Buyer Protection

Buyer Protection is the marketplace process for an order paid through Diecast Markets checkout. It has two parts: the seller payout is held after payment, and a buyer can open a dispute on the order for review. It is not insurance and it does not replace your statutory rights. The version accepted at checkout is stored on your order and governs that order.

What is covered

• Item not received — the order was paid and the item never arrived.
• Wrong item — you received a different item than the one listed.
• Material mismatch with the listing — the item differs from the title, description, condition, or photos in a way that matters (for example a different casting, colour, wheel variant, or series).
• Undisclosed damage or condition issue — material damage, missing parts, repaint, or repackaging that the listing did not disclose, or transit damage.
• Counterfeit concerns — the item appears not to be genuine, or a custom was represented as factory or manufacturer-authorized.

Sold As-Is listings

An item marked As-Is is sold in the current condition the seller disclosed before checkout. The listing must identify known issues and show condition evidence, and the buyer must acknowledge that disclosure before paying. As-Is does not excuse a false or misleading description, an undisclosed material defect the seller knew about, counterfeit or stolen goods, non-delivery, or a right that applicable law does not allow to be waived.

If an As-Is order is disputed, we compare the delivered item with the condition, description, known-issue checklist, and condition photos stored on the order at checkout.

Eligibility

• The order was paid through Diecast Markets checkout with Stripe. Off-platform payments are not covered.
• The dispute is opened by the buyer on the order while its status is one of: awaiting_shipment, paid, shipped, delivered, buyer_protection_window, payout_eligible.
• You report the problem in good faith and cooperate with the review.

The payment record stores a 14-day timestamp from payment. The dispute system does not currently refuse a report only because that timestamp has passed; eligibility follows order status. We do not publish a cutoff the system does not enforce. If that changes, this policy will get a new version.

What is not covered

• Change of mind, or an item that matches the listing but you no longer want, unless applicable Canadian consumer law gives you a non-waivable cancellation or other remedy. A seller may also voluntarily agree to a return; see Returns & Refunds.
• Damage or loss after delivery was confirmed by you.
• Minor variation that a reasonable collector would expect from the stated condition, or that the listing disclosed.
• Claims the evidence shows are false, or that are part of a pattern of abuse.
• Anything paid or arranged outside the marketplace.

How the payout hold works today

After payment is recorded, the seller payout is held. The first release estimate is 14 days after payment. The seller ship target is 3 business days. When the seller marks the order shipped and adds tracking, the release estimate moves to 7 days after that shipment. When you confirm receipt, it moves to 3 days after that confirmation. An open dispute, refund, or chargeback blocks release until it is resolved.

How to open a dispute and what to provide

1. Open the order in your account and choose the dispute option. Pick the reason that fits.
2. Describe the problem in your own words. Add photos of the item, the packaging, and any labels. For a not-received claim, note the tracking status you see.
3. Keep the item, packaging, and any inserts until the dispute closes. Do not alter the item.
4. Reply in the order thread if the seller or Diecast Markets asks a question.

Review and outcomes

The seller is notified and can respond with tracking, photos, and their account of events. Diecast Markets reviews the listing and condition snapshot stored on the order, including condition evidence and any As-Is acknowledgement, the messages, the tracking, and the evidence from both sides. An outcome can be a full refund, a partial refund, a return followed by a refund, release of the payout to the seller, or a continued hold while more information is gathered. No outcome is guaranteed before review. Refunds go to the original payment method through Stripe and reduce or reverse the seller payout; details are in Payments & Seller Payouts.

Seller responsibilities

• List accurately and disclose condition issues before sale.
• Ship within the ship target with tracking and pack the item to survive transit.
• Respond to a dispute and provide a return address when a return is the agreed step.
• Accept that a refund can reduce or reverse the payout, and that a refund after payout may be recovered.

Buyer responsibilities

• Give a correct shipping address before paying.
• Report a problem honestly and promptly, with evidence.
• Return the item when a return is required, tracked, to the address provided.
• Do not open a card chargeback for the same amount you have already been refunded.

Statutory rights

Buyer Protection is an additional marketplace process. It does not replace or shorten a cancellation, refund, repair, replacement, warranty, misrepresentation, or other consumer right that applicable Canadian federal or provincial law makes mandatory.

Chargebacks

A chargeback is a dispute with your bank or card network. It is separate from this process. You may have a right to one under your card agreement. If you open a chargeback, the seller payout is blocked while it is open and Diecast Markets and the seller may submit evidence to Stripe. A marketplace decision does not bind the card network, and a chargeback decision does not end a marketplace dispute. If a chargeback and a marketplace refund both succeed for the same amount, the duplicate will be reversed.

Abuse

False claims, altered evidence, or repeated misuse of this process can result in a closed claim, restriction, or account closure for either party. Statutory rights that cannot be waived remain available even if a marketplace claim is closed.

Questions about an open order can be raised in the dispute thread or with support@diecastmarkets.com.