Frequently asked questions

SafeDeal is an impartial third party that facilitates online buying and selling of legitimate goods between private individuals and businesses — consumer-to-consumer, business-to-consumer and business-to-business. It cannot be used for goods that are illegal or restricted, including weapons and ammunition, drugs, human organs, counterfeit goods, tobacco or unauthorised alcohol. This list is indicative and not limiting.

The Inspection Period is the time — agreed on by the Buyer and the Seller — allowed to examine and value the goods. It begins at 12:01 on the first working day (Monday–Friday) after the goods have been delivered, and finishes after the number of working days established by the Buyer and Seller. The delivery day is the one indicated on the consignment receipt. SafeDeal pays the Seller only after the Buyer approves the acquisition or the Inspection Period is completed, whichever comes first.

Every transaction has its own page on the SafeDeal website. The e-mails you receive from us are for information only — always visit your transaction page to check the true progress of your transaction, including whether payment has been received and whether the goods have been dispatched. For security reasons SafeDeal does not send postal addresses by e-mail; send goods only to the address shown on the transaction page.

Yes. SafeDeal serves buyers and sellers around the world. For any international shipment the courier's website must show both the dispatch and the delivery of the goods, and the transport service used must provide a tracking or reference number so that SafeDeal can confirm the consignment directly with the courier.

The information you supply on the SafeDeal registration page must be true and accurate, and you are required to keep it updated as part of the Service contract. You can amend your registration details from your account; if information is proven false or incorrect, SafeDeal retains the right to cancel the transaction.

You alone are responsible for the confidentiality of your password and for all activity originating from your account. Use the password-recovery option on the sign-in page to reset it, and notify SafeDeal immediately of any unauthorised use or breach of the privacy, confidentiality or security of your account.

If the Buyer is not satisfied within the Inspection Period, the goods are returned to the Seller. Once the Seller confirms that the returned goods are in their original condition, SafeDeal reimburses the Buyer the value of the goods minus the service fee. The Buyer is responsible for the goods and the manner of return during this process.

SafeDeal relies on the tracking or reference number and the consignment receipt to confirm delivery. The Client's signature — or that of an agent or appointee — on the consignment receipt is the only valid proof that the goods were sent and received. If SafeDeal is not able to ascertain when the Buyer received the goods, it reserves the right to cancel the transaction and refund the net sum, after deduction of the fee, to the Buyer.

SafeDeal reserves the right to cancel any transaction after 15 days from its start date if, by then, the Buyer and Seller have not agreed on the transaction details. Either party may also request cancellation from the transaction page; refunds of capital require the consent of both contracting parties, or apply when a transaction is fulfilled outside the Service Rules.

The Clients agree that their transactions must not violate any state law or the industrial and intellectual property rights that SafeDeal protects. Duplicating software and returning the original is a breach of the Service Rules; SafeDeal may, at its own discretion, terminate the Service immediately where a Client's conduct does not respect the contract.

The cost of a SafeDeal transaction is the service fee, calculated from the currency, the purchasing price and the postage & package costs of the transaction. The total — purchase price plus postage plus the SafeDeal fee — is shown clearly before you confirm, so both parties agree the terms up front.

SafeDeal accepts four methods of payment: (1) credit cards — VISA and MASTERCARD; (2) bill of exchange; (3) banker's draft; and (4) bank transfer. If payment is made by credit card, the Client must be the credit card holder. All payments are made to SafeDeal.

The service fee is agreed between the Buyer and Seller as part of the transaction terms and is included in the total that the Buyer transfers to SafeDeal. Because both parties agree the terms clearly before the transaction begins, it is always transparent who bears the fee.

Once the Buyer and Seller reach an agreement, the Buyer transfers the payment to SafeDeal, where it is held in a no-interest account. The Seller ships the merchandise only after the payment is safely held, which is what protects both parties.

When you pay by credit card, the amount is charged at the point you fund the transaction, and the sum is then held by SafeDeal in a no-interest account until the transaction completes. The card holder must be the Client making the payment.

After the Seller ships the merchandise through CTL and the Buyer examines and approves it within the Inspection Period, SafeDeal releases the payment to the Seller. SafeDeal pays only after the Buyer approves the acquisition or the Inspection Period is completed, whichever comes first.

No. After the payment is received, SafeDeal's service fee is non-refundable. If a Buyer returns the goods and the Seller confirms they are in original condition, SafeDeal reimburses the Buyer the value of the goods minus the service fee.