Payments and fees FAQ

How money moves on Haubot — from "I clicked accept on the deal" to "the seller's bank account shows the funds." Cross-border, multi-currency, with escrow where it matters.

What does Haubot cost overall?

For most use, nothing — browsing, listings, profiles, messaging, inquiries, TradeCircles. You only pay when you use specific paid services:

• SecureTrade escrow — a small percentage of transaction value.
• Haubot Inspect — per-inspection fee, scoped to asset and region.
• Haubot Managed Auctions — success fee on hammer.
• Logistics coordination — at standard carrier rates (Haubot doesn't mark up the freight).
• Financing — partner terms (Haubot doesn't charge a separate fee on top).

Featured listings and enhanced visibility tiers are optional.

What's the SecureTrade fee?

A small percentage of the transaction value, tiered by deal size. Below a threshold it's a flat minimum so micro-transactions aren't penalised; above it, it's a percentage that caps for very large deals. The exact number is shown before you accept the SecureTrade transaction — you never get billed something you haven't seen.

The fee is paid out of the escrowed amount (split between buyer and seller, or paid by one side, depending on what was agreed) — not as a separate invoice.

What currencies are supported?

The platform settles in the currency the deal was agreed in. Commonly used: USD, EUR, GBP, AED, SAR, SGD, RUB, CNY, INR, JPY. Other currencies are supported in listing pricing but may require an explicit conversion at settlement.

For cross-currency search and ranking, every listing's price is also computed in USD. The conversion is shown next to the original price; the actual transaction stays in the chosen currency.

Why use SecureTrade instead of just wiring the money?

A direct wire transfer is a one-way action — once you've sent it, you have no leverage. If the asset doesn't arrive, doesn't match the description, or has hidden issues, your only recourse is whatever your contract with the seller allows and whatever your jurisdiction permits — often very little, especially cross-border.

SecureTrade holds the funds in escrow and releases them against agreed milestones:

1. Deal accepted — funds are deposited and held.
2. Inspection passed — first release (typically a portion).
3. Documents transferred — next release.
4. Asset delivered — final release.

If any milestone fails, the funds don't release. If a milestone is contested, the dispute process determines what happens. The seller knows they'll get paid if they deliver as agreed; the buyer knows they won't lose the money if the seller doesn't.

For cross-border deals over a few thousand dollars, this is the single most important risk-reduction tool on the platform.

When does the seller actually get paid?

For each milestone, funds are released to the seller within 1-3 business days of the milestone clearing. The actual arrival in the seller's bank depends on the destination bank and currency — same-region same-currency payments are usually next-business-day; cross-currency international wires can take 2-5 business days at the bank's side.

For the final release, there's a short configurable hold period (typically a few days) after "delivered" is marked, giving the buyer a brief window to flag any final issue before the last tranche releases. The exact window is set per-deal.

Can I refund a buyer?

Yes, at multiple points:

• Before any milestone clears. A full refund is straightforward — the escrowed funds simply return to the buyer.
• After milestones have partially cleared. The seller can refund the already-released portion (which comes from their own funds, not the escrow), and the unreleased portion stays with the buyer.
• As part of a dispute resolution. The dispute process can order a partial or full refund based on what's found.

A seller-initiated refund doesn't require buyer cooperation; the seller just authorises it. A buyer-requested refund needs either the seller's agreement or a successful dispute claim.

Who pays VAT and duties?

The transacting parties, according to their jurisdictions and what the deal contract says. Haubot doesn't compute, collect or remit VAT/duties — the platform isn't a tax intermediary.

• The seller is responsible for VAT/sales tax on the supply side, where applicable.
• The buyer is responsible for import duties, destination VAT and any clearance fees in the receiving country.

State the VAT treatment clearly in the listing description ("price net of VAT" vs "VAT included") — miscommunication on tax is a common deal-killer in late-stage negotiation. For cross-border deals, also state the Incoterm (EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP, etc.) — it determines who carries which costs and risks.

Do you accept cryptocurrency?

No. SecureTrade settles through regulated payment rails (bank wire, regulated payment processors), not crypto. Several reasons: compliance with KYC/AML requirements in the jurisdictions Haubot operates in, dispute process compatibility, and the basic reality that B2B counterparties in most sectors don't use crypto for settlement at this scale.

This may evolve. For now, fiat only.

What about partial payments or deposits?

Yes, structured directly into SecureTrade milestones. Common patterns:

• Deposit + balance — buyer deposits, say, 20% on signing; the rest releases on delivery.
• Inspection-gated tranches — small early release on document handover, larger release post-inspection, balance on delivery.
• Bid deposits for auctions — deposit at bid time to prove seriousness; deposit credits toward the final payment if you win, or is refunded if you don't.

The milestone structure is negotiated between buyer and seller before the SecureTrade transaction is created. Both sides agree the schedule in writing as part of the deal.

Are there fees for auctions?

For Seller Managed Auctions, Haubot doesn't charge a fee on the hammer — the seller runs their own auction.

For Haubot Managed Auctions, a success fee applies on the hammer price (only if the auction closes). No fee if the reserve isn't met. The exact percentage depends on asset class and deal size and is disclosed when you set up the auction.

Buyer-side deposits are common in auctions (especially Haubot Managed) — see Deposits and fees. Deposits are not Haubot fees; they're risk-management mechanisms that credit toward your purchase if you win or refund if you don't.

Can I see all fees before committing?

Yes. Every flow that involves a fee shows the breakdown before you confirm:

• The SecureTrade setup screen shows the percentage fee and the absolute amount in the transaction currency.
• The Haubot Inspect booking screen shows the inspection cost upfront.
• Auction setup shows any applicable Managed-auction success fee.
• Featured listings and visibility tiers show their cost on the selection screen.

There are no hidden post-transaction fees on the platform side.

What if SecureTrade is held up — can I cancel?

A SecureTrade transaction can be cancelled by mutual agreement at any time before delivery is confirmed. Funds return to the buyer minus any fees that have already been earned (typically none if the deal hasn't reached a milestone). Unilateral cancellation outside the dispute process isn't allowed — once both sides commit to escrow, one party can't simply walk away.

If the other party isn't cooperating, raise a dispute. The dispute process can result in cancellation with full or partial refund depending on what's found.