Escrow & is my money safe
What "escrow" means on MerkatoHQ, where your money actually sits, and what protects you if a deal goes wrong.
Buying a unique second-hand item usually means trusting a stranger with your money before you have the item in hand. MerkatoHQ removes that leap of faith by sitting in the middle as escrow.
What escrow means here
When you pay, the money does not go to the seller. It is held by our payment processor and only moves in one of two ways:
- You confirm receipt → the funds are released to the seller.
- A dispute is resolved → our team directs the funds to whoever the outcome favours (a release to the seller, or a refund to you).
Until one of those happens, the money is frozen in the middle. The seller cannot spend it, and it is not sitting in a MerkatoHQ account.
Escrow protects the money, not the couch. We cannot physically hold a used item the way a crypto exchange holds a coin — so we hold the payment and rely on your confirmation, plus disputes, to close the trust gap. Every physical marketplace works this way.
What protects you
- No silent auto-release. MerkatoHQ never releases your payment on a timer. If an item never arrives, doing nothing keeps your money protected.
- You are the trigger. Funds move to the seller only when you confirm, or when a dispute is decided.
- Disputes have a human in the loop. If a deal goes wrong, our team reviews it and can refund you — see Refunds & disputes.
What escrow does not cover
Escrow guarantees the money is handled fairly. It cannot inspect the item for you. Always check an item on arrival before you confirm receipt — confirming is the signal that releases payment, so treat it as final.