Fawkes Beginner Guides

Placing your first order on Fawkes Market

You've installed Tor, registered, enabled 2FA and deposited some crypto — this is the easy part. Placing an order on Fawkes works like any online shop, with two differences that matter: the vendor's feedback is the most important product page, and your payment goes to escrow, not to the vendor. Here's how it goes.

Step 1 — Browse like a skeptic

Search or browse categories and shortlist a few listings of what you want. Ignore prices that look too good — darknet bargain-hunting is how bad days start. Open each vendor's profile and check:

  • Sales volume — hundreds of completed orders beat dozens.
  • Recency — reviews from the last weeks, not a burst a year ago.
  • Delivery reports — "arrived next day, UK to UK" is what you want to read.
  • Stealth mentions — vacuum-sealed, smell-proof, discreet packaging.
  • Dispute behaviour — vendors who resolve problems politely are vendors who don't cause them.

Step 2 — Check out

Select the quantity, enter your delivery address (your own home address is the standard, sensible choice), and confirm. The payment leaves your balance and enters escrow — held by the market, visible to both sides, untouchable by the vendor until you release it.

Never "finalise early" — releasing escrow before delivery gives up your only leverage. If a vendor requests it on a first order, choose another vendor.

Step 3 — Wait like a normal person

The vendor dispatches (good ones same-day or next-day) and UK post does the rest — typically one to three days. Track the order's status on the market; message the vendor politely if it exceeds their stated window. Delivery expectations in detail →

Step 4 — Receive, inspect, finalise

The package arrives looking gloriously ordinary. Check it matches the listing. If all is well, press Finalise — the escrowed funds release to the vendor, and the order completes.

If something is wrong: don't finalise. Message the vendor first (most issues are honest mistakes and get fixed), and open a dispute if that fails — market staff arbitrate using the escrowed funds, and evidence (photos, message history) wins cases.

Step 5 — Leave feedback that helps the next person

Rate the vendor honestly and specifically: delivery time (in days), packaging quality, product accuracy. The feedback system is the engine that makes the whole market work — it's how you chose your vendor, and it's how the next buyer chooses theirs.

First-order checklist (printable in your head)

Before ordering

  • Logged in from a bookmark, not a search?
  • Vendor feedback: volume + recency good?
  • First order small?
  • Balance just covers this order?

After ordering

  • Escrow shows the order as paid?
  • Vendor marked it shipped on schedule?
  • Finalised only after checking contents?
  • Feedback left with delivery time and stealth notes?

FAQ

How big should my first order be?
Small. The first order with any vendor is a test of the whole chain — product, packaging, timing, communication. Prove it works, then scale up.
What if my order never arrives?
Wait out the vendor's stated window plus a few days, message them, then dispute. Escrow protects the funds; disputes are normal and staff-arbitrated.
Do I need to sign for the package?
Ordinarily no — good vendors use ordinary first-class post that fits the letterbox. A "signature required" surprise is unusual; check the listing and vendor reviews.
Can I order to work or a friend's house?
You can, but your own address is the standard and usually the safest — you control who touches the post. See delivery guide.

Next steps