Notifications & Troubleshooting
Chat is real-time — messages deliver in under a second when both sides are online. This page explains how delivery, notifications, and connection handling work, plus what to do when something seems off.
How Real-Time Delivery Works
Pickup2 uses WebSockets (with automatic fallback to long-polling) to push messages from the server to your browser as soon as they arrive.
- Messages appear in the conversation within ~100 ms when both parties are connected
- Unread counts on the sidebar and list update live — no refresh needed
- Typing indicators, online/offline, and offer status changes all stream through the same channel
If a corporate firewall or VPN blocks WebSockets, Pickup2 falls back to HTTP long-polling automatically. You'll still get messages — just with slightly higher latency.
Browser Notifications
When a new message arrives and the chat isn't focused, Pickup2 can show a desktop notification in the corner of your screen.
Enable on first use
The first time you receive a message while Pickup2 isn't focused, your browser asks "Allow pickup2.com to send notifications?" — click Allow.
What you'll see
The notification shows "New message from {name}" and the beginning of the message. Clicking it jumps straight to that conversation.
Change your mind
Open your browser settings → Privacy / Notifications → find pickup2.com → toggle on/off.
Notifications are browser-managed. Pickup2 doesn't send email or SMS alerts for chat messages — if you miss something, the unread badge on the sidebar will still be waiting for you next time you open the app.
Online & Offline Indicators
Everybody's presence is visible to the other side in the conversation header:
Online
The other party has Pickup2 open in an active tab right now. Expect fast replies.
Offline + "Last seen X min ago"
They're not currently active. The timestamp tells you roughly when they were last around.
Presence updates live — you'll see it change from "Online" to "Offline" the moment they close the tab.
Connection Loss & Reconnection
If your internet drops or the app can't reach the server, you'll see a banner:
Connection lost. Reconnecting...
- Pickup2 retries automatically with exponential backoff (1s → 2s → 5s → … up to 30s)
- Messages you try to send while disconnected are queued and sent once you reconnect
- After ~3 failed attempts a "Try Again" button appears — clicking it forces a fresh connection attempt
If auto-reconnect can't recover, refresh the page. All your conversations and unread counts will load again as soon as the page loads.
Failed Messages
If a message fails to send, it appears in the conversation with an error icon and two options:
- Retry — attempts to send it again
- Delete — removes it from your side
Most failures are caused by a brief connection blip — Retry almost always works.
File Upload Errors
"File is too large. Maximum size is 10 MB"
Compress the file, split it into parts, or share via a cloud link pasted into a text message.
"File type not supported"
For security, types like .zip, .exe, .bat, and unknown binaries are blocked. Convert your file to PDF, PNG, or JPEG.
Upload is stuck at "Uploading..."
- Large files can take a while on slow connections — give it up to a minute.
- If it's genuinely stuck, cancel by refreshing; the partial upload is discarded.
- Retry with a smaller/compressed version of the file.
"I Can't See This Chat"
A few reasons this happens:
- You aren't one of the two participants. Chats are strictly between the two original parties — even your teammates can't see your chats.
- You deleted the chat on your side. It'll come back the next time a message arrives. Ask the other party to send you a quick "hello".
- The deal has been closed and your role on it changed — closed chats are read-only and may appear under a different filter.
- You're signed in to the wrong account if your company has several users.
"The Other Person Isn't Responding"
Before you assume the worst
- Check their presence — Offline or Last seen 3 hours ago means they may genuinely be away.
- For urgent logistics matters (mid-transport), share a phone number via chat and follow up by call.
- Their browser notification may be disabled — they might not know you messaged until they open the app.
- If the other company has gone silent for more than a business day, reach out to Support — we can nudge them.
Privacy, Retention & Safety
- Messages are stored on Pickup2's servers and transmitted over HTTPS / WSS (encrypted in transit)
- Attachments are stored in a secure cloud bucket with short-lived signed URLs — only the two participants and their sessions can access them
- Pickup2 uses the chat content only to operate the service — we don't read your messages for any other purpose
- Soft-deleted messages are retained in the database for audit/compliance, shown as "This message was deleted" to users
We don't offer chat muting, archiving, blocking, or reporting yet. If you're receiving unwanted messages, contact Support directly — we'll investigate and take action.
Quick Reference
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No messages arriving live | WebSocket dropped | Wait for auto-reconnect, or refresh |
| Badge count seems off | Local cache out of sync | Refresh the page |
| Message stuck on "Sending" | Brief connection hiccup | Wait 5 seconds, then Retry |
| "Failed to send message" | Server couldn't receive | Retry or check internet |
| "File is too large" | Over 10 MB | Compress or split |
| Can't see a chat you expect | Not a participant / deleted | See "I can't see this chat" above |
| Typing indicator stuck | Occasional edge case | It auto-clears in 2-3 seconds |
Need Additional Help?
Our support team is ready to assist you 24/7. Contact Support