Sedo wants me to unlock the domain and send them the auth code?

[poker_bears]

I just sold a domain via Sedo for high $$$. They want me to unlock the domain and send them the auth code. That doesn't sound very safe. Per their TOS, they're supposed to provide escrow.

A few months ago I sold a domain through them for high $$$$. I pushed the domain to their broker, they pushed it to the seller. I basically told them this is how it will work with this sale as well, or there is no sale.

Is this how they operate with small sales? I'm considering pulling all of my domains off Sedo.

Simply unlocking the domain and sending them the auth code seems really REALLY unsafe....

 

[gilescoley]

Sedo are the middle man, they wont transfer the name unless they have the funds from the buyer

 

[poker_bears]

Sedo are the middle man, they wont transfer the name unless they have the funds from the buyer

They have the funds.... You do realize that unlocking a domain isn't very safe right?

 

[FusionSpy]

@poker_bears well how else would you transfer domain or push it? In either case you will need to unlock the domain name so it's as safe as any other sale (if the domain is unlocked it doesn't mean that just anyone can transfer it - they still need authorization code which is highly unlikely to get it right if you don't have it). The buyer will transfer the domain to the other registrar so they requested the authorization code - just input it in the field under the transaction at Sedo. They already secured the payment so there is no reason that you won't get paid. Congrats on the sale!

 

[poker_bears]

@@poker_bears well how else would you transfer domain or push it? In either case you will need to unlock the domain name.

Wow... If you push the domain to a Sedo business account, they're liable should anything go awry (hence my large sale being pushed directly to them). If you simply unlock the domain and email an auth code, it's on you, should anything go wrong. Unlocking a domain is not safe, at all. This is domaining 101 here...

When doing a sale via Escrow, you always push the domain to the Escrow account, then they push it to the buyer.

 

[aditya agrawal]

That is fine. If you see funds in your sedo escrow, you can give the auth code. The transfer usually takes 15 days maximum.
I believe your domain is not on godaddy. And thats why they are asking you for the code.

 

[thekiller]

Probably the buyer has asked them to transfer to another registrar. It is safe as they will transfer to the buyer, and they should have secured the funds before doing this.

 

[Kate]

^ This.

It's standard procedure anyway.

 

[carob]

This needs a sticky thread because it comes up over and over and over again and the answer is clear-cut, and it is always the same.

Sedo's TOS offer a free escrow service. That means the domain cannot pass directly from the seller to buyer - it has to go through Sedo and they cannot and do not refuse to do that. They supply you with details of their own account to push the domain to. As soon as you push to Sedo's account at the registrar you get paid, same day or next day.

If you want to delay payment and risk never getting paid, then consider direct transfer from you to the buyer. You don't get paid till they have received it, and if they do not receive it or say they do not, well, you lose.

This is really, really repetitive and it seems like Sedo keep trying to do it the other way - to save their time? To delay payments like they used to?

 

[Nerevar]

Personally, I would do the transfer to GoDaddy myself, and then push the domain to Sedo.

 

[carob]

Personally, I would do the transfer to GoDaddy myself, and then push the domain to Sedo.

I think Sedo have an account at pretty much every registrar to push to - someone on here sold a domain at an unusual registrar and Sedo then created an account there to receive the domain push.

 

[Bearded Goat]

Sedo will not have you push a godaddy domain if buyer wants transfer to another registrar. Because when you push from account to account, it locks the domain for 60 days. So not so simple. I have provided code many times via their interface for domains at godaddy and never had any issues.

 

[The New Guy]

Sedo will not have you push a godaddy domain if buyer wants transfer to another registrar. Because when you push from account to account, it locks the domain for 60 days. So not so simple. I have provided code many times via their interface for domains at godaddy and never had any issues.

This makes sense - and is another reason to avoid godaddy.

 

[discobull]

Sedo's TOS offer a free escrow service. That means the domain cannot pass directly from the seller to buyer - it has to go through Sedo and they cannot and do not refuse to do that. They supply you with details of their own account to push the domain to. As soon as you push to Sedo's account at the registrar you get paid, same day or next day.

Can you point me to where it says this in their TOS? I'm not finding it. What I did find says:

" Sedo acts as a secure intermediary and will securely hold the purchase price for the Buyer while the
Seller transfers ownership of the Domain to Buyer. "

 

[vdonline]

Check the email carefully, or you can ask them to confirm to make sure.

And if it's really the request from Sedo, it will be safe for you.

 

[carob]

Sedo will not have you push a godaddy domain if buyer wants transfer to another registrar. Because when you push from account to account, it locks the domain for 60 days. So not so simple. I have provided code many times via their interface for domains at godaddy and never had any issues.

I just refused and pushed to Sedo. That is a Godaddy problem and either Godaddy or Sedo have to explain that to the customer - it is not the seller's problem.

 

[discobull]

Sedo will not have you push a godaddy domain if buyer wants transfer to another registrar. Because when you push from account to account, it locks the domain for 60 days. So not so simple. I have provided code many times via their interface for domains at godaddy and never had any issues.

This is not accurate. You can push a domain from one account to another without triggering a 60 day lock simply by not changing the whois contact name. You only need to change the email address and that doesn't trigger a lock.

 

[Bearded Goat]

That is correct regarding not changing the whois... But that to me is more unsafe. I am simply replying as to why sedo wants this seller to provide the code.

 

[discobull]

That is correct regarding not changing the whois... But that to me is more unsafe. I am simply replying as to why sedo wants this seller to provide the code.

I don't get it. How is keeping your own name on the whois less safe than changing the whois to the name of the recipient?

 

[Bearded Goat]

because it looks like the domain is mine and I still have control of it and own it. But it is not in my account and I do not control it.

 

[discobull]

because it looks like the domain is mine and I still have control of it and own it. But it is not in my account and I do not control it.

So? In this case it would be in Sedo's account and they would know it's in their account because it's in their account even though your name shows up on the whois. If you think that Sedo would steal from you, that's another story, but in that case I'm not sure why you'd be using them as your escrow service in the first place.

 

[Bearded Goat]

I am not sure how this became a back and forth. I barely care.

 

[carob]

Can you point me to where it says this in their TOS? I'm not finding it. What I did find says:

" Sedo acts as a secure intermediary and will securely hold the purchase price for the Buyer while the
Seller transfers ownership of the Domain to Buyer. "

https://sedo.com/us/about-us/policies/terms-of-use/

5.2.2. Fees and Related Costs
The Domain Transfer and Escrow Service are provided for free to Buyers and Sellers conducting a purchase and sale on Sedo's Domain Marketplace

If they do not actually take possession of the domain it is not an escrow service.

 

[discobull]

I am not sure how this became a back and forth. I barely care.

Simple. It became a back and forth because you wrote "Because when you push from account to account, it locks the domain for 60 days." and that isn't true. I thought it worthwhile to point out that the 60 day lock can be avoided. There was nothing personal about it. Cheers.

 

[discobull]

https://sedo.com/us/about-us/policies/terms-of-use/



If they do not actually take possession of the domain it is not an escrow service.

Ok, thanks, but I'm not sure your argument holds up legally since they further define what their escrow service does and doesn't include.