What is Ping? Why should I use it?

Ping is the new and improved payment platform provided and hosted by Trade Me. It lets buyers pay sellers via a number of payment methods.

Why use Ping?

Ping makes buying and selling easier, faster, and safer. There’s no sign up process and no additional fees when you pay.

Payments made through Ping offer a heightened level of security.

• Transactions are processed over secure payment gateways, and any high risk transactions are investigated to ensure that the payment has been authorised by the card holder.
• Payments that qualify for our Buyer Protection policy can be refunded if goods are not sent/delivered, or if the item supplied is deemed to be defective or has been sold in a misleading condition.
• As with all credit/debit card payments, the card holder has the assurance that the transaction will be investigated should there be a problem with the trade or if the transaction is unrecognised. This process is known as a ‘chargeback’ and can be initiated by a cardholder via contact with their card issuer. More information on this process will be available on the card issuer’s website (i.e your bank).
• Of course, our Disputes team will assist in the first instance and can potentially refund the payment as part of our Buyer Protection policy.

Ping offers a streamlined payment process.

• Click ‘Buy Now’ on any listing that offers Ping as a payment option and you’ll be taken to a secure payments form. Select your preferred payment method (credit/debit card, Ping balance or direct debit via a saved bank account) and hit ‘Pay’. The seller receives the payment and information on the spot, meaning you get the goods faster.

If you’re a buyer:

• No more mucking around sharing your bank account details. Ping has a number of quick, easy payment methods. You can choose to pay with your credit/debit card, Ping balance, or saved bank account.
• You can split payments with a combination of your Ping Balance and your bank account or credit/debit Card.
• Payments go through instantly, allowing items to be sent faster.
• Items that are purchased through Ping are potentially covered by Buyer Protection. This means that we’ve got your back in the off chance things turn pear shaped.
• Transactions are assessed for risk by our Fraud Prevention team.

If you’re a seller:

• Payments made through Ping will instantly appear in your Ping balance.
• Withdrawals can be managed from your Ping balance. This allows you to withdraw money from your Ping balance to your bank account whenever you like (subject to your bank’s processing times).
• Your buyers have extra reassurance as they are potentially covered by Buyer Protection.

How do we keep you safe?

Like banks, we monitor all credit/debit card payments that come through our Ping system in order to reduce the risk of card fraud.

We make attempts to ensure that Sellers, Buyers and card holders are protected and that transactions made via the service are accurate and secure.

This means that occasionally we’ll call a cardholder to ensure that the card is being used with their permission. An example of this could be if you buy your partner a gift through Ping, using your sibling’s Trade Me membership.

We have robust systems in place to keep your card details secure and safe.

You can also keep your credit card safe by following these tips.

How do I find listings that use Ping?

When searching the site, you can select listings that offer Ping as a payment option.

Listings that offer Ping will also have the Ping banner in the top left-hand corner of the main listing photo.