Three years ago , CS.MONEY Blog interviewed Chez , an experienced skin trader who turned $200 into $60,000 in just a couple of months. More than three years have passed since then, and Chez has taken the next step: creating his own skin trading platform, ChezTrading. We spoke with him about how a trader becomes a website founder, how his approach has changed since then, and what his plans are for the future.
Part I. From Trader to Founder
What prompted you to move from regular trading to creating your own platform?
I've been trading for over 10 years, and during that time, a huge number of people have passed through my hands: both highly experienced traders who know all the prices of items, stickers, pattern markups, and so on, and newbies who don't understand prices at all. This is precisely why I created this website—with the number of clients I have, it's physically impossible to explain the pricing and value of their and my items to everyone. My website makes things much simpler: traders immediately see the prices of their items and mine, saving both my time and the time of those who want to trade with me.
What challenges did you encounter during the launch? What proved more difficult than you expected?
The difficulty was that when I created the site, I had absolutely no understanding of development. I had to hire developers, who, unfortunately, didn't always understand all the nuances of CS2 and how item exchange sites work. Now I do all the development myself, as I've already accumulated the necessary knowledge for working on such projects.
How is ChezTrading different from your previous trading and other similar platforms?
Essentially, there's nothing fundamental. It's just much more convenient here: you can see the prices right away and save time when creating a trade. That said, I still trade using the old method—directly on Steam—and many people still prefer to trade directly, without using the website, because it's more convenient.
Part II. How it all works from the inside
What does a typical day for you in website management look like?
It's just like a regular trader: I check exchange requests, ensure the website is working properly, and so on. Basically, the usual routine.
Tell us about security and payments – how do you protect yourself and your clients?
Payments for item purchases from users are still handled manually. After someone fills out the item sale form, I contact them, and we discuss all the details together—only then do we close the deal. Trades are also secure: the client selects the items themselves, and then either they or I submit the trade on Steam. The transaction can be canceled at any stage. Everything is as transparent and secure as possible.
Does your reputation as a trader with 10 years of experience help attract people to the platform?
Of course it helps. After all, I'm one of the largest traders by inventory item value, and that's bound to attract people to my platform.
Part III. Community, Plans, and Market
How does the community react to the fact that you're now not just a trader, but the owner of an entire platform?
Mostly positive. I think many traders will have similar platforms in the future, as they greatly simplify trading for their clients.
What features of the site do you like the most?
All the features are useful in their own way, and I can't single out any one in particular. The blog plays a vital role in informing the audience, Instant Sell allows you to sell items for real money, including PayPal, bank transfer, Wise, Bitcoin, ETH, and many other cryptocurrencies, and the main trading page simply simplifies the exchange process.
What do you think of the current state of the CS2 skins market?
The market is alive and well, and new people are still coming to it. They've added a lot of new items and knives, which is also cool and attracts a new audience.
What are ChezTrading's future plans?
There's a lot of work ahead! I've spent over 10 years—from my first trade to creating my own platform. ChezTrading is just getting started. My immediate plans include adding new features, improving speed and security, and creating the most user-friendly service possible for both experienced traders and beginners. My goal is to build the platform I've wanted to use all these years. I don't plan on stopping there: regular updates, new tools, and ongoing development based on community feedback are on the horizon.
Thanks to everyone who already uses ChezTrading and helps make it better.