What UNVERIFIED means
It's a label, not a verdict.
Every bottle someone lists on Sniffy goes through a first pass before it's live: our AI scan checks that the photos are real photos of a real bottle, compares the label and bottle against what the genuine one should look like, and the seller is asked for a batch code (recommended, not mandatory). Those bottles show up on the Table as ✓ VERIFIED.
But deals change shape while people talk. Someone declines your trade and says "what about my Layton instead?" — a bottle they never listed. When that bottle is added to the Table, it's marked UNVERIFIED: it skipped the photo and AI checks, and nobody has seen a batch code for it yet.
Sniffy does not inspect the bottle before it ships. An unverified bottle stays unverified all the way to your door — unless you do the checking below, and the other person shows it clearly in their boxing video (on by default for every swap — don't let them switch it off on a trade with an unverified bottle).
This is normal and happens all the time. It just means the homework is now yours.
The Table is the deal — and the paper trail
Talk above it. Put the terms on it. Shake when it's right.
The Table is the one card at the bottom of every thread where the actual terms live: your side, their side, the bottles, the cash, the samples thrown in. Anyone can edit it, only the other person can shake on it, and every version stays in the thread as a chip. That record is what the Sniffy team reads if there's ever a dispute — so make sure what you agreed to is actually on the Table, not just in the chat.
- If they promised "90% full, with box" — get it written on the Table line, not only in a message.
- Ask your questions before you shake. After the shake, the Table becomes the progress rail and the terms lock.
- Unverified bottles show the amber tag right on the Table. If you don't see it, the bottle came from one of their listings and already passed the checks.
Your due-diligence checklist
Five minutes of asking saves weeks of arguing.
Ask for fresh photos in the thread
Front, back, bottom, and the sprayer up close. Ask for a photo with today's date or their username on a piece of paper next to it — a scammer with saved internet pictures can't do that.
Get the batch code
It's usually printed or etched on the bottom of the bottle, sometimes under the sprayer collar or inside the cap, and again on the box. Look it up on a batch-code checker to confirm the production date and that the format matches that house. A code that doesn't decode, or a "bottle" with no code at all, is a reason to slow down.
Check fill level and condition
Ask for a photo against a light. "90%" should look like 90%. Ask about storage (heat and sunlight ruin juice), whether it's been decanted from, and whether the cap and sprayer work.
Compare the label
Fonts, spacing, logo, and the color of the juice are where fakes slip. Compare against a known-real photo of the same bottle. If anything looks off, ask — a real owner won't mind.
Look at who you're dealing with
Open their profile: Trust Score, completed trades, reviews, how long they've been here. Zero history isn't a dealbreaker, but it's a reason to lean harder on videos and deposits.
Ask for a quick video
Thirty seconds, one take: label, batch code, a spray. Videos open right inside the app. If someone won't film a bottle they're about to ship you, that tells you something.
Videos and deposits are your refund
If it goes south, these are the only things Sniffy can act on.
📦 Boxing video (seller)
One continuous take: label, batch code, and fill up close — then wrapping and sealing the box. It's on by default for swaps and can be required on any sale, and the label won't generate until it's uploaded. It's the seller's proof they shipped what was on the Table.
🎬 Unboxing video (buyer)
One continuous take from sealed package to bottle in hand. Either side can ask for one, and it's the strongest evidence you can bring to a dispute — without it, it's your word against theirs. Open any dispute within your 48-hour inspection window.
🛡 Deposits (trades)
On a swap, each side pays a refundable deposit ($25 by default) plus a $2 swap fee and an $10.95 prepaid insured label; the deposit comes back once both bottles arrive and check out. You can raise your deposit to match your bottle's value (anything from $10 to $2,000) — do it on any trade involving an unverified bottle or a new trader. It's what gets forfeited if someone ghosts.
🔒 Escrow (cash)
On a sale, Sniffy holds the full payment until you confirm receipt (or the 48-hour inspection window passes). Nothing is released to the seller while you're checking the bottle.
Trade with videos on and deposits set, and a bad bottle is a dispute the team can actually decide from evidence. Skip them, and there is very little anyone can do — the money has already moved, and it's your word against theirs.
Sellers can require boxing or unboxing videos on their listings, and either side can ask for them on the Table before they shake. Ask. It's expected here.
Red flags
Any one of these, slow down. Two, walk away.
- They want to finish the deal off Sniffy — Venmo, Zelle, PayPal friends & family, "just text me." Deals paid outside the app aren't protected, at all.
- They won't send a fresh photo or a short video of the exact bottle.
- No batch code, a code that doesn't decode, or a code that doesn't match the box.
- The price is far under what that bottle goes for everywhere else.
- Pressure to shake right now, or the terms in chat don't match what's on the Table.
- They push back on a boxing video or on setting a deposit.
Not sure about something? Tap the ? in any thread and ask Jenny, or reach the team — before you shake, not after.