摘要 |
A method, apparatus, system, or computer program product facilitates trustworthy electronic commerce by providing an inspection-service-based release of an escrowed payment for a transaction involving physical goods. An inspection service stands as an independent party at the onset of the transfer of goods between the buyer and the seller. In an attempt to reduce fraudulent behavior by the buyer or the seller, an inspection service inspects the goods, preferably at the point of shipment. A description of the goods has been previously stored in a transaction record that has been previously created within an escrow service. The inspection service may electronically retrieve the description of the goods from the escrow service. The inspection service then determines whether the description of the goods is acceptably similar to the actual condition or type of the goods and generates a certification if they are acceptable similar. The inspection service may then electronically notify the escrow service of the certification, and the escrow service may release the escrowed payment if the goods are accepted by the other party.
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