How escrow works here

Escrow moves your payment to an address controlled by the platform, not the vendor. You send coins, they confirm on-chain, and the vendor sees the balance but cannot spend it until you release the funds.

This creates a safety window between confirmation and release. The vendor knows the money is real and ready. You know he cannot vanish with it before shipping. Both sides operate within a defined boundary where trust is backed by structure rather than hope.

The four stages

Deposit. Coins move to the platform's holding address and wait for network confirmations. This usually takes a few minutes depending on chain congestion.

Fulfillment. The vendor sees the confirmed balance and ships the goods immediately. They have no way to withdraw the coins yet, so they focus on logistics.

Release. You inspect the package and verify the contents against the description. Once satisfied, you click release, and the coins instantly transfer to the vendor.

Dispute. If the item never arrives or fails its check, you open a case. An admin reviews evidence from both sides and issues a binding decision, a process that takes days rather than hours.

Who decides a dispute

A case opens when one side claims the deal failed. Both parties upload proof: screenshots, tracking numbers, or photos. The platform admin reads everything and makes the final call. There is no external arbitration body here. That specific detail is often overlooked by newcomers who assume a neutral third party exists.

The ruling is fast and mandatory. However, remember that the judge also owns the marketplace. While decisions are generally fair to keep the market running, you are trusting the owner's discretion. It works well for routine issues, but high-stakes conflicts rely entirely on internal logic rather than independent oversight.

What it does not cover

Escrow protects the transfer, not your patience. The only thing it does not cover is your own haste. If you release the coins before opening the package, the window closes permanently. You can complain later, but the money has already left the holding address. Discipline in waiting is your responsibility, not the platform's job.