Safe means of transferring domain ownership

[JGK]

So, I received an email about one of my domains. I've only sold a couple before (that I remember), one through GoDaddy auctions which was simple enough, and another through an offer that a party sent via NetworkSolutions, several years ago.

1. If I use Escrow.com, which was mentioned by this person as a possibility, what steps do I have to take to make sure that the transaction goes safely and smoothly? Does Escrow.com hold the domain name as well as the funds?

2. Are there better options?

3. Anything else I need to know about the process in general?

Thanks.

 

[lincolndsp]

if you don't want to worry about anything - netsol can do it all for you

 

[SearchEngineZ]

The safest is to get them to pay you, then you transfer the domain.

For Escrow, Sedo and Escrow.com are roughly similar in service and cost - I prefer Sedo.

Thirdly, you can use Certsi.com - it creates a contract between buyer and seller. It won't protect you like an escrow service but a contract is legal and is a disincentive for someone to rip you off.

 

[Name Trader]

If any buyer asked me to provide an Escrow service, I would jump at the chance of using Escrow.com. They are speedy and reliable. I would say the cream of the crop, except they don't provide a true escrow service where they take control of the domain and funds. I think Moniker and Sedo are the only ones which do that. But both services take weeks before payment. With Escrow.com it's only a matter of a few days before you receive the funds.

 

[alien51]

except they don't provide a true escrow service where they take control of the domain and funds. I think Moniker and Sedo are the only ones which do that. But both services take weeks before payment. With Escrow.com it's only a matter of a few days before you receive the funds.

That "delay" is supposed to be the advantage in an escrow process.

What you would be looking for in an escrow "cream of the crop", is how they resolve things effectively when the other party did not fulfill his end of the deal. If both buyer and seller are honest, they would never have needed an escrow to begin with.

So judge an escrow service when things go bad.

 

[Name Trader]

Yep. Time is money. Luckily I haven't had any problems with any escrow service, yet. And hope I never do. I kinda like the Escrow.com Inspection Period. Escrow will pay you after the Inspection Period is over provided the Buyer has not objected during that time. It kind of reduces (but not eliminate) the element of risk, which a real escrow service has covered. Over the last year I've had 13 sales using Escrow.com. 3 of which were never paid by the buyer (so no transfer took place). I've never had a transfer take place and the buyer objects during the Inspection Period. But that is the weak link with Escrow.com. But this is mostly all theory. So you choose either a full escrow service like Sedo/Moniker and wait 2-3 weeks or so for your money, or an "express" service like Escrow.com where you receive your money in just a few days. I'm ok with Escrow.com's offering. Maybe others have a more conservative risk profile and are prepared to have a little more hassle, like transferring your domain, in the case of Moniker. I kinda like the speed element in getting paid.