How To Buy an NFT On OpenSea. After setting up your account, you’re ready to make your first purchase. At first glance, however, OpenSea’s choice may seem a little daunting. With thousands of projects on offer and some big bucks, it’s important to know your way around and complete transactions quickly. In this guide, we walk you through, step by step, how to explore OpenSea and, once you’ve found the perfect piece, buy your first NFT to display on your new profile. This guide assumes you already have active MetaMask and OpenC accounts. If you haven’t started your crypto adventure yet, please click here to check out our guides.
Your next step is to buy your first NFT from the market using the crypto stored in your MetaMask wallet. OpenSea has a wide range of outstanding projects waiting for you to discover and appreciate. Once you make your first purchase, the rest will be smooth sailing. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to explore the OpenC Marketplace, filter your search to find exactly what you want, and filter the trigger and make your first purchase.
Purchasing Your NFT
First, it’s important to make sure you’re on an authentic OpenSea site. So, you should be vigilant and check your main search bar carefully to ensure that you and your funds are safe. See below for what should be in your search bar on an authentic website. Keep in mind that scammers can make small changes to this link to catch you and send you to their site, so always check that it’s correct.
Once you are on the OpenSea website, you can either search for a specific project or search the market via the button on the right side of the search bar. For this guide, we’ll explore the market as a whole, so I tap “Explore.”By clicking on it, you will get a drop-down menu that offers a wide range of options. Again, if you know what you’re after, this is ideal. But being indecisive, I want to explore, so I’ll click on “All NFTs” to see everything.
Here, you will find a plethora of projects. Some will be uber successful, huge money makers, but I want something more subtle for this guide. So, I’ll use the filters down the right side of the page. With these choices, I can break out the NFT type later today. I want an NFT that I can buy now that isn’t too expensive and is on the Polygon network to keep my fees low.
As I fill it out the page will automatically update, showing me NFTs that match my criteria. The only exception is to set a price, after which you must press “Apply”. From there, you can explore the available options and tap the NFT you want to buy to start your purchase.
Some small collections are always available for sale. Without thousands of projects on their site, it does not mean that the NFT you are buying is part of a scam, as many projects may be authentic after their minting. However, this is something to be aware of, especially with cheaper pieces. “Minting” means converting data into a digital asset recorded on the blockchain.
As a result, you may see these pop-ups while making your purchase. If you are happy to proceed, read the pop-up and click the check box at the end to be redirected and continue your transaction. After that, you will be prompted to complete your purchase. Here, you will be presented with the value of your NFT. Check the box to confirm that you agree to the Terms of Service to continue, which in turn will enable the “Checkout” button. After it lights up, tap it to proceed.
Unlike Rarible, OpenSea uses Ethereum Mainnet for its transactions even when you are buying NFT from Polygon Network. As a result, it’s important to make sure you have enough of the right currency on the right network. If not, OpenSea will prompt you to deposit your Eth into Polygon. It will automatically fill in the amount you need to convert, so you can click “Convert” to proceed. This will prompt a MetaMask pop-up, confirming the conversion and any expenses you may incur. If you’re happy to proceed, tap “Confirm”. As with every transaction on the blockchain, the GAS fee may fluctuate. If the network is busy it may be worth waiting a few seconds or hours to see if the price drops before proceeding.
After clicking, the MetaMask pop-up will close, and the first step of the conversion will be completed. The next step is to wait while the network processes your deposit. This can take 45 minutes or more depending on how much gas you paid, so if it takes a while, that’s okay! Once the deposit is made and accepted, you have to unlock your currency. It’s straightforward and requires you to click on the illuminated “Unlock” button. Doing so will prompt another MetaMask pop-up for you to sign, confirming that you’re happy to proceed.
Closing Thoughts
Buying NFTs can be one of the most fun and rewarding benefits of cryptocurrencies. Thanks to marketplaces like OpenSea, you have access to the most interesting projects from around the world. OpenSeas’s simple interface makes it easy to buy and share NFTs and is ideal for new and old investors. It lets you get the most out of your cryptocurrencies, including creating a digital persona through a unique profile page. Not only can you buy NFTs through OpenSea, but you can also sell pieces from your collection. Our other guides show how OpenC streamlines your artwork for sale, potentially helping you make money in the process.
