Not sure if anyone else has said this but just wanted to give a quick note as to my experience transfering a name out of Epik.
Transfering names into Epik has been a breeze. I'm currently moving names from GD to Epik because of the pricing. When moving a name out of GD (as with any registrar) you need to request the auth code and submit it to the new registrar. Shortly after submitting the code you receive an email from GD alerting you that a transfer has been initiated and asking if this is a legitimate action. You can then challenge it, leave it and after 5 days the transfer will go ahead or you can sign into your GD account and approve the transfer and usually within 15 mins its all done and dusted and away you go to self isolate and socially distance.
Transfering away from Epik is slightly different. It took me a couple of days of messing around trying to get the auth code for a domain that sold at Afternic. This is because the domain was moved to Epik within the last 60 days. I had previously opted out of the ICANN 60 day transfer lock but I now know that Epik have their own internal lock (what's the point in having the opt out if there's another lock that does exactly the same thing). I submitted a customer support ticket asking how I can remove the lock and have never recieved any reply. I went onto the live chat at Epik.com and was told by the rep that they didn't have the power to lift the lock and that they would escalate the matter to management and email me with the solution. I never heard heard back from them.
The only way I manged to get the domain unlocked and get an auth code was by contacting
@Gube on here. He was very helpfull and after I verified my Epik account he was able to unlock the name and email me an auth code.
Great I thought. Well after giving the code to Afternic TA rep I didn't hear anything for a few days. I assumed the transfer had not been initiated, after all it only takes 15 mins to move a name. I sent TA a few emails but never got any replys so namepros to the rescue again and I messaged Joe from Afternic who told me the transfer was initiated on the 7th. We'll that seem strange as I haven't had any notification from Epik.
Back to Epik live chat it is then where I'm told that yes the transfer has been initiated but it takes 5-7 days to transfer a name out! And no, they don't send you any email notification to confirm the transfer! So does the name just dissappear without notification? This doesn't seem very safe to me and agonisingly slow to move a name out when it took 15 mins to move in. The Swiss Bank of Domains? Legendary Customer Support? Maybe...
Anyway I know that was long winded but the moral of the story is you get nowhere in life unless you're a member of Namepros
Oh and its been 5 days and still no cigar.
Edit - It seems you can go into your account and view the domains being transferred out and approve them although I couldn't find this area to start with and when I approved the transfer it can up with an error so...
Edit 2 - Since this post
@Jess Robison has been very helpfull and completed the transfer for me. I just hope this customer service stretches to people who aren't on NP as I fear Joe Public would be stuck.
Edit 3 - Finaly closed the sale yesterday.