Buying something from someone you don’t know online can be a scary process. You’re not sure if you can trust them or the product and there are always questions about the security of the payment. However, there are a few small steps you can take to make your buying process that bit safer.
- Verify the seller
Firstly you should always try to verify how legitimate the seller in question is. Typically when you’re buying something from a stranger online you’re making this purchase through a classified site like eBay or a listing platform for buying and selling between strangers like Depop. Oftentimes the best way to check how legitimate a seller is is to see how many previous or active listings the seller has available and on top of that read any reviews you can find from previous customers about that seller. If a seller has no reviews or listings it can be a bad sign, it’s better to buy from a seller who has some reviews from past customers to get a sense of how trustworthy they really are. And of course, don’t buy from a seller with poor reviews. If they are unwilling to use a platform such as Trustap which provides a safe option for peer-to-peer payments, then it may be that they can’t be trusted in a transaction.
- Communicate
Next, once you spot something that seems authentic from a seller you deem to be credible, you should initiate communication with them to discuss details like the price, the payment method, shipping details etc. If a seller is difficult to contact or inflexible it can often be a major warning sign. For example, you should be able to request further information or photos from a seller about the product and if they refuse, it is reasonable to be sceptical of how legitimate they are as a seller.
- What payment method should I use?
The major obstacle to overcome however is the payment method. This can be the aspect of the online buying process that people are most sceptical about, especially when transacting with a stranger. However, with Trustap’s peer-to-peer payment solution, they can be made that much more secure allowing you to transact with peace of mind.
About Trustap
Trustap is a secure transaction platform that protects you from being scammed online when you want to buy or sell with someone you don’t know. It offers a secure holding account through which funds can be deposited by the buyer, held and eventually transferred into the seller’s account. Trustap holds the funds until certain transactional milestones are completed ensuring both parties are happy with the transaction.
Trustap offers a milestone-based transaction model to cater to different transaction needs. Trustap provides both buyer and seller protection by giving buyers a complaints period upon receiving goods and conversely by protecting sellers from fraudulent complaints being lodged against them. This protection makes the transaction process that bit more secure.
So if you’re looking to buy safely online from a stranger and don’t know where to start, Trustap can put your mind at ease by handling any payment concerns and protecting both parties during and after your purchase.