Tradem Protection scheme
Buyers and sellers on Tradem are protected by the Tradem Protection scheme.
If something is bought on Tradem and paid for through our online payment system, then the transaction is covered by this Protection scheme. This means that if a buyer purchases an item and it turns out to be damaged or does not arrive, we may give them their money back up to a value of £100. However, buyers must make sure they contact us in time and give us all the information we need.
Through this scheme sellers are protected against untrue claims and have our support to help settle disagreements.
Below we explain in more detail how this works. Some of the language may be difficult to understand, so ask your responsible adult to read it with you or contact us so we can explain it to you.
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Introduction
The Tradem Protection scheme is meant to protect buyers and sellers when they experience problems with transactions on Tradem. A buyer will get their money back, up to a value of £100, if the item they ordered:
- is faulty, damaged or doesn't match the seller’s description of the item in a significant way (faulty item)
- didn’t arrive (non-delivery)
We expect buyers and sellers to work together to quickly resolve any issues. Normally sellers are keen to solve any problems but if you can't agree on a solution, you can ask us to help by using the ‘contact us’ button.
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Conditions of the Tradem Protection scheme
- By using our website, buyers and sellers allow us to make final decisions about all claims made under the Tradem Protection scheme
- The Tradem Protection scheme is not a product warranty
- In some situations, we may create a case on behalf of the buyer. This may include situations in which a seller is suspended for fraudulent activity
- We reserve the right to fix any processing errors we discover by debiting or crediting the payment method used for the incorrect refund or reimbursement
- Any buyer found to be making false claims will lose the benefit of the Tradem Protection scheme
When is the buyer covered by the Tradem Protection scheme?A buyer is covered against a faulty item or non-delivery when both the following conditions are met:
- Buyer followed the Tradem Protection Scheme timelines
- The purchase was made using the Tradem online payment system
When is the seller covered by the Tradem Protection Scheme?We will normally reclaim the costs of reimbursing a buyer from the seller, debiting their eWallet, or, if they have insufficient funds, debiting or invoicing their responsible adult. We will not reclaim the costs of reimbursement from the seller if the following conditions are met:
- Seller has complied with the Terms and Conditions and the Rules of the marketplace
- The item was dispatched within a reasonable timeframe, was properly packaged and matched the description in the item’s listing at the moment of dispatchment
- The item was sent to the address in the ‘Order Confirmation’
- The seller marked the item as shipped by clicking on the ‘Item posted’ button.
- If applicable, seller agrees that all rights they may have against the delivery service as regards the non-delivery are legally transferred to Tradem.
When is the item not covered by Tradem?- Buyer changes their mind about an item and wants a refund
- Item is sent to a different address from the ‘Order Confirmation’
- Item is visibly damaged at the moment of collection and the buyer accepts it anyway
- Shipment has been arranged by the buyer
- Item is collected by a third party on behalf of the buyer
- Item is not collected by the buyer within 30 days of purchase date
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TimelinesFaulty item
- The buyer has 5 days after items are received and the ‘Item received’ button was selected, to report to the seller that the item they received is faulty, damaged or doesn’t match the description provided by the seller in a significant way. Note that all items have to be collected within 30 days of purchase date.
- If ‘Item received’ has not been selected a report can be raised up to 15 days after the purchase date (date on the order confirmation)
- If the seller does not respond or the response is not satisfactory, the buyer can ask Tradem to step in and help by using the ‘contact us’ button.
Non-delivery- A buyer has 15 days from the purchase date or estimated delivery date, whichever is later, to contact the seller if they haven’t received/were unable to collect an item.
- If the seller does not respond or the response is not satisfactory, the buyer can ask Tradem to step in and help, also through the ‘contact us’ button.
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Returns and reimbursementsFaulty item
The buyer may be asked to return faulty items to the seller unless the seller and Tradem agree that this is not necessary. If a return requires delivery via post, Tradem will reimburse the buyer for the cost of postage for the amount of the original cost of postage as charged by seller. The deal between the buyer and seller is then cancelled automatically. We reserve the right to seek reimbursement from the seller for the costs incurred.
Non-deliveryIf the item was not delivered, we will refund the full cost of the item up to a value of £100 and the original postage to the buyer via their eWallet. In case of a non-delivery where the item gets delivered at a later stage, the buyer is required to notify Tradem at once and inform whether they would like to keep the item, and pay for it, or return it and keep their reimbursement.
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Documents the buyer and seller should keep
If the buyer claims that an item is faulty, they will have to provide Tradem with all relevant information regarding their claim, including photos of the faulty item and the packaging.
If the buyer reports an incident, the seller will need to provide Tradem with all relevant information regarding the transaction. This could include the following documents:
- Evidence of proof of postage - for example a tracking reference number
- Evidence of delivery - for example a signed receipt/invoice
- Evidence that the item was packaged correctly – this might be through photos of the packaging around the item when posted
- Photos of the item, including any faults, scratches, holes etc.
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What happens when Tradem is asked to step in?
If asked to help, we will review information from both the buyer and seller. We may ask for additional information to decide on the claim. We will let both buyers and sellers know what we decide as soon as possible, and will explain any further steps that may be taken.
By listing an item in their shop on the Tradem website, the seller accepts Tradem's final decision as regards the validity of a claim by the buyer of the item under the Tradem Protection scheme. If the seller disagrees with a buyer’s claim, they need to provide Tradem with any relevant information regarding the claim, such as proof of dispatchment or photos. If they cannot provide sufficient information, Tradem may decide to uphold the buyer’s claim under this Protection scheme.
Returning an item to the seller in case of a faulty item via post
We recommend using a tracked or signed for delivery option. For items being returned with a total cost of £250 or more, a signature confirmation is required.- The buyer needs to ensure:
- the item is packaged appropriately (using where possible the original packaging)
- that there is proof of postage or tracking reference number
- making sure all accessories and parts are included
Buyers are responsible for any loss in value of the item so make sure you package them up securely and make photos to prove you did so. The seller is required to accept the return at the address that is registered with Tradem.
Fake itemsIf a buyer reports that an item is fake or counterfeit and there are strong indicators that this is true, Tradem does not require them to return the item to the seller. The buyer will need to agree to cooperate with us to ensure the proper disposal of the item. In such cases, the buyer will be reimbursed for the full cost of the item and original postage. The buyer may not sell the item on Tradem or anyway else.
Latest estimated delivery/collection dateWhen we have no information about the actual delivery date and need to make a decision, we will use the latest estimated delivery date (as per the tracking information). When we have no estimated delivery information, we consider the latest estimated delivery date to be 15 days from the purchase date (date on the order confirmation).
Extended timelines for the Tradem Protection schemeIn some limited situations and within reasonable grounds, we may extend the period of time in which a buyer can raise a report. This extra time allows us to take into consideration significant national events e.g. Christmas, or delays due to circumstances such a natural disaster, national emergency, labour strike, or governmental act or other instances such as fraud. We will always notify both the buyer and the seller if we allow extra time.
AppealsWe give both buyers and sellers the opportunity to appeal any decision we make about an issue. They should raise an appeal within 5 days of our decision. Those appealing the decision should provide appropriate documentation. We reserve the right to seek reimbursement from the seller if a buyer successfully appeals.