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Messaging

Travomate Cargo includes a built-in chat system so cargo owners, capacity providers, and platform staff can communicate directly within the platform, no external email or phone needed to close a deal or resolve an issue.

Messages are delivered in real time: both sides see new messages the instant they're sent, without refreshing the page.

Supported Message Types

Type Use Case
Text Negotiating terms, asking questions, confirming details
Images Sharing photos of cargo, packaging, or goods
Documents Exchanging commercial invoices, packing lists, or contracts

For formal shipment documents (e.g. Bill of Lading, customs forms), see Documents.

A message can also reply directly to an earlier message in the same thread, so a specific question and its answer stay visually linked even in a busy conversation.

How a Conversation Starts

There are two distinct ways a conversation comes into being today.

User-to-user, from an offer

A cargo owner or capacity provider starts a conversation by clicking "Request Shipment" or "Request Space" on someone else's listing (see Cargo Listings and Capacity Listings). This opens a direct, one-to-one thread with that listing's poster so the two sides can discuss terms, confirm logistics, and exchange documents.

Messaging is the foundation this sits on: the underlying conversation primitive (participants, messages, attachments, read state) is the same regardless of what surfaces it. As the quote → compare → accept offer flow (see Roadmap) comes online, accepting a proposal will be another entry point that opens or resumes a conversation between the two parties tied to that specific offer, using the same messaging building blocks described here.

Staff-initiated

Platform staff (support, trust & safety, admins) can open a conversation directly with any user from that user's profile in the back office, for example to follow up on a verification issue or respond to a support request. This is a separate, permissioned action from the user-to-user path: only the moderator group (or an admin) can start one.

Starting a conversation from the back office

Keeping Track of What's Read

Each participant's read position in a conversation is tracked independently, so unread counts are personal to each user rather than a single shared "seen" flag on the thread.

Moderation and Disputes

Any conversation can be flagged for staff review, and staff can then step in much like a mediator would in an offline dispute. This is covered in detail in Mediation & Flagging.

Notifications

New messages generate a notification for every other participant in the conversation. See Notifications for how notifications are delivered, and Implementation for what's actually wired up today versus planned.

Keep communication on-platform

Using in-platform messaging creates a record of your agreement and helps resolve disputes if they arise. Avoid moving negotiations off-platform where possible.

For Developers