When do funds release to the seller?
The seller is paid 24 hours after delivery is confirmed — or immediately when you click Confirm.
The whole point of escrow is that the seller doesn't get paid until you've received your item. Here's the exact timeline.
The escrow timeline
| Stage | Buyer's view | Seller's view | Funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| You hit Buy → pay | "Awaiting payment" | (notified you've started checkout) | Card authorised but not captured |
| Payment confirms | "Paid — in escrow" | "Paid — ship now" | Captured into TradeSafe escrow |
| Seller ships | "Shipped" | "Shipped" | Still in escrow |
| You confirm delivery | "Released to seller" | "Released — payout in 1-3 days" | Released to TradeSafe |
| OR auto-confirm after 24h | (same) | (same) | (same) |
| Seller's payout clears | "Completed" | "Paid out" | In seller's bank |
Auto-confirm window
If you don't click Confirm delivery within 24 hours of TradeSafe registering delivery, funds release automatically. This timer starts when the seller marks the item as delivered (or when the courier returns proof of delivery).
You can extend the window by raising a dispute — see Something went wrong.
How long does the bank payout take?
After release:
- TradeSafe → seller's bank: 1-3 business days (standard SA EFT)
- The seller receives an SMS from TradeSafe when the payout lands
Can I get my money back before release?
If the item hasn't shipped yet — yes, raise a dispute or contact the seller to cancel.
If the item has shipped but hasn't arrived — wait for it, then either confirm or dispute.
If it's already been released to the seller — at that point the sale is final. Use the dispute hub only for issues raised before release.