FAQ - MerchPatrol

General Questions

What is MerchPatrol?

MerchPatrol is an iOS application that provides real-time notifications for merchandise restocks and drops from your favorite artists. Additionally, it features a community-driven marketplace where users can buy, sell, and trade physical items like vinyl records, CDs, apparel, and accessories.

Who is responsible for transactions on the platform?

You and your trading partner are solely responsible for all transactions. MerchPatrol never holds or processes secure funds. We simply act as a communication and marketplace venue. The seller is the Merchant of Record, meaning all payments go directly from buyer to seller, and the seller is fully responsible for fulfilling the order.

Trading & Buying

How does the trade process work?

Trading on MerchPatrol is straightforward but relies heavily on mutual financial protection using PayPal Goods & Services (G&S):

Two users agree to trade their items and settle on a fair market value.
Example: If both items are worth roughly $50, both parties should agree that the trade value is $50.
Both users must independently send each other the agreed-upon amount ($50) via PayPal Goods & Services.
Never agree to receive less money than your item’s fair market value. If your item is worth $1,000 but you only receive $50, the other party could fail to deliver their item, effectively leaving you with only $50 for a $1,000 item.

How do I know I actually received a payment?

Always manually verify that funds have appeared in your PayPal account. Do not rely solely on screenshots or emails from the other party, as these can easily be faked or spoofed. Always open the PayPal app or website and confirm the funds are legitimately in your account before shipping your item.

Shipping Items

How do I ship my items?

Once you verify payment in your PayPal account, carefully and securely package your item. Always use shipping services that provide a tracking number. Providing a tracking number is essential for PayPal’s seller protection.

How can I save money on shipping labels?

Don't pay retail prices at the post office! You can use free services like PirateShip or Shippo to purchase discounted USPS or UPS labels from your home or office. Just print the label, securely tape it to your box, and drop it off at the carrier.

Safety & Disputes

What if I traded an item but the other user sent the wrong item or sent nothing?

We built our trading system strictly around PayPal Goods & Services for this exact reason. If your partner scams you (e.g., they didn't ship, they ghosted you, or they sent a faulty item):

Open a dispute immediately with PayPal under their 'Resolution Center'. Provide all screenshots of the Deal Room chat, tracking numbers, and proof of the agreement.
Because you both sent equal fair market value via PayPal G&S, PayPal's Buyer Protection can recover the funds you initially sent to the scammer.

How do I handle disputes on MerchPatrol?

All financial disputes, refunds, and claims must be handled directly through PayPal. MerchPatrol is not responsible for any trades, disputes, or lost funds, and we cannot reverse transactions since we do not hold the money.

However, you should report the offending user to MerchPatrol through the app's support form (please include your Trade ID). This allows our moderation team to investigate and permanently ban scammers from the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions