How Escrow Works

Escrow is the layer that makes Seli safe to trade on. Between you paying and the seller being paid, Seli holds the money in a protected account - releasing it automatically 24 hours after delivery confirmation if no dispute is raised.

The four stages

1. Payment
   You pay at checkout. The money moves into escrow and is instantly marked 'protected'.

2. Fulfilment
   The seller prepares your item. They can see the order and your delivery details but cannot touch the funds.

3. Delivery
   A verified Seli Pilot collects and delivers the item. Your payment stays put throughout.

4. Release
   If no dispute is raised, escrow auto-releases the funds to the seller 24 hours after delivery confirmation, and the order completes.

What escrow does for buyers

• Your money is never 'held hostage' by a seller who doesn't deliver.
• Issues are resolved while funds are safely parked.
• Approved refunds draw from the escrow balance, not a seller's goodwill.

What escrow does for sellers

• Buyers trust you because payment is already secured - fewer cancellations.
• Payments are released automatically 24 hours after delivery confirmation if no dispute is raised; no chasing invoices.
• Disputed orders are reviewed on evidence, protecting honest sellers.

When escrow is released automatically

The delivery code confirms the handover. From that moment, a 24-hour protection window runs. If you don't raise a dispute within that window, escrow is automatically released to the seller 24 hours after delivery confirmation - no manual action needed from either side.

Legal basis

Full details of the escrow terms, the 24-hour protection window and claim outcomes are in our Escrow Policy and Terms of Service.