For Buyers

How to pay for a deal

When a seller shares a Holdy payment link with you, opening it takes you to a secure checkout page. You’ll see:

• The deal title + seller’s name and trust level
• Exact deliverables the seller is committing to
• The price breakdown (item + Holdy protection fee)

Before paying, check:

• Deliverables are specific — “Logo design” is vague; “Logo in SVG + PNG + 3 revisions” is specific. Ask for changes if unclear
• Seller’s trust badge — Verified or Trusted sellers have completed deals successfully in the past
• Deadline — how long the seller has to deliver

Payment methods

Checkout is powered by Stripe and supports cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Available methods depend on your country.

If you have an EU VAT number (business), enter it in the “Add tax ID” field during checkout — reverse charge will be applied.

Chat + delivery window

Once you’ve paid, the deal unlocks:

• Chat opens between you and the seller. Use it to coordinate — all messages are saved as evidence if disputes happen
• Funds are held securely by Stripe (not Holdy, not the seller)
• Seller is notified to start delivery

Keep all communication on Holdy. The chat detects when you try to share off-platform contacts (email, WhatsApp, etc.) and warns you. Off-platform communication cannot be used as dispute evidence.

Waiting for delivery

The seller has until the delivery deadline (shown on the deal page) to submit delivery. If the deadline passes without submission, you can open a dispute.

Confirming delivery

When the seller submits delivery, you’ll get an email + notification. Open the deal page to review:

• Delivery note — text the seller wrote about what’s included
• Uploaded files — downloads with SHA-256 integrity hashes
• Agreed deliverables — the list from when the deal was created

You have 7 days to act

1. Confirm delivery — if everything matches, click “Confirm delivery & release payment”. Funds go to the seller immediately. This can’t be undone
2. Open a dispute — if something’s missing or wrong. The seller has 48 hours to respond and Holdy reviews
3. Do nothing — after 7 days, funds auto-release to the seller. Avoid this if there’s an issue

When something goes wrong

Two main options depending on the situation:

Request a mutual refund (friendly)

If you and the seller both agree to cancel — maybe you changed your mind, or the seller realized they can’t deliver — open the deal and click “Request mutual refund”. The seller has 48h to accept. If they do, you get a full refund (including the fee) and neither trust score is affected.

Open a formal dispute

If the seller doesn’t deliver, delivers something wrong, or refuses your refund request, open a dispute. You’ll need to:

• Pick a category (not delivered, not as described, partial)
• Provide a specific reason
• Attach screenshots or files as evidence

Holdy reviews the deliverables, delivery proof, chat log, and both sides’ evidence. The seller gets 48 hours to respond. Most disputes are resolved within 3–5 business days.

Outcomes

• Buyer wins — full refund via Stripe (5–10 business days to arrive)
• Seller wins — funds released to seller, deal marked completed
• Mutual resolution — rare, but Holdy can propose this if both sides have merit

Dispute decisions aren’t legally binding — you retain the right to go to court, though that’s almost never needed.