Filter ยท first attempt
First time
The honest version of this page is that the market barely matters on a first attempt, and four habits matter enormously. Both halves are here, habits first, because that is the order that helps.
The four things that decide how a first attempt goes
- Compare the whole address against a copy you already had. Not the opening characters. Seven of the nine markets here publish addresses that begin with their own name, and a familiar opening is the cheapest thing in this subject to reproduce.
- Check a signed statement before typing anything. Reaching an address proves a door opened, not whose door it is.
- Save the recovery material at setup, before closing the page. There is no second chance to see it and no appeal process afterwards.
- Hold no balance. Fund what you are about to spend and move the remainder out when the order closes.
Why this page starts with habits
Every one of those is free and none of them depends on which market you picked. A careful first attempt on a middling market goes better than a careless one on the best market in the world, and that ordering is not close.
Then, the market
Two facts are worth weighting on a first attempt: age, because a market with a record has one you can go and read elsewhere, and coin, because being turned away at checkout is a bad way to learn. That points at the older entries that take what you hold.
| Market | Since | Coins | Addresses | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WeTheNorth | 2021 | BTC, XMR | 3 | Canada, English and French |
| TorZon Market | 2022 | BTC, XMR | 5 | Global, English |
| Nexus Market | 2023 | BTC, LTC, XMR | 3 | Global, English |
| Mars Market | 2023 | BTC, LTC, XMR | 3 | Global, English |
What to ignore on a first attempt
| Ignore | Why |
|---|---|
| Which one is bigger | You are placing one small order, not shopping a catalogue |
| Which interface looks better | A screen is the cheapest thing to copy and the least informative thing to judge by |
| What a directory ranked first | Including this one. Nothing here ranks anything |
| Discounts for paying differently | The one situation in this subject with no process behind it at all |
Size of the first order
As small as the listing allows. Everything else on this page reduces how often something goes wrong. Order size reduces what it costs when it does, and it is the only variable entirely in your hands. On a first attempt it is also the cheapest tuition available, because whatever you get wrong you will get wrong on an amount you chose.
The order things go wrong in
| What | How often on a first go | What removes it |
|---|---|---|
| Arriving somewhere that is not the market | Very common on a first attempt | Compare the whole address against a saved copy |
| Losing the account | Common, and permanent | Save the recovery material before closing the setup page |
| Losing a balance | Common | Fund an order, not an account |
| A disappointing order | Ordinary | Size it so being wrong is affordable |
What a first attempt is actually for
Finding out whether your habits survive contact with the process, not getting the thing. Everything on this page costs nothing and only becomes obvious after the first time somebody skips one. Doing them in the right order the first time is the entire content of this page.