Define the provider and workload first
A serious buyer request starts with the provider and workload, not only the discount. Google Cloud, Anthropic, OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, and Azure OpenAI credits can map to very different usage patterns, account structures, and review steps.
Before requesting supply, list the services or model access you need, expected monthly burn, acceptable expiry window, invoice requirements, and whether your team can use an account-level path or needs an invoice-backed structure.
Avoid unknown account or API-key offers
The highest-risk offers are usually the fastest ones: a random account, an API key, or a screenshot with no source documentation. A low price does not help if the credits cannot be used, violate terms, or disappear after payment.
A brokered RFQ should avoid treating every seller claim as inventory. It should collect proof, source, expiry, transfer route, and consent before introducing parties.
- Do not rely on screenshots without source and expiry context.
- Do not treat account handoff as automatically acceptable.
- Do not pay before proof, transfer path, and failure conditions are clear.
Write the RFQ like a transaction checklist
The more specific the buyer request, the faster a broker can filter seller supply. A vague request for cheap credits creates mismatches. A clear RFQ makes it possible to compare expiry, provider fit, discount expectations, and risk labels.
- Provider needed and acceptable alternatives among the five supported categories.
- Face value requested and target discount range.
- Expiry tolerance and expected consumption speed.
- Workload, services, models, or cloud regions needed.
- Invoice, entity, tax, NDA, and escrow requirements.
Require proof before payment terms are finalized
For a qualified match, proof should happen before final payment. Depending on the path, that may include billing-console evidence, grant terms, invoice history, read-only evidence, source confirmation, or a test step agreed by both sides.
Buyers should also ask what happens if access fails, usage is blocked, or restrictions appear after closing. The answer belongs in the closing packet, not in a chat thread after money moves.
Why AI Credits does not use instant checkout
Instant checkout creates the wrong incentive for this category. The hard part is not collecting a card payment; it is determining whether a credit balance can be used safely by the buyer and whether the seller can support the transaction path.
AI Credits uses a front-office intake page, daily market signals, and human broker matching. Buyers submit an RFQ, sellers submit supply, and only supportable matches move toward introduction and paperwork.