Create or Join a Crew

A crew is basically a group chat plus a shared hunting dashboard. You create one with your friends (or join one someone else started), then:

• Share wishlists so everyone knows what everyone's looking for
• See each other's haul posts first (they're highlighted in your feed)
• Check in together at sales (crew check-ins earn more XP)
• Chat about upcoming sales and tips
• Compete together on the monthly crew leaderboard

Crews are casual. You don't have to commit or pay anything. You can leave anytime.

From the crews page:

1. Tap "Create a new crew"
2. Give it a name (e.g., "North End Hunters," "Flea Market Gang," "Bargain Basement Club")
3. Add a description (e.g., "We hunt yard sales on Saturday mornings in the Grand Rapids area")
4. Upload a crew photo (optional — a group photo, a logo, whatever)
5. Set the crew to public or private
6. Save

Public vs. private:

• **Public:** Other shoppers can find and request to join your crew
• **Private:** Only people you invite can join

Once your crew is created, you get a crew code or link. Share it with your friends and they can join.

Search for existing crews:

1. Go to the Crews tab
2. Search by name, location, or interest (e.g., "antique hunters," "estate sale club")
3. If the crew is public, tap "Request to join"
4. The crew admin approves or denies your request (usually instant)

Accept an invite: If someone invites you directly, you get a notification. Tap "Join" and you're in.

Use a crew code: If a friend gives you a crew code, enter it in the app to join instantly.

Shared wishlists: Everyone in the crew can see what everyone else is looking for. If you're hunting and spot something on a crewmate's wishlist, you can message them immediately with the location and photo.

Haul feed: Your crew's haul posts are grouped together. You see what your crewmates found before you see posts from random shoppers. You can react to and comment on each other's posts.

Crew chat: A group message where you share tips, plan hunting trips, ask for advice, or just celebrate finds.

Hunt together: You can meet up at sales and check in together. Crew check-ins earn bonus XP (15 XP instead of 10).

Monthly leaderboard: At the end of each month, crews are ranked by collective XP. Top crews get a bonus XP payout for all members. Competing together is motivating.

Most crews have a few roles:

Crew admin: Creates the crew, approves new members, makes rules.

Members: Everyone else. All members have equal posting and chat rights.

Some crews elect a co-admin if the group gets large, but it's optional.

**Respect each other's hunts.** If a crewmate finds something they're after, don't try to snag it. If you spot something they want, let them know first.

**Respond to tips.** If someone texts "Huge estate sale at 42 Maple St, they have furniture," check it out or at least say thanks.

**Share the wins.** Celebrate when crewmates find great stuff. This keeps the crew feeling good.

**No gatekeeping.** If you find a killer yard sale, let the crew know. You're stronger together.

You can leave anytime. Just tap "Leave crew" on the crew page. No penalty, no awkwardness. If you leave, your posts stay visible but you're no longer part of their leaderboard.

There's no limit, but the sweet spot is 4–10 people. Big crews are fun but harder to coordinate. Small crews mean you know everyone well.

Crews compete on the leaderboard for bragging rights. Top crews (by total XP each month) get:

• A placement badge ("Top 3 Crew")
• Bonus XP for all members (50–200 XP depending on rank)
• Featured spot on the Crews page

Some FindA.Sale features are crew-specific:

Treasure trails: A crew can create a multi-stop route (3–5 sales) and challenge other crews to "walk the trail" — visit all the stops and score XP.

Crew challenges: Monthly challenges like "Find 5 items under $10" or "Visit 3 estate sales." Crews that complete the challenge get bonus XP.

The easiest way to start is:

1. Create the crew with your own account
2. Share the code or link with 2–3 friends
3. Have them join
4. Start a hunt together

You don't need to be organized or formal. It's just a way to share the hunt with people you like.