Shoal Buyer Protection

What Shoal Protects You From

🌊

Item Not Received

If your item never arrives or the seller does not ship within their stated handling time you are entitled to a full refund.

🌊

Item Not As Described

If the item you receive is significantly different from how it was described or shown in photos we will refund you in full.

🌊

Unauthorized Transactions

If you notice a charge on your account that you did not authorize contact us immediately and we will investigate and reverse the charge.

🌊

Counterfeit Items

If you receive an item that turns out to be fake or counterfeit we will refund you and remove the seller from our platform.

🌊

Misleading Photos

If the seller used stock photos or photos of a different item than what was sold you are covered for a full refund.

🌊

Seller Disputes

If you and a seller cannot reach an agreement our Shoal team will step in and make a fair decision based on the evidence provided.

How Our Protection Works

1

🌊 You Make a Purchase

Your payment is held securely in escrow. The seller does not receive funds until you confirm delivery and satisfaction.

2

🌊 Item is Shipped

The seller ships your item and provides tracking information. You can monitor delivery status in your dashboard.

3

? You Confirm Receipt

When your item arrives inspect it carefully. If everything is as described confirm delivery in your dashboard to release payment to the seller.

4

🏖 Problem? Open a Dispute

If something is wrong do not confirm delivery. Open a dispute within 3 days of delivery and our team will help resolve it.

5

🌊 Get Your Refund

If your dispute is approved your full refund is processed within 3 to 5 business days back to your original payment method.

Important Timeframes

Open a dispute

Within 3 days of delivery

Seller response time

Up to 3 business days

Shoal review decision

Within 2 business days

Refund processing

3 to 5 business days

Maximum claim amount

Full purchase price including shipping

Protection window

30 days from order date

What Is Not Covered

Buyer's remorse - changed your mind after purchase
Items collected in person - once you accept an item in a local pickup the sale is final
Digital goods - downloadable files and digital products once delivered
Vehicles and real estate - these categories have separate terms
Transactions made outside of Shoal - we cannot protect payments made directly to sellers outside our platform
Claims made after 30 days - disputes must be opened within 30 days of the order date

🌊 Pro Tip: Always communicate with sellers through Shoal Marketplace messages. Transactions and conversations outside our platform are not covered by Buyer Protection.

How to Open a Dispute

1

Go to Your Orders

Log in to your Shoal account and go to Dashboard then Orders. Find the order you have a problem with.

Go to Dashboard

2

Click Open Dispute

Click the Open Dispute button next to the order. Describe the problem clearly and attach photos if possible.

3

We Handle the Rest

Our team reviews both sides within 2 business days and contacts you with a resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once your dispute is approved refunds are processed within 3 to 5 business days. The time it takes to appear in your account depends on your bank but is usually within 5 to 7 business days total.

Unfortunately buyer protection does not cover change of mind purchases. However you are welcome to message the seller directly to see if they will accept a return. Some sellers do offer returns at their own discretion.

If a seller does not respond to your messages within 48 hours you can escalate to our support team. If they do not respond to a dispute within 3 business days we will automatically rule in your favour.

Vehicles motorcycles and boats have a separate Shoal Vehicle Protection policy. Please review those terms before purchasing a vehicle on our platform.

Damaged items are covered under our Item Not As Described protection. Take photos of the damage and the packaging immediately and open a dispute within 3 days of receiving the item.

Once you accept an item in person the sale is considered complete and is not eligible for a dispute. We recommend thoroughly inspecting items before accepting any local pickup purchase.

When you pay on Shoal your money is held securely by our payment processor Stripe. The seller only receives payment after you confirm delivery. This protects both buyers and sellers.

No. Opening a dispute on Shoal is completely free. We are here to make sure every transaction is fair.