Buyer checks out, funds go to escrow
The moment an order is placed, payment is captured and held by Relio — it does not go to the seller yet. The listing is reserved so it can't be double-sold while the order is in progress.
Relio Safety
How Relio Safety works
Relio holds a buyer's payment in escrow the moment checkout completes, and releases it to the seller only after the buyer confirms the item arrived as described. If a dispute drags on, a 7-day automatic refund backstop means no one can hold a payment hostage by going silent.
Last updated July 2026
Seller ships, buyer confirms receipt
Once the seller marks the order shipped and the buyer confirms it arrived as described, the held funds are released and the seller is paid out.
If something's wrong, either side can open a dispute
Item not as described, damaged, or never arrived — a dispute pauses the payout and gives both sides a structured way to resolve it, instead of a shouting match in the chat.
The 7-day automatic refund backstop
This is the detail most classifieds don't have. If a return sits unresolved for 7 days — say, a seller stops responding — Relio automatically refunds the buyer. No seller can hold a refund hostage by going quiet.
Where Relio is today: the escrow workflow above — reservation, holding, dispute handling, the automatic refund backstop — is fully built and running. Relio is in private early access; live third-party payment processing is being finalized ahead of a wider public launch.
Frequently Asked
Trust & escrow, answered
When does the seller actually get paid?
Only after the buyer confirms the item arrived as described. Until then, the payment is held by Relio, not released to the seller.
What happens if a buyer or seller disappears mid-dispute?
If a return sits unresolved for 7 days, Relio automatically refunds the buyer. No seller can hold a refund hostage by going silent.
Can someone list anonymously on Relio?
No. Every account signs in through verified authentication — email, Google, or Apple — before it can list or buy.
Does Relio process real payments today?
Relio is in private early access and the escrow workflow described above is fully built. Live third-party payment processing is being finalized ahead of public launch.