Online Journalist
Apr 17, 20202 min
Irish startup Trustap enabling people to transact safely whilst in isolation during Covid-19 pandemic.
Trustap, owned by Carrigaline man Conor Lyden, connects buyers and sellers safely from the comfort of their own homes.
With physical stores closing due to the recent outbreak of Covid-19, buying and selling online has become more popular than ever. This activity isn’t limited to just buying from online shops either, there has been a huge increase in peer-peer transactions too. During these unprecedented times, with the majority of the population now housebound, people have found themselves getting a head start on their ‘Spring Cleaning’. The uncertainty around Covid-19 has forced us to be much more careful with our finances and there are excellent bargains to be found when shopping second-hand on online marketplaces. What one person may now class as junk, another person may see as treasure. Traditionally however, when it came to these online marketplaces, there has always been uncertainty and anxiety associated with buying or selling with strangers. The risk of being scammed was high, especially if social distancing restrictions means the item can’t even be checked out in person. Trustap, who are an Enterprise Ireland backed ‘High-Potential Startup’, have the solution to this problem and have enabled their customers to safely complete these transactions with peace of mind.
How does it work?
Trustap is an online transaction platform specifically designed to help you buy and sell with strangers without the fear of being scammed. The process is very simple, the buyer’s funds are held until they have received and inspected the item and then, once the complaints period has elapsed, the funds are instantly released to the seller.
“It’s nice to be able to help people transact without worry, we definitely don’t need any additional unnecessary sources of stress or anxiety with what’s going on at the moment” said Conor Lyden, CEO of Trustap.
Further Covid-19 Solutions
“We’re working on some social innovation projects that we’re really excited about at the moment too. We hope that they will be able to launch in the next couple of weeks. These projects will help link volunteers with people who are isolating so they can get their shopping delivered for example.” Safe online payment is an important part of these projects, even more so now that cash is no longer considered a safe option for consumers.
Shoppers have moved away from cash during the Covid-19 crisis
About Trustap
Trustap recently moved into their new offices on Patrick’s Quay in the heart of Cork City, where they have their software development, sales and marketing teams. They also have offshore teams working in design and customer support in Romania and Pakistan. With the help of Enterprise Ireland, the company has doubled in size over the past 12 months, with further expansion expected in Q3 this year.