The Safer Way To Pay – Introducing Trustap

In the 23 years that Preloved has been helping introduce buyers and sellers a lot's changed! Our members were growing increasingly concerned with the rise in online scams in the press, so we found a solution - a safer way to pay!

Lockdown made people lose their confidence in online shopping with strangers. That's why we introduced Trustap, the escrow site that helps us protect our members.

What's Trustap? 

Trustap is a service specifically designed for people who want to buy and sell with strangers online.

Buying and selling through Trustap protects you from all types of scams, ensuring your transaction's completed successfully, making it a safer way to pay.

How Does Trustap Work? 

The buyer never pays the seller directly. Instead, Trustap holds their funds until they've received the item. This protects both sides from any potential scammers. This safer way to pay means you're protected from potential scammers and you can transact with peace of mind! Whether it's online or face-to-face you no longer have to rely on trust alone!

This service is entirely free for sellers. In fact they're up to 4 times more likely to receive a response to their advert, and 4 times more likely to sell!

Buyers are asked to pay a small buyers free for the service. This will be between 2% and 4% of the item's value, but for that small amount, you could be saving thousands by avoiding a nasty online scam! It really is the safer way to pay!

Online Buying & Selling

• The full price is sent directly to the Trustap Hold.
• The seller sends the item to the buyer. Trustap has over 500 delivery services which allows you to track items.
• Once the item's confirmed as 'delivered' and the complaints period's passed the money's released to the seller.

Face-To-Face Buying & Selling

• The buyer sends a refundable deposit to the Trustap Hold to convey their interest in the seller's item.
• They then meet face-to-face to see the item and discuss the full amount.
• Once the buyer's happy to proceed with the transaction, they send the remainder of the funds to the Trustap Hold.
• Once the handover of the item's taken place the full amount is released to the seller. 

Why Is Trustap The Safer Way To Pay?

Trustap is a virtual safe, powered by the world's most secure payment processing system, Stripe.

Scams usually come in two forms in all transactions: The buyer doesn’t get value for their money, or the seller doesn’t get paid accurately for what they're selling. Trustap's the only transaction platform that fully addresses these issues by ensuring each transaction runs fairly.

Buyers don’t pay for anything until they receive the item and are happy with it. Sellers don’t have to send anything until they know the correct funds are being held securely. 

• Trustap is the only payment that's designed to protect both buyers and sellers.
• The online model combines both payment and delivery into one efficient and transparent service for our users. Other comparable platforms prioritise either payment or delivery and don't cater for both.
• The Trustap face-to-face model helps those wanting to trade with a stranger they've met online.
• Trustap is the only service that offers a refundable deposit service, helping the buyer negotiate a fair price in person after seeing the item for themselves.
• Trustap’s service is completely transparent - both parties know exactly where the money and the item is at all times.

Getting Started With The Safer Way To Pay

When two interested parties have found each other and agreed on the preliminary details of the sale, it's time for them to use Trustap. If the seller hasn't already got a Trustap account they can register one; it's free, quick, and super easy.

Sellers Enabling Trustap Payments On An Advert

1. When a seller creates their advert they'll be asked if they want to 'Enable Trustap', to allow other Preloved members to deal with them safely. Alternatively, the seller can go into 'My Adverts' at any time and click on any the want to allow Trustap payments on, and click 'Enable Trustap'.
2. They'll be shown a page that brings up all of their advert details and they'll be asked if they want Online or Face-To-Face transactions. Please note, Preloved does not allow 'Online' transactions for Pet listings as these must always be carried out in person, or face-to-face.
3. The seller can then chose the amount to be paid, and whether that amount's the full amount of a smaller deposit amount.
4. Any Preloved members looking at the seller's advert will be able to see 'Buy With Trustap', which they can then click on if they're interested in the item.

Click here for more information on this process, and how Trustap helps Sellers.

Buyers Wanting to Pay Through Trustap

1. If a seller hasn't set up Trustap on their advert, a buyer can still ask them to use it.
2. The advert will show a 'Request To Buy With Trustap' button, which lets the potential buyer send a message to the seller asking them to set Trustap payments up for the item.
3. If the seller's already enabled Trustap on their advert, it'll show as 'Buy With Trustap'. Buyers can then click on if they're interested in the item.

Click here for more information on this process, and how Trustap helps Buyers.

Online Transactions

Step 1

• After the buyer and the seller agree on all the necessary details and start a transaction, the buyer transfers their payment (including the 3% Trustap fee) into the Trustap Hold.
• Once the funds are in the Trustap hold, the seller sends the item in question via registered post. The seller has up to 48 hours to input all the postal tracking information to Trustap for the transaction to proceed.
• If the seller fails to input the tracking information from the package within the allotted time frame, the funds are returned to the buyer’s account and the transaction is cancelled.

Step 2

• Once the tracking information has been verified, and the delivery is linked to the courier or postal company’s own tracking system. The delivery status of the item may be checked by either party at any time. This offers valuable peace of mind by giving a clear idea of when the item will be delivered and the transaction completed.
• Once the item arrives, the buyer signs for it and checks the item out to ensure it’s what they wanted.
• The buyer signing for the package initiates the 24-hour complaints period. During which time any issues had on the part of the buyer must be communicated to Trustap customer support.

Step 3

• The funds remain held for this 24-hour time period and will be automatically released to the seller after the time has elapsed. Unless the buyer chooses to release them sooner.
• Should the buyer lodge a complaint, the funds will remain held and the reverse of the transaction will take place, whereby the buyer must return the package to the seller within the seller time limit (48 hours).
• Once the seller signs for the package, the funds will be released as long as no further complaints are made.

Step 4

• The 24-hour complaints period has elapsed, and no complaints were made; Trustap instantly releases the funds to the seller, completing the transaction.

Face-to-Face Transactions 

Certain categories are more favoured to be face-to-face especially when purchasing pets. Other categories are items such as motors or furniture. When it comes to pets now lockdown has lifted you should aim to always collect your pet with a secure Trustap face-to-face transaction.

Step 1

• Once the buyer finds the item that they wish to buy, they pay a refundable deposit into the secure Trustap Hold. This gives the seller proof of the buyer’s commitment and interest in the item; so that they may now meet face-to-face.
• This deposit is refundable. If the buyer goes to the meeting and the seller doesn’t show up, or if the item isn’t as advertised, then they get their money back.

Step 2

• At this face to face meeting, the buyer has an opportunity to inspect the item they are buying. If they are happy with it, they then negotiate a final price with the seller.
• The seller then inputs this agreed amount into the Trustap platform.

Step 3

• The buyer then transfers the remainder of the funds into the Trustap hold. Not including the amount already included in the deposit.
• The seller can see through the Trustap platform that this has been done, allowing them to handover the item with peace of mind.

Step 4

• After the handover is confirmed, the one hour face-to-face complaints period begins.
• Once the complaint period elapses and no complaints are made, Trustap instantly releases the money to the seller.