Need advice for selling my site. (HELP)

caseyphillips · 11-02-2007, 12:26 PM

Hi,

I am about to sale a site that I have developed over that last two years. While the price the guy is offering me I think is pretty decent. I just need to know the best way to go about with the payments. The figure is in the $x,xxx range and so I was wondering the best way to handle this. The buyer has suggested they we escrow the money and give him ownership to the site for two weeks to double check the stats I have shown him and if at the conclusion of the two weeks everything is hunky dory then the money would be released to my person. While I am feel completely confident in the site and its performance a friend of mind brought up the point about even if the guy decided he didn't want to do it whats stopping him from keeping your files? Basically I want to know if this is something that is common place in the business or would that be me taking a huge risk by making more then a one day transaction.

Thanks for the help!

-Casey

Jed K · 11-02-2007, 07:52 PM

Personally, I wouldn't hand over a thing until I had the money in my possession. As you stated, nothing is stopping him from just keeping your files and backing out on the sale.

Instead, provide him with as much proof as he needs to feel comfortable:
-revenue
-traffic
-etc.

If he wants to know how you site works, he can type the URL in his address bar and look for himself. He doesn't need your files.

Aceredbaron · 11-03-2007, 02:03 AM

Hi Casey,

For your transaction the safest way is to use escrow. Ideally websites sell for
one year revenue including costs. But this is not a steadfast rule.

To provide proof of traffic, referrrals etc you can install his google analytics account
for a few days or install statcounter.

No way you should transfer the files without receiving payment. Since these are
digital products you have no way of preserving confidentiality.

mosilager · 11-03-2007, 06:04 AM

Hi Casey

Firstly, I would not give him ownership of the site before the payment has changed hands. It's understandable that a verified buyer wants to make sure that all the stats are correct, but you also have to protect your side of the sale as well.

I know for parked domains with traffic, I have changed nameservers for the intending buyer so that he could verify the stats, a little hard to do that with a live site, have you checked escrow to see how long they can give the buyer to validate a sale?.

In the past when selling high end domain names, I have put in a "trial period" of say 3 days in which the buyer takes time to validate the sale etc...I wonder if something like this would work?.

Congrats on the sale.....

caseyphillips · 11-05-2007, 05:46 AM

Thanks for the tips guys. We decided on a 2 calendar trial period from escrow and it seems to be working out great. While its certainly amazing to see your work sale for a fair amount... I won't lie, the stress of making sure everything is on the up and up is killer

-Casey

Lemon Jelly · 11-14-2007, 01:30 PM

Congrats

Just out of interest, can we know what the site addy is?

11-02-2007, 12:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
caseyphillips New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 11 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Need advice for selling my site. (HELP) Hi, I am about to sale a site that I have developed over that last two years. While the price the guy is offering me I think is pretty decent. I just need to know the best way to go about with the payments. The figure is in the $x,xxx range and so I was wondering the best way to handle this. The buyer has suggested they we escrow the money and give him ownership to the site for two weeks to double check the stats I have shown him and if at the conclusion of the two weeks everything is hunky dory then the money would be released to my person. While I am feel completely confident in the site and its performance a friend of mind brought up the point about even if the guy decided he didn't want to do it whats stopping him from keeping your files? Basically I want to know if this is something that is common place in the business or would that be me taking a huge risk by making more then a one day transaction. Thanks for the help! -Casey __________________ -Casey

11-02-2007, 07:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jed K o-re-sa-ma Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Japan Posts: 1,509 626.00 NP$ (Donate)	Personally, I wouldn't hand over a thing until I had the money in my possession. As you stated, nothing is stopping him from just keeping your files and backing out on the sale. Instead, provide him with as much proof as he needs to feel comfortable: -revenue -traffic -etc. If he wants to know how you site works, he can type the URL in his address bar and look for himself. He doesn't need your files. __________________ VQTE - Community for political talk & debate / 2008 election @ http://www.vqte.com/ Final Fantasy XII US - Final Fantasy XII / Final Fantasy 12 / FFXII / FF12 @ http://www.ffxii.us/

11-03-2007, 06:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
mosilager NamePros Regular Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 621 493.00 NP$ (Donate)	Hi Casey Firstly, I would not give him ownership of the site before the payment has changed hands. It's understandable that a verified buyer wants to make sure that all the stats are correct, but you also have to protect your side of the sale as well. I know for parked domains with traffic, I have changed nameservers for the intending buyer so that he could verify the stats, a little hard to do that with a live site, have you checked escrow to see how long they can give the buyer to validate a sale?. In the past when selling high end domain names, I have put in a "trial period" of say 3 days in which the buyer takes time to validate the sale etc...I wonder if something like this would work?. Congrats on the sale..... __________________ Looking For Offers: NUJ.com/1o.net/ZPNA.com/UXTB.com/JWLE.com Funny Cat Photos

11-05-2007, 05:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
caseyphillips New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 11 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Thanks for the tips guys. We decided on a 2 calendar trial period from escrow and it seems to be working out great. While its certainly amazing to see your work sale for a fair amount... I won't lie, the stress of making sure everything is on the up and up is killer -Casey __________________ -Casey

11-14-2007, 01:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
Lemon Jelly NamePros Regular Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: .co.uk Posts: 250 31.00 NP$ (Donate)	Congrats Just out of interest, can we know what the site addy is? __________________ My domain names: Click here

11-03-2007, 02:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
Aceredbaron NamePros Regular Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: where my toothbrush is:-) Posts: 224 38.60 NP$ (Donate)	Hi Casey, For your transaction the safest way is to use escrow. Ideally websites sell for one year revenue including costs. But this is not a steadfast rule. To provide proof of traffic, referrrals etc you can install his google analytics account for a few days or install statcounter. No way you should transfer the files without receiving payment. Since these are digital products you have no way of preserving confidentiality.

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