<p>It is from the perspective of the other person (not yours).</p>

<p>When you see <strong>Sell</strong>, or <strong>Sell Orders</strong> or <strong>Selling</strong> or <strong>Asks</strong> is people willing to sell to you. Thus you look at these entries if you are buying.</p>

<p>When you see <strong>Buy</strong>, or <strong>Buy Orders</strong> or <strong>Buying</strong> or <strong>Bids</strong> is people willing to buy from you. Thus you look at these entries if you are selling.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-15T12:55:52.350Z
2016-04-15T12:55:52.350Z
karask
<blockquote>
  <p>What defines a Buy vs a Sell record in the trading time series of an exchange?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A buy is an attempt to acquire a particular thing. A sell is attempt to get rid of a particular thing. The distinction is in which side is specified.</p>

<p>Say the going price for apples is around $1 apiece. If I try to sell 10 apples, I'll wind up with 10 apples less and roughly $1 more. If I try to buy $1, I'll wind up with $1 more and roughly 10 apples less.</p>

<p>An offer always has an implicit "do better if you can" on the end of it. So "sell 1 apple for $1" means to sell exactly 1 apple but get $1 or more. Similarly "buy $1 for 1 apples" means to buy exactly $1 but give up 1 apple or less. If the rate is precisely $1 for 1 apple, then they're the same, but if either offer does better, the results will be different.</p>

<p>For example, say someone is willing to pay $1.50 for an apple.</p>

<p>Now, say I place an offer to sell 2 apples for $2. I'll obviously sell 1 apple for $1.50, but I still need to sell one more (for $1).</p>

<p>But say instead I placed an offer to buy $2 for 2 apples. I'll obviously buy $1.50 for one apple. But now I only need to buy $.50 more (for 1/2 an apple).</p>

<p>So both a buy and a sell execute the same against existing offers, but they can place different offers on the books. One apple for one dollar in one case, half and apple for half a dollar in the other case.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In any trade there is always someone selling and someone buying... So what defines a particular trade as Buy or Sell?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>No. A buy can match a buy and a sell can match a sell. If I'm selling Bitcoins for dollars and someone else is selling dollars for Bitcoins, we can match each other. So long as one offer can satisfy the other, they match.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-17T06:30:51.047Z
2016-04-17T06:36:47.883Z
2016-04-17T06:36:47.883Z
David Schwartz
<p>Orders are either Buy or Sell orders indicating the wish of the person putting those orders into the exchange.</p>

<p>A trade is what happens when 2 orders are (partially) matched. By itself (without further context) a trade is neutral and encompasses both the buy and sell side.</p>

<p>Adding a bit of context, a person could say "I did a buy trade yesterday".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-15T13:35:01.930Z
2016-04-15T13:35:01.930Z
Jannes
<p>What defines a Buy vs a Sell record in the trading time series of an exchange? In any trade there is always someone selling and someone buying... So what defines a particular trade as Buy or Sell?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-20T09:57:25.347Z
I have got this simple and clear answer on reddit:
Trader A issues a sell order, and trader B issues a buy order. Those orders meet.

If A happens before B, it's a 'buy'. If B happens before A, it's a 'sell'
https://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMarkets/comments/4ewhuv/buy_vs_sell/
fccoelho
<trading><historical-trade-data>
What is a Buy as opposed to a Sell?
fccoelho
# What is a Buy as opposed to a Sell?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-15)

What defines a Buy vs a Sell record in the trading time series of an exchange? In any trade there is always someone selling and someone buying... So what defines a particular trade as Buy or Sell?

**Tags:** trading, historical-trade-data

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I have got this simple and clear answer on reddit: Trader A issues a sell order, and trader B issues a buy order. Those orders meet.  If A happens before B, it's a 'buy'. If B happens before A, it's a 'sell' https://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMarkets/comments/4ewhuv/buy_vs_sell/  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-04-15. Score: 1

It is from the perspective of the other person (not yours).

When you see **Sell**, or **Sell Orders** or **Selling** or **Asks** is people willing to sell to you. Thus you look at these entries if you are buying.

When you see **Buy**, or **Buy Orders** or **Buying** or **Bids** is people willing to buy from you. Thus you look at these entries if you are selling.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-04-17. Score: 0

> What defines a Buy vs a Sell record in the trading time series of an exchange?

A buy is an attempt to acquire a particular thing. A sell is attempt to get rid of a particular thing. The distinction is in which side is specified.

Say the going price for apples is around $1 apiece. If I try to sell 10 apples, I'll wind up with 10 apples less and roughly $1 more. If I try to buy $1, I'll wind up with $1 more and roughly 10 apples less.

An offer always has an implicit "do better if you can" on the end of it. So "sell 1 apple for $1" means to sell exactly 1 apple but get $1 or more. Similarly "buy $1 for 1 apples" means to buy exactly $1 but give up 1 apple or less. If the rate is precisely $1 for 1 apple, then they're the same, but if either offer does better, the results will be different.

For example, say someone is willing to pay $1.50 for an apple.

Now, say I place an offer to sell 2 apples for $2. I'll obviously sell 1 apple for $1.50, but I still need to sell one more (for $1).

But say instead I placed an offer to buy $2 for 2 apples. I'll obviously buy $1.50 for one apple. But now I only need to buy $.50 more (for 1/2 an apple).

So both a buy and a sell execute the same against existing offers, but they can place different offers on the books. One apple for one dollar in one case, half and apple for half a dollar in the other case.

> In any trade there is always someone selling and someone buying... So what defines a particular trade as Buy or Sell?

No. A buy can match a buy and a sell can match a sell. If I'm selling Bitcoins for dollars and someone else is selling dollars for Bitcoins, we can match each other. So long as one offer can satisfy the other, they match.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-04-15. Score: 0

Orders are either Buy or Sell orders indicating the wish of the person putting those orders into the exchange.

A trade is what happens when 2 orders are (partially) matched. By itself (without further context) a trade is neutral and encompasses both the buy and sell side.

Adding a bit of context, a person could say "I did a buy trade yesterday".


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