I do not inspect, verify, or guarantee the quality of physical or digital goods. It is the buyer's responsibility to verify the item before confirming the transaction.
Scenario: B(uyer) buys a gold bar from S(eller). B pays to your escrow address, S sends a package, B says he received a brick.
S sends you a video of packing a gold bar. B sends you a video of unpacking a brick. What are you going to do?
If a mutual agreement cannot be reached, I will open a public thread to solicit feedback and guidance from the community to ensure a transparent and fair outcome.
As a (paid) escrow agent, you shouldn't rely on the community to come to a ruling.
Have you read
Best practices for Bitcointalk escrow providers? There are so many pitfalls if you escrow physical items without inspecting them by yourself.
Thank you for the critique, LoyceV.
These are valid points that every serious escrow provider should consider. Let me address them one by one:
1. The 'Gold Bar' Scenario (
Physical Inspection) You are absolutely right: if I do not handle the goods, I cannot verify them. In the scenario you described, my position is that I am a payment escrow, not a
logistics escrow. My role is to hold the funds, not to arbitrate the physical nature of the goods. If I were involved in a dispute where both sides provide conflicting video evidence, I would acknowledge my lack of physical oversight. In such a stalemate, I would likely advise both parties to reach a mutual settlement. If they cannot, I would be forced to return the funds to the buyer (minus fees) if the seller cannot provide irrefutable proof that the correct item was shipped.
I recognize this isn't perfect, which is why I am considering explicit language in my TOS that states: 'Goods are not physically inspected by the escrow, the escrow agent acts only as a neutral vault for payment, and cannot be held liable for the physical quality or contents of the parcel.'
If a mutual agreement cannot be reached, I will open a public thread to solicit feedback and guidance from the community to ensure a transparent and fair outcome.
As a (paid) escrow agent, you shouldn't rely on the community to come to a ruling.
Have you read
Best practices for Bitcointalk escrow providers? There are so many pitfalls if you escrow physical items without inspecting them by yourself.
2. I do not intend to use the community as a crutch for indecision.
My mention of a public middleman service thread was intended as an 'appeals' mechanism or a way to ensure transparency in extreme, unprecedented cases. However, I agree that a professional provider should lead with their own judgment. I will update my protocols to reflect that I am the final decision-maker for all transactions I oversee.
I am familiar with the community-standard best practices, though I acknowledge that there is always room to improve. Your point about the risks of physical items is well-taken. To mitigate this, I am currently reviewing my internal 'rulebook'. I am committed to evolving my process to ensure users are protected to the fullest extent of my capabilities.
