Buyer's Guide

Complete guide to safe and successful shopping on Prime Market

For Buyers: Follow this guide to protect yourself, find quality vendors, and have successful transactions on Prime Market.
Prime Market - Browse Products
Browsing product listings on Prime Market - search, categories, and filters

Finding Products

Search & Browse

  • Search Bar: Search by keywords, product names
  • Categories: Browse organized product categories
  • Filters: Sort by price, rating, shipping location
  • Vendor Shops: View all products from specific vendor

Search Tips

  • Use specific keywords for better results
  • Filter by "Domestic Only" for faster shipping
  • Sort by "Top Rated" to find trusted vendors
  • Check "Recently Added" for new products

Evaluating Vendors

Red Flags to Avoid

  • New vendor with no reviews
  • Prices significantly below market rate
  • Requires Finalize Early (FE) for first order
  • Poor grammar or unprofessional listings
  • Negative recent reviews
  • No PGP key provided
  • Vendor account less than 30 days old

Green Flags to Look For

  • Level 2+ vendor status
  • 95%+ positive feedback
  • Hundreds of successful sales
  • Detailed product descriptions
  • Clear shipping and refund policies
  • Active PGP key
  • Recent positive reviews (last 30 days)
  • Quick response time to messages

Reading Vendor Reviews

What to Check

  • Overall Rating: Should be 4.5+ stars
  • Total Sales: More sales = more reliable data
  • Recent Reviews: Last 30 days most important
  • Review Details: Read actual comments, not just stars
  • Dispute Rate: Lower is better (under 5%)

Common Review Patterns

Good Signs:

  • "Fast shipping, great stealth"
  • "Product exactly as described"
  • "Vendor communicated well"
  • "Will order again"

Warning Signs:

  • "Never arrived" (multiple recent reports)
  • "Product not as described"
  • "Vendor stopped responding"
  • "Asked for FE then disappeared"

Placing an Order

Step-by-Step Order Process

  1. Select Product: Click on product listing
  2. Read Description: Review all details, shipping info, terms
  3. Check Vendor Profile: Verify ratings and reviews
  4. Add to Cart: Select quantity and add to cart
  5. Proceed to Checkout: Review cart contents
  6. Enter Shipping Info: PGP encrypt your address
  7. Select Payment: Choose cryptocurrency and escrow
  8. Confirm Order: Double-check everything before confirming
  9. Make Payment: Funds move from wallet to escrow
  10. Wait for Confirmation: Vendor confirms and ships
Important: Always use escrow payment unless you absolutely trust the vendor. Never Finalize Early on your first order with a vendor.

Communication with Vendors

Messaging Best Practices

  • Always encrypt sensitive info with PGP
  • Be polite and professional
  • Don't discuss specifics in unencrypted messages
  • Give vendors 24-48 hours to respond
  • Keep messages on-platform only

What to Ask Before Ordering

  • "What's the estimated shipping time to [country]?"
  • "Do you offer stealth packaging?"
  • "What's your reship policy?"
  • "Do you provide tracking?"

What NOT to Discuss

  • Explicit illegal activity details
  • Personal information (real name, phone, etc.)
  • Off-platform communication requests
  • Payment outside marketplace escrow

Tracking Your Order

Order Status Meanings

  • Pending: Order placed, waiting vendor confirmation
  • Processing: Vendor preparing package
  • Shipped: Package sent, in transit
  • Delivered: Awaiting buyer finalization
  • Finalized: Order complete, payment released
  • Disputed: Issue under mediation

Expected Timeframes

  • Domestic (Same Country): 3-7 days
  • International: 7-21 days
  • Express: 1-3 days (if offered)
  • Digital Products: Immediate to 24 hours

Finalizing Orders

When to Finalize

  • Product received and matches description
  • Quality meets expectations
  • Correct quantity received
  • No damage or issues

Before Finalizing

  • Inspect package carefully
  • Verify product authenticity (if applicable)
  • Test product if possible
  • Check for tampering

After Finalizing

  • Leave honest feedback and rating
  • Rate shipping speed, stealth, communication
  • Mention any positives or concerns
  • Help other buyers make informed decisions
Tip: Take your time before finalizing. Once finalized, you cannot open a dispute. If unsure about quality, message the vendor first.

Dispute Process

When to Open a Dispute

  • Package never arrived (after expected delivery + 7 days)
  • Product significantly different from description
  • Wrong product or quantity received
  • Product damaged or defective
  • Vendor not responding to messages

How to Win Disputes

  • Provide clear evidence (photos, screenshots)
  • Document all communication attempts
  • Be factual and professional (no emotions)
  • Submit dispute before auto-finalize deadline
  • Respond quickly to mediator requests

Dispute Timeline

  1. Open dispute with evidence
  2. Vendor has 48 hours to respond
  3. Market mediator reviews case
  4. Decision made within 5-7 days
  5. Funds released per decision (full/partial refund or vendor payout)

Buyer Safety Tips

Start Small

  • Test new vendors with small orders
  • Gradually increase order size
  • Build trust over multiple transactions

Use Escrow Always

  • Never Finalize Early for new vendors
  • Escrow protects your payment
  • Only FE with trusted, established vendors

Verify Everything

  • Check vendor PGP signatures
  • Verify .onion URLs
  • Read recent reviews carefully

Maintain OPSEC

  • Use Tor Browser always
  • Encrypt shipping address with PGP
  • Use anonymous shipping names if safe

Video Tutorial: Safe Darknet Shopping

Video by Techlore - "How to Stay Safe on Darknet Markets"

Common Buyer Mistakes

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Not reading product descriptions fully
  • Choosing vendors based on price alone
  • Finalizing Early without established trust
  • Missing auto-finalize deadline for disputes
  • Using weak passwords or no 2FA
  • Keeping large balances on marketplace
  • Not encrypting shipping address
  • Discussing orders outside marketplace

Questions?

Check our comprehensive FAQ for answers to common buyer questions.

Visit FAQ →