Cork, Ireland & Essex, UK, 04 Feb 2025 — Hiring a tradesperson should be easy. Find someone reputable, agree on what needs to be done, get to work and complete the project. For homeowners, it’s not that straightforward. Usually, there’s a lot more worry and anxiety between those steps. Stories of rogue builders, unfinished jobs or bad quality work are common, and have made homeowners cautious. These issues also affect tradespeople, who feel their business suffers due to the growing mistrust with the industry.

“There is a lot of anxiety out there when it comes to hiring tradespeople,” says Bradley Jarvis, CEO of BookaBuilderUK, a digital platform for connecting homeowners and tradespeople. “Even if someone is recommended, homeowners can still be concerned that they will be left out of pocket due to improper practices, builders taking shortcuts or the job being unfinished. What we want to do is eliminate the threat of cowboy builders whilst protecting genuine tradespeople and ensuring they get paid in full, on time.”

Despite various tips for spotting rogue builders, Bradley sees that homeowners are often uncomfortable handing over cash and recognises the need for a better, more secure payment option for both homeowners and tradespeople.

To address this gap, BookaBuilderUK has partnered with Escrowa, a leading secure transaction platform, to launch SafePay, a payment solution designed to protect both parties.

SafePay integrates Escrowa’s payment technology to protect both homeowners and tradespeople, ensuring funds are securely held until both parties are satisfied with the outcome of the job. SafePay reduces the risk of fraud or disputes, protecting all parties during transactions.

 “At Escrowa, our mission is to make transactions safer and more transparent for everyone involved,” says Conor Lyden, CEO of Escrowa. “By powering SafePay for BookaBuilderUK, we are offering their users a trusted, secure payment solution that ensures confidence and transparency for both homeowners and professionals, with payments held safely until project completion.”

The partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of online payments for the UK’s construction sector, providing a solution that simplifies payments while maintaining a high level of security. SafePay also reinforces BookaBuilderUK’s mission to create safer and more efficient transactions, helping tradespeople focus on delivering quality work without worrying about payment issues. 

“At BookaBuilderUK, we know that trust is the foundation of any successful project, and payment security is a crucial part of that trust. SafePay isn’t just about seamless transactions; it’s about peace of mind. We’re ensuring that everyone can focus on getting the job done to the highest standard, without worry,” says Bradley. “We’re proud to launch SafePay, knowing it will build confidence and protect our community.”

The SafePay solution is now available on BookaBuilderUK.

Fighting chargebacks can often feel like a losing battle. On average, businesses win just 18% of disputed cases, and the process can drain resources that could be better spent growing the business. But this is where Escrowa can help.

How Escrowa Protects You

Escrowa began with a mission to protect users when transacting with strangers, and it has since evolved into a comprehensive end-to-end solution covering payment, fulfilment and support. Central to this is our dedicated fraud team, which actively fights disputes on behalf of our marketplace and e-commerce partners.

So, how do we do it?

1. Proactive Prevention
   Using a blend of software and manual reviews, we screen transactions to detect risks before they escalate. High-risk payments are flagged or blocked immediately, while medium-risk ones undergo manual review.
2. Seamless Resolution
   If a chargeback is initiated, our team takes over. Leveraging advanced tools and years of expertise, we collect the necessary evidence and handle the process on your behalf. As part of our commitment to protecting our partners, we successfully recover two-thirds of all chargebacks generated on our partners’ platforms.
3. Reduced Liability
   Escrowa serves as the Merchant of Record, meaning we take on the responsibility for disputes and chargebacks, sparing you the operational and re burden.

By combining technology with an expert team, we not only protect your transactions but also provide peace of mind, allowing you to focus on scaling your business. 

If you feel your marketplace or e-commerce site could benefit from Escrowa’s transactional solution, reach out to speak to a member of the team.

Opportunities

The biggest draw to adding transactions to a marketplace is the ability to unlock new revenue streams. By facilitating transactions directly on your marketplace, you create a more valuable and convenient experience for your users. This can also differentiate your platform from competitors, helping you stay ahead.

Challenges

Introducing transactions is not like flipping a switch – rather, it’s a complex process that requires careful planning and execution, especially if you plan to develop it in-house.

Many marketplace owners underestimate the effort required to go transactional. Often, they think it’s easy to build internally, but quickly realise the process is very complex and resource intensive. When you take on this project alone, you take on full development, financial, and legal responsibility. On top of that, getting a solution to go live can take up to a year and involve significant investments in both personnel and technical development. 

If you choose to develop in-house, here is an idea of what your to-do list might look like within the build phase:

• Integrate secure payment solutions
• Build out payment page
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Build systems to manage disputes and fraud
• Decide on customer support process
• Manage funds and financial risk
• Hire and train ops and support teams

Though some people enjoy taking on big projects internally and like to be in full control, it can become overwhelming — and expensive — very fast. In fact, many ventures fail due to complexity, even when tackled by experienced teams. And if the project does make it to completion, it requires several resource intensive management of ongoing tasks like legal and compliance, customer support, and the inevitable chargebacks.

But There is an Easier Way!

The good news is, you don’t have to tackle the complexities of building a transactional marketplace alone. There’s a faster, more affordable, and less risky way to get started: Escrowa, the all-in-one transaction platform that integrates payment, support, and fulfilment into your marketplace. 

Why Escrowa is the Smarter Choice

Faster Time to Market: With Escrowa, you can get your marketplace transactional quickly. For simple use cases, our plug-ins can get your marketplace up and running within days. For more complex needs, we offer custom integrations that can take approximately 8 weeks (much faster than the year or so it could take to build such a system from scratch).

End-to-End Support: Whether you choose a plug-in or a custom solution, Escrowa’s team of experts will guide you every step of the way. We handle the technical details, provide ongoing support, and even take on the legal and financial responsibilities tied to transactions. This means you can focus on growing your business while we manage the tricky stuff.

Buyer Protection: To keep your marketplace, buyers, and sellers safe, payment from a buyer is held in a Escrowa Vault. Payment is held here until the buyer receives the goods and the complaint period passes. At this time, payment will be passed to the seller.

Dispute Resolution: Escrowa’s 24/7 support team is on-hand to investigate and resolve any disputes on your behalf.

Detect Fraud: Automated fraud detection and expert review prevent suspicious transactions from taking place on your marketplace, keeping your buyers and sellers safe, and building trust.

Fight Chargebacks: Escrowa’s experts minimise chargebacks with effective prevention and resolution.

Collect Insights: Understand customer behaviour and spot inefficiencies throughout transactions.

Integrated Postage: Escrowa easily integrates flat-rate shipping from top couriers into your platform.

Flexible Transfers: Support for digital asset transfers (such as domain names) and shipped items with tracking.

To Sum It Up

While building an in-house solution comes with complexity, time, and risk, partnering with Escrowa offers a streamlined alternative. With fast integration, and comprehensive support (and did we mention zero-upfront costs?), Escrowa enables you to focus on growing your marketplace and strengthening user experience, without the hassle.

Contact us to get started.

Running an eCommerce business? We also have a solution for you! Learn more here or contact our team. 

That’s why we offer a specialised service for transactions over €5,000 or $5,000 (or equivalent amount in other accepted currencies), offering one-to-one assistance and reduced fees to provide peace of mind for all parties involved. With Escrowa, you can confidently transact large amounts, knowing your money is protected every step of the way.

What does this mean?

• Ongoing support:  For transactions of this amount, you’ll be matched with a dedicated Account Manager who will discuss the process with you and guide you through it. Our team is here to assist you every step of the way and they will work to ensure the transaction is completed efficiently.
• Reduced fees: For transactions above €5,000, we offer a discounted fee structure. Pricing starts at 1.5%, falling to as low as 0.5% for larger transactions.
• Flexible payment options: You can decide how the payment fees for your transaction will be covered, whether it’s paid by the seller, the buyer or divided. You can discuss this with your Account Manager before the transaction takes place.
• Fight Chargebacks: Our team takes the stress, financial risk, and administrative burden of handling chargebacks off your shoulders. By working with Escrowa’s dedicated representative to manage your transaction from start to finish, you minimise the risk of chargebacks. If chargebacks do arise, we’ll step in and advocate on your behalf.

What makes Escrowa so safe?

• Buyer and Seller Protection: Escrowa’s escrow-style model means that once the buyer send the funds, they are held in a secure hold until goods are received. Once this has occurred and they are satisfied, the funds will be released to the seller. 
• Stripe partnership: Our transactions are processed via Stripe, of which we are a verified partner, so you can depend on utmost security. Your Account Manager will set up a Stripe account on your behalf to facilitate this transaction.

What else should I know?

The maximum amount of time money can be held in the secure hold is 90 days in Europe & 2 years in the US. Please ensure that this is enough time for the transaction to take place.

How to get started

Please contact us and let us know necessary details. You will then be connected with one of our Account Managers, who will reach out to gather more information. From there, you can finalise payment options and fees and begin the transaction with full support from Escrowa at every step.

The Escrowa Advantage: End-to-End Transaction Management

Escrowa follows each transaction through every stage, from the initial onboarding to final delivery. Our platform manages:

• Onboarding and Verification: We onboard users and verify identities to ensure a secure environment from the start.
• Fraud Prevention: With advanced tools and an expert team, we aim to detect and prevent fraud before it happens.
• Shipping Integration and Fulfilment: Escrowa integrates with shipping services, tracking the fulfilment process to ensure delivery.
• Dispute Resolution and Reporting: We handle disputes, chargebacks, and even compliance with local regulations, freeing marketplaces from the operational and legal complexities that come with running transactions.

Key Differentiators

• Merchant of Record: Escrowa acts as the merchant of record for our partners. This means we take on the responsibility for disputes, chargebacks, and compliance. Unlike traditional payment processors, we don’t just handle the money, but manage the entire transaction, simplifying complex operational tasks for marketplaces – as this can get complicated quickly! 
• Buyer Protection: Security is at the heart of Escrowa’s process. We hold funds until both buyer and seller are satisfied with the transaction, providing a layer of protection that traditional payment processors can’t match. By ensuring that payments are only released after successful fulfilment, we offer a much safer and more reliable transaction experience.

More than a Payment Processor

With Escrowa, you get more than just a payment processor—you get a partner that handles the entire transaction process. Our comprehensive features, hands-on customer support, and end-to-end management allow your marketplace or e-commerce platform to become transactional quickly and efficiently. This means less time worrying about operations and more time focusing on growing your business.

Get in touch with us to learn more!

Eoin’s role will focus on expanding Escrowa’s presence in the motor industry, tailoring its innovative transaction solutions to meet the needs of marketplaces, dealerships, and OEMs. This comes as more car buyers (almost 30%) show interest in completing their purchases entirely online, with a further 23% preferring a mix of online convenience and physical touchpoints like test drives.

Commenting on his appointment, Eoin said: “The rise of online car purchasing offers unparalleled convenience and choice, but it also presents challenges for buyers and sellers, particularly around secure payments and deposits. Escrowa’s ability to facilitate these transactions securely not only builds trust but also delivers better-qualified leads for dealerships, offering real value in today’s digital-first automotive market.”

Escrowa CEO Conor Lyden shared his enthusiasm for Eoin’s appointment, saying, “Eoin’s insight and expertise in the motor industry are invaluable as we deepen our engagement with motor marketplaces, OEMs and dealerships. His background and industry knowledge will drive Escrowa’s mission to provide secure, trusted transactions across this sector, addressing critical pain points for our motor partners and their customers.”

Escrowa’s entrance into the motor industry marks a significant step forward for the company, as it continues to solve critical challenges associated with high-value transactions. The company’s mission to enable trusted transactions and deposit systems for marketplaces, dealerships and OEMs aligns perfectly with the needs of today’s evolving motor industry. Through an innovative solution, Escrowa is set to transform the online vehicle purchasing experience for marketplaces, sellers, and buyers alike.

Learn more about how Escrowa benefits the motor industry here.

Koliko dugo imam vremena poslati predmet nakon što ga je Kupac platio?

Nakon što Kupac uspješno izvrši plaćanje, imate 4 dana (96 sati) da pošaljete paket na određeno mjesto za isporuku. Ako vam je potrebno više vremena od predviđenog, molimo kontaktirajte podršku na support@escrowa.com

Što ako više ne želim poslati predmet?

Ako odlučite ne poslati predmet iz bilo kojeg razloga, možete otkazati transakciju izravno sa stranice s popisa na svom profilu. U tom slučaju kupac će dobiti puni povrat novca.

Ne mogu isprintati etiketu za dostavu, što mogu učiniti?

Isprintanje etikete za dostavu nije nužno. Možete je skenirati izravno s vašeg telefona.

Kako se potvrđuje dostava?

Potvrda dostave automatski se događa kada Kupac preuzme predmet s određenog mjesta za preuzimanje. Ova potvrda pokreće 24-satni rok za prigovor. Ako Kupac ne podnese prigovor, sredstva će biti prenesena na vaš bankovni račun na kraju ovog razdoblja, pod uvjetom da je vaš Escrowa račun potpun i verificiran.

Što se događa ako Kupac podnese prigovor?

Ako Kupac podnese prigovor, transakcija će biti zamrznuta, a Escrowa će pokrenuti istragu. Vaše plaćanje sigurno će se zadržati u Escrowa Hold pretincu dok se istraga ne dovrši. Bit ćete obaviješteni e-poštom da je podnesen prigovor.

Escrowa će pregledati prigovor kako bi utvrdio njegovu valjanost. Valjani razlozi prigovora uključuju:

• Predmet nikada nije bio primljen od strane Kupca.
• Predmet je potvrđen kao oštećen tijekom dostave od strane Hrvatske Pošte.
• Primljeni predmet znatno se razlikuje od opisa i detalja na popisu.

Tijekom istrage Escrowa može zatražiti dokaze od obje strane. Informacije koje pruži Hrvatska Pošta smatrat će se točnima, osim ako dostavljeni dokazi ne sugeriraju drugačije. Escrowa će donijeti konačnu odluku na temelju dokaza i obavijestiti obje strane putem e-pošte.

Kako sam zaštićen od prijevara s prigovorima?

Ovdje smo da vas podržimo ako zahtjev za povrat novca Kupca izgleda neosnovano. Situacije u kojima Kupac neće imati pravo na povrat uključuju:

• Neprijavljivanje problema unutar roka za prigovor ili nepoštivanje postupka prigovora.
• Predmet nije znatno drugačiji od opisa predmeta.
• Predmet je diran, korišten, nošen, opran ili izmijenjen od strane Kupca.
• Kupac je eksplicitno potvrdio zadovoljstvo prije podnošenja prigovora.
• Nedostatni dokazi koje je pružio Kupac kako bi podržao svoj prigovor.
• Zloupotreba ili zlouporaba platforme od strane Kupca.

Iako nije obavezno, preporučujemo da fotografirate ili snimite videozapise ambalaže predmeta radi dodatne sigurnosti.

Koliko dugo će mi trebati da primim plaćanje?

Vaša sredstva bit će puštena nakon što istekne rok za prigovor. Vrijeme potrebno da novac stigne na vaš bankovni račun varira od banke do banke, ali obično traje 2-3 radna dana.

Što trebam učiniti da bih primio plaćanje?

Jednostavno se registrirajte s Escrowaom koristeći “Registrirajte se s Escrowaom” gumb dostupan na vašem profilu i ispuniti sve potrebne informacije u odjeljku ‘Moj profil’.
Morate pružiti potrebne osobne podatke (ime, datum rođenja, telefon i adresa) i vašu željenu metodu isplate. Escrowa također može zahtijevati identifikacijske dokumente za dodatnu provjeru u nekim slučajevima. Ako su identifikacijski dokumenti potrebni za verifikaciju vašeg računa, to će biti naznačeno na stranici Identifikacijski dokument vašeg profila, s opcijom za izravno učitavanje vašeg dokumenta na vaš profil.

Zašto Escrowa treba informacije o meni?

Da bi pružio najbolju uslugu plaćanja, Escrowa je verificirani partner tvrtke Stripe, vodeće tehnološke tvrtke za plaćanje. Stripe je reguliran u Europi od strane Centralne banke Irske i Ureda za financijsku kontrolu Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva.

Stripe ima obvezu provođenja zahtjeva “Upoznaj svog klijenta” (KYC) za plaćanja koje ih obavezuje prikupljanju i održavanju informacija o svim korisnicima računa Stripe i Escrowa. Ovi zahtjevi dolaze od njihovih regulatora i namijenjeni su sprječavanju zlouporabe financijskog sustava. Iz tog razloga, informacije koje pružate provjeravaju se radi potvrde vašeg identiteta prije vršenja bilo kakvih plaćanja na vaš račun. Za više informacija, provjerite Pravila o privatnosti Stripea.

Pitanja kupca

Što ako Prodavač nikada ne pošalje predmet koji sam platio?

Ako Prodavač odluči ne poslati predmet iz bilo kojeg razloga, može otkazati transakciju s stranice transakcija na svom profilu. Ako Prodavač ne otkaže, mi ćemo otkazati transakciju u njihovo ime. U svim slučajevima, ako predmet nije poslan, primit ćete puni povrat cijene predmeta, naknade zaštite kupca Escrowaa i troškova dostave.

Kako ću znati da je moj predmet spreman za preuzimanje?

Primit ćete tekstualnu poruku od Hrvatske Pošte na broj telefona naveden u vašim podacima o dostavi na vašem Mojekrpice profilu.

Koliko dugo ću imati vremena da preuzmem svoj predmet?

Imat ćete 5 radnih dana da preuzmete svoj predmet s odabranog mjesta za preuzimanje.

Što se događa ako podnesem prigovor?

Ako podnesete prigovor, transakcija će biti zamrznuta, a Escrowa će provesti istragu. Plaćanje će ostati sigurno u Escrowa Holdu dok se istraga ne dovrši. Valjani razlozi prigovora uključuju:

• Neprijem predmeta.
• Predmet je potvrđen kao oštećen tijekom dostave od Hrvatske Pošte.
• Primljeni predmet znatno se razlikuje od opisa i detalja na popisu.

Tijekom istrage, Escrowa može zatražiti dokaze od obje strane. Informacije koje pruži Hrvatska Pošta smatrat će se točnima, osim ako dostavljeni dokazi ne sugeriraju drugačije. Escrowa će donijeti konačnu odluku na temelju dokaza i obavijestiti obje strane putem e-pošte.

Što je Escrowa?

Escrowa je napredno rješenje za plaćanje koje je osmišljeno kako bi poboljšalo sigurnost plaćanja, pružajući mir uma kako kupcima tako i prodavačima. Escrowa-ova značajka Zaštite kupca štiti kako kupce tako i prodavače osiguravajući sigurna plaćanja, olakšavajući zahtjeve za povrat novca i pružajući pristup korisničkoj podršci, sve dok uživate u praktičnosti naše integrirane, pouzdane i pristupačne usluge dostave. Escrowa također surađuje s Hrvatskom poštom kako bi olakšao slanje prodavačima Mojih Kripca!

4 Jednostavna Koraka za Kupovinu na Mojekrpice s Escrowa-om

1. Odaberite svoj proizvod

Pretražite i odaberite predmet koji želite kupiti, a zatim kliknite gumb “Kupi odmah”.

2. Izvršite plaćanje i odaberite mjesto preuzimanja

Unesite svoje podatke za naplatu i odaberite najbližu lokaciju za preuzimanje.

3. Preuzmite paket

Jednom kada budete obaviješteni o njegovoj dostavi, preuzmite svoj paket iz određenog ormarića za pakete.

4. Provjerite svoju kupnju

Nakon što primite svoj predmet, započet će 24-satni period za pregled, omogućavajući vam da pregledate svoj predmet kako biste osigurali da nije oštećen i da odgovara onome što je oglašeno, prije nego što oslobodite sredstva prodavaču.

Prednosti za Kupce

• Najviša Razina Sigurnosti: Najviša sigurnost: Escrow-stil plaćanja Escrowaa osigurava najviši nivo sigurnosti, štiteći kupce od prevare.

• 100% Zaštita Kupca: Kada plaćate koristeći Escrowa, automatski dobivate Zaštitu kupca. Ovo jamči sigurne transakcije, štiti vas od neprimitka vašeg predmeta, omogućuje vam zahtjev za povrat novca i pruža pristup korisničkoj podršci.

• Smanjenje Rizika: Osiguravanjem da obje strane ispune svoje obveze prije oslobađanja plaćanja, Escrowa smanjuje rizik od financijskog gubitka.

• Uključena Dostava: Jednostavno unesite svoj poštanski broj, a Escrowa će se pobrinuti za ostalo, čineći dostavu bezbrižnom.

• Pristupačna Cijena: Pošaljite bilo gdje u Hrvatskoj po nevjerojatnoj cijeni od samo €2.50.

4 Jednostavna Koraka za Prodaju na Mojekrpice s Escrowa-om

1. Navedite svoj proizvod

Počnite s popisivanjem predmeta koje želite prodati. Unesite svoje podatke i odaberite najbližu lokaciju za dostavu.

2. Kupljeni predmet

Nakon što je vaš proizvod kupljen i zadovoljni ste ponudom, jednostavno preuzmite dostavnu oznaku.

3. Pošaljite paket

Skenirajte poštanski barkod sa svog telefona ili možete samo ispisati naljepnicu (bez naknada jer sve troškove dostave plaća kupac) i ostavite svoj paket u najbližem Paketomatu Hrvatske pošte. Pogledajte slijedeći video za detaljan vodič korak po korak.

4. Zatražite svoje plaćanje

Nakon što je proizvod dostavljen i završen period pregleda, vaše plaćanje će biti oslobođeno. Provjerite jesu li vaši bankovni podaci dodani kako biste primili svoju zaradu, to možete učiniti u bilo koje vrijeme.

Prednosti za Prodavatelje

• Nula Naknada za Prodaju: U zamjenu za potpunu zaštitu kupca, Escrowa-ovo rješenje za plaćanje se oslanja na kupca da plati malu naknadu, što znači da za prodavatelja nema nikakvih naknada.

• Besplatna dostava: Pošaljite bilo gdje u Hrvatskoj besplatno! Sve troškove dostave plaća kupac.

• Uključena dostava: Više nema traženja kurira ili upravljanja detaljima praćenja. Jednostavno unesite svoj poštanski broj, odaberite najbližu lokaciju za isporuku, ispišite svoju dostavnu oznaku i pošaljite.

• Prodajte više: Escrow plaćanja stvaraju sigurno okruženje koje potiče neodlučne kupce da završe svoje kupnje, sprječavajući ih da napuste svoje košarice bez završetka transakcije.

• Otkrivanje prijevara: Naš nadzor nad prijevarama 24/7 osigurava zaštitu od prijevarnih transakcija.
• Posredovanje i rješavanje: Escrowa-ova platforma u stilu escrowa opremljena je za posredovanje i rješavanje bilo kakvih sporova koji mogu nastati tijekom transakcije, osiguravajući pravedno rješenje.