Trading Guide

Mars Market Escrow System Guide 2025 - Secure Your Transactions

Last updated: November 2025 | Reading time: 7 minutes

What is Escrow?

Escrow is a financial arrangement where a third party holds and regulates payment of funds required for two parties involved in a transaction. On Mars Market, the escrow system protects both buyers and vendors by holding payment until the buyer confirms satisfactory receipt of their order.

Without escrow, buyers would have to trust vendors completely—sending payment with no guarantee of receiving their order. Escrow eliminates this risk by ensuring vendors only receive payment when the transaction is completed successfully.

How Mars Market Escrow Works

The Mars Market escrow system follows this flow:

Buyer Places Order

When you place an order, funds are transferred from your Mars Market wallet to the escrow system. The vendor is notified of the new order but cannot access the funds yet.

Vendor Ships Order

The vendor prepares and ships your order. They may mark the order as "shipped" in the system. Funds remain in escrow during shipping.

Buyer Receives Order

You receive and verify your order. Check that the product matches the listing description in terms of quantity and quality.

Buyer Finalizes

Once satisfied, you finalize the order. This releases the escrowed funds to the vendor and allows you to leave feedback.

The Complete Order Process

Making a Purchase

  1. Find the product you want to purchase
  2. Review the vendor's profile, feedback, and terms
  3. Add the item to your cart or click "Buy Now"
  4. Encrypt your shipping address with the vendor's PGP key
  5. Submit your order—funds move to escrow

Order Statuses

Status Meaning Action Required
Pending Order placed, awaiting vendor acceptance Wait for vendor
Accepted Vendor has accepted the order Wait for shipping
Shipped Vendor has shipped the order Wait for delivery
Delivered Estimated delivery time passed Finalize or dispute
Finalized Transaction complete Leave feedback
Disputed Issue raised, under review Provide evidence

Order Finalization

Finalization releases escrowed funds to the vendor. This is a critical step that should only be taken after you've received and verified your order.

❌
NEVER Finalize Early! Once you finalize, you lose all buyer protection. No refund is possible after finalization. Legitimate vendors do not require early finalization.

When to Finalize

  • You have physically received the order
  • You have verified the contents match the listing
  • Quality and quantity meet expectations
  • You are satisfied with the transaction

Auto-Finalization

Mars Market has an auto-finalization period. If you don't finalize or open a dispute within a certain timeframe after delivery, the order will auto-finalize. This protects vendors from buyers who receive their order but never finalize. The typical auto-finalization window is 14 days after marked as shipped.

Dispute Resolution

If something goes wrong with your order, you can open a dispute to have a marketplace moderator review the situation.

Valid Reasons for Disputes

  • Order never arrived (after reasonable waiting period)
  • Product significantly different from listing
  • Quantity received less than ordered
  • Quality issues not disclosed in listing
  • Damaged products (if not due to shipping)

How to Open a Dispute

  1. Navigate to your order in your account
  2. Click "Open Dispute" or "Report Issue"
  3. Select the reason for your dispute
  4. Provide a detailed explanation of the problem
  5. Include any evidence (photos, screenshots, communications)
  6. Submit the dispute

The Dispute Process

  1. Dispute is opened - both parties notified
  2. Vendor has opportunity to respond
  3. Moderator reviews evidence from both sides
  4. Moderator makes a decision
  5. Funds released according to decision (full refund, partial, or to vendor)

Dispute Tips

  • Be factual and avoid emotional language
  • Provide evidence when possible
  • Keep all communication within the platform
  • Respond promptly to moderator requests
  • Be honest—false disputes will damage your account standing

Escrow Best Practices

  • Check vendor reputation: Review feedback before ordering
  • Read listing carefully: Understand exactly what you're ordering
  • Encrypt shipping info: Always use PGP for addresses
  • Track your orders: Monitor status regularly
  • Allow sufficient time: Shipping can be unpredictable
  • Don't finalize early: Never release funds before receiving order
  • Document everything: Save communications and evidence
  • Leave honest feedback: Help other buyers make informed decisions

Escrow Frequently Asked Questions

Legitimate vendors never require early finalization. If a vendor pressures you to finalize before receiving your order, this is a major red flag. Do not comply - report such behavior to marketplace moderators. Once you finalize, your buyer protection is gone.

Wait times depend on shipping method and location. Domestic orders typically arrive within 7-14 days. International orders may take 2-4 weeks or more. Check the vendor's stated shipping times and add a buffer. If significantly past expected delivery with no communication, open a dispute before auto-finalization occurs.

Order cancellation depends on the order status. If the vendor hasn't accepted or shipped yet, cancellation may be possible. Contact the vendor first. If they've already shipped, you'll need to wait for delivery and then request a refund if needed. Check Mars Market's specific cancellation policies.

If a vendor becomes unresponsive after accepting your order, wait a reasonable time then open a dispute. Moderators will review the situation. If the vendor has abandoned the platform or your order, you should receive a full refund from escrow.

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