Buyer Protection

1. What Is Buyer Protection?

HSC Buyer Protection is our guarantee that when you pay through HSC, you receive what you paid for — or you get your money back. We hold funds in escrow until you confirm receipt and satisfaction. If something goes wrong, we step in to resolve it fairly.

2. What Is Covered

Buyer Protection applies when:

• Item not received — The seller does not dispatch within the stated timeframe, or your item never arrives and tracking shows no delivery.
• Significantly not as described — The item arrives materially different from the listing. For example: wrong model, undisclosed damage, counterfeit goods, or missing components that were listed as included.
• Damaged in transit — The item arrives visibly damaged due to inadequate packaging by the seller.
• Digital goods not delivered — A digital purchase never provided download access, or the file was corrupted and the seller fails to provide a working replacement.
• Services not rendered — A service was paid for through HSC but not delivered with no valid reason.

3. What Is Not Covered

• Change of mind — You no longer want the item after purchase (unless the seller has a stated returns policy).
• Digital goods after download — Once a digital file has been successfully downloaded and accessed, refunds are not available unless the file is demonstrably faulty or not as described.
• Off-platform transactions — Any transaction conducted outside HSC's checkout (cash, direct bank transfer, PayPal, etc.).
• Property transactions — HSC is an advertising platform for property; actual property transactions occur outside HSC and are not covered.
• Vehicle transactions — Due to the nature of used vehicle sales, Buyer Protection covers only scenarios where a vehicle was advertised with false information about its identity (wrong VIN, clocked mileage, undisclosed write-off status). General mechanical issues discovered after a test drive are not covered.
• Customs fees — Import duties or taxes are the buyer's responsibility.
• Courier delays outside seller control — Delays caused by the courier, weather events, or customs holdups, provided the seller dispatched on time.

4. How to Open a Dispute

1. Contact the seller first. Before opening a formal dispute, message the seller through HSC's messaging system. Most issues are resolved directly. Give the seller at least 48 hours to respond.
2. Open a dispute via your order. If the seller does not resolve the issue within 48 hours, go to Dashboard → Orders, select the order, and click "Open Dispute".
3. Provide evidence. Upload photos, screenshots of the listing, tracking information, and any relevant messages. The more evidence you provide, the faster we can resolve it.
4. HSC reviews the case. Our team reviews the dispute within 3 business days. We may contact both parties for additional information.
5. Resolution. If your dispute is upheld, a full or partial refund is issued to your original payment method within 5–10 business days. Funds held in escrow are released to the buyer; if already released, HSC recovers from the seller's wallet.

5. Dispute Timeframes

Disputes must be opened within the following timeframes after confirmed delivery (or last estimated delivery date if no tracking exists):

6. Your Statutory Rights

Nothing in this Buyer Protection policy limits your statutory rights under UK law. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to a refund, repair, or replacement for goods that are faulty, not as described, or not fit for purpose. Buyer Protection exists in addition to these rights, not instead of them.

For distance selling (online purchases), you also have the right to cancel most orders within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, unless the item is a custom/personalised good or digital content that has already been downloaded with your consent.

7. Contact

For buyer protection queries, contact support@hscmarket.com or visit our Help Centre.