Paying with TradeSafe — what to expect

When you click Buy Now on a listing, you're redirected to TradeSafe's secure payment page. Here's what happens at each step.

Step 1 — TradeSafe checkout page

You land on a page hosted by TradeSafe (URL starts with pay.tradesafe.dev for sandbox or pay.tradesafe.co.za for live). You'll see:

• Your order details (listing title, amount, reference number)
• A card-entry form
• A 15-minute countdown timer

Step 2 — Enter card details

• Card number — any Visa, Mastercard, or Diners-issued debit/credit card
• Card type — debit or credit
• Expiry — MM / YYYY
• CVV — the 3-digit code on the back of your card
• Cardholder name — as printed on the card

Your card details go straight to TradeSafe's PCI-DSS compliant payment processor. CrankMart never sees or stores your card number.

Step 3 — 3D Secure verification

Your bank may show a verification screen (an OTP texted to your phone, a banking-app push, or a biometric prompt). This is standard 3D Secure — required for almost all SA cards. Confirm and you're done.

Step 4 — Payment confirmation

After successful payment you'll see TradeSafe's confirmation screen and be redirected back to crankmart.com/checkout/success with your order reference.

Behind the scenes, TradeSafe notifies CrankMart immediately and the listing's state advances to "Paid — in escrow". Your seller gets notified and starts preparing your order.

What if my card is declined?

The most common reasons:

• Insufficient funds — check with your bank
• Bank blocked the transaction — call your bank to authorise CrankMart / TradeSafe; merchants don't always show up clearly
• CVV mismatch — double-check the 3 digits on the back of your card

You can try again immediately — the listing is held in your name for 15 minutes.

What if I close the tab before completing payment?

No charge happens until you submit. If you abandon the checkout, just hit Buy Now again on the same listing — it reuses the existing order.