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Escrow & Payment Systems

Understanding how Prime Market protects buyers and vendors through secure escrow mechanisms

Buyer Protection: Prime Market's escrow system ensures your funds are protected until you confirm receipt of your order. Vendors cannot access payment until you finalize the transaction.
Prime Market - Category Browsing
Prime Market interface - browsing categories and product listings with escrow protection

What is Escrow?

Escrow is a financial arrangement where a third party (Prime Market) holds payment during a transaction. The funds are only released to the vendor after the buyer confirms successful delivery.

How It Works

  1. Buyer places order and payment goes to escrow
  2. Vendor receives order notification and ships product
  3. Buyer receives product and verifies quality
  4. Buyer finalizes order (or auto-finalize after set period)
  5. Escrow releases payment to vendor

Benefits of Escrow

  • Protects buyers from scam vendors
  • Protects vendors from fraudulent refund claims
  • Neutral third-party dispute resolution
  • Automated system reduces human error

Multi-Signature (Multisig) Escrow

2-of-3 Multisig System

Prime Market uses advanced multi-signature technology for enhanced security. Three parties hold keys:

  • Buyer Key: You control this key
  • Vendor Key: Seller controls this key
  • Market Key: Prime Market holds this key for disputes

Any 2 of 3 keys are required to release funds:

  • Normal completion: Buyer + Vendor keys (no market involvement)
  • Dispute resolution: Market + Winner's key (mediator decides)

Why Multisig is Better

  • Market never has sole control of funds
  • Cannot be stolen by single compromised party
  • Transparent and verifiable on blockchain
  • Mathematically secure cryptographic proof

Finalize Early (FE) vs Escrow

Escrow Payment (Recommended)

How it works: Funds held until delivery confirmation

Pros:

  • Full buyer protection
  • Dispute resolution available
  • Refund possible if issues arise

Cons:

  • None for buyers
  • Vendors wait for payment release

Use for all first-time vendors

Finalize Early (FE)

How it works: Vendor receives payment immediately

Pros:

  • Vendor gets instant payment
  • May get discounts from trusted vendors

Cons:

  • NO buyer protection
  • Cannot dispute or refund
  • High scam risk

Only use with highly trusted vendors

Warning: Never Finalize Early unless you fully trust the vendor. FE removes all buyer protection. Scammers often request FE to steal funds without shipping products.

Cryptocurrency Support

Accepted Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin (BTC)

  • Most widely accepted and liquid
  • Fast confirmation times (10-60 minutes)
  • Lower transaction fees during off-peak hours
  • Supported by all vendors

Monero (XMR)

  • Enhanced privacy with built-in mixing
  • Untraceable transactions by default
  • Growing vendor acceptance
  • Recommended for maximum anonymity

GitHub Resources

Bitcoin Core - Official Repository Monero - Official Repository

Payment Process Walkthrough

Step-by-Step: Making a Payment

  1. Select Product: Browse and add items to cart
  2. Checkout: Review order details and shipping info
  3. Choose Cryptocurrency: Select BTC or XMR
  4. Select Escrow: Choose escrow payment (recommended)
  5. Confirm Amount: Verify total including fees
  6. Funds Deducted: Payment moves from wallet to escrow
  7. Vendor Notified: Seller receives order notification
  8. Track Order: Monitor status in your dashboard
  9. Receive Product: Wait for delivery
  10. Finalize: Confirm receipt to release payment

Transaction Fees

  • Market Fee: 3% of order value (competitive rate)
  • Network Fee: Variable blockchain transaction fee
  • No Hidden Charges: All fees displayed before confirmation

Dispute Resolution

When to Open a Dispute

  • Product not received after expected delivery time
  • Product significantly different from description
  • Product damaged or defective
  • Vendor not responding to messages

Dispute Process

  1. Open dispute from order page (before auto-finalize)
  2. Provide detailed explanation with evidence
  3. Vendor has 48 hours to respond
  4. Market mediator reviews both sides
  5. Decision made within 7 days
  6. Funds released according to decision

Evidence to Provide

  • Screenshots of conversations (PGP encrypted)
  • Photos of received product (if applicable)
  • Tracking information
  • Timeline of events
Tip: Most disputes are resolved in favor of buyers when proper evidence is provided. Always document your transactions.

Refund Policy

Refund Eligibility

Full refunds are issued when:

  • Vendor fails to ship within promised timeframe
  • Product never arrives (with tracking proof)
  • Product significantly misrepresented
  • Vendor cancels order

Partial refunds may be issued when:

  • Product partially damaged
  • Incorrect quantity received
  • Minor quality issues

No refund when:

  • Order finalized early (FE)
  • Auto-finalize period passed without dispute
  • Buyer error (wrong address, etc.)
  • Product seized by customs (vendor not responsible)

Auto-Finalization

Orders automatically finalize after a set period to prevent indefinite escrow holds:

  • Domestic Orders: 14 days after marked "shipped"
  • International Orders: 21-30 days depending on destination
  • Digital Products: 48 hours after delivery
Important: Open disputes BEFORE auto-finalize deadline if you haven't received your order. After auto-finalize, disputes cannot be opened.

Video Tutorial: Understanding Escrow

Video by 99Bitcoins - "What is Bitcoin Escrow and How Does it Work?"

Ready to Make Your First Purchase?

Now that you understand escrow, check out our buyer's guide for shopping tips.

Read Buyer's Guide →