants made in their services? What do you think are the biggest challenges and rewards of being a newbie-friendly merchant?
Yunxiang: Currently, the biggest change our team has made is that employees dedicated to serving newbies will explain operations in more detail. For example, when users cannot find payment methods or are unclear about how to operate, the most common situation I encounter is that users have already made the payment but do not know to click "Paid." We handle many more order appeals from newbie users than from regular orders. However, we are willing to invest the effort to address these issues because it is a process of helping users learn. For example, if we onboard 1,000 new users today and our merchants serve 300 of them, then those 300 newbies may be able to place orders independently for virtual currencies or C2C transactions next time without needing merchant assistance. That is growth. I believe this is fundamental. If every merchant can provide such services, the entire industry will develop more healthily, and we can collectively expand the market.
Q: Can you summarize your gains and insights as a C2C merchant? This includes your thoughts on the industry, future plans, and personal feelings.
Yunxiang: As a C2C merchant, my greatest gain is that in helping others enter the crypto world, I have also found the industry's value and the meaning of long-term operation, while enhancing my personal sense of achievement. My greatest sense of accomplishment comes from helping newbie users, especially those who have been scammed, guiding them out of their predicaments, which I find very valuable.
Q: What is your view on the impact of C2C compliance and professionalism on merchants?
Yunxiang: I have thought about this issue and believe that compliance and professionalism present both opportunities and challenges for merchants, but the opportunities outweigh the challenges. Compliance will eliminate non-compliant merchants, allowing those who remain to operate in a healthier environment, which also increases users' trust in us as merchants. Professionalism will compel merchants to enhance their service capabilities, forming core competitiveness. The challenge is that adapting to compliance and professionalism requires more investment, but this is worth considering in the long term.
Q: You have a long-term perspective, and the industry will also develop towards compliance and mainstreaming, with non-compliant entities being eliminated. OKX has been promoting compliance, which is an inevitable trend. Today's interview has been excellent; through your sharing, more people can understand the industry, and we hope to attract more newbie users to participate in C2C trading.
Yunxiang: Exactly.
Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the position of OKX. This article does not intend to provide (i) investment advice or recommendations; (ii) offers or solicitations to buy, sell, or hold digital assets; (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of such information. Holding digital assets (including stablecoins and NFTs) involves high risks and may fluctuate significantly. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you based on your financial situation. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professionals regarding your specific circumstances. You are responsible for understanding and complying with applicable local laws and regulations.
免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。
