What makes a site a marketplace?
A marketplace connects multiple independent participants through shared listings, order records and platform rules. A single seller's catalogue is a storefront, not a multi-party marketplace.
Focused FAQ
Marketplace Mechanics FAQ
Definitions and boundaries for listings, orders, payments, reputation and disputes.
What is a listing?
A listing is a structured offer. It normally combines a title, description, price, stated terms and a participant identity. Search placement or a badge does not replace those fields.
Is a payment confirmation the same as an order confirmation?
No. A payment network confirms a transaction, while a marketplace separately associates that transaction with an order and updates its own status.
What does escrow mean?
Escrow generally means that a workflow holds or represents funds until a defined event. The label alone does not prove who controls the funds, how custody is implemented or whether a dispute will succeed.
Does a reputation score guarantee an outcome?
No. Reputation summarizes past records under a platform's methodology. It can omit context, be manipulated or become stale, and it cannot guarantee a future order.
What starts a dispute?
A dispute is a separate order state used when participants disagree. The platform's current rules determine deadlines, accepted evidence and possible outcomes.
Does this site publish addresses or live feature claims?
No. Public documents contain no raw destination address or anchor domain. The guide also avoids claims about live availability, enabled currencies, user counts or current platform features.
Does the site redirect when a page loads?
No. Visitors and crawlers receive the same content. A same-tab access handoff begins only after the visitor submits the Open Mars Market button.