Unsure about selling to a newbie

[randomo]

Hi folks,

On another forum, I got an offer for a domain I had listed. The prospective buyer has been a member there for a couple of years, but has only 2 posts and no feedback. I'm a little uncertain about making this deal (mid-$xxx).

We did one smaller deal, and he has a "confirmed" PayPal account. However, the address listed for him in PayPal is a house that is apparently in foreclosure. Also, when I do a whitepages.com search, nobody with his last name turns up in the area where he supposedly lives.

Another member on here gave me a good PayPal tip: send an invoice and mark it as "Service" rather than "Goods", since that is supposedly harder to do a chargeback on. That's what I did in my earlier transaction with this guy. Is that good insurance? (Of course, it wouldn't protect against getting paid from a hacked account.)

I proposed using escrow.com, but he said instead that he could pay by PayPal now and I could just change the nameservers but hold the domain for 30 days.

Think I'm safe going ahead with this deal?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Sameh]

I proposed using escrow.com, but he said instead that he could pay by PayPal now and I could just change the nameservers but hold the domain for 30 days.

I think this is good enough.


Sameh

 

[nielsencl]

Yes. You have no risk when you only change the nameservers. Since you have some history with him you sshould feel more comfortable, but that doesn't mean you have to trust him completely given the red flags you saw.

I would write up the terms of this deal in detail and have him agree to it and send you back a copy from his main email address. After payment it wouldn't hurt to contact PayPal and see if they can let you know when you are safe from chargebacks/fraud in this transaction. That should make you feel better when it happens and then you can turn over the domain to him which will make him feel better too!

 

[maximum]

You have no risk when you only change the nameservers.

Very true. To the buyer's credit, offering such a proposal should say something good there, especailly since by the 30 days (his recommendation) all should be clear and closed-out through PayPal (check PayPal time-frames and restrictions first, to make sure).

Since you have some history with him you sshould feel more comfortable, but that doesn't mean you have to trust him completely given the red flags you saw.

The "red flags" are worth being cautious over, especially for mid-$xxx. However, don't jump on those alone. People with the money loose their homes to foreclosures in this market daily. Try finding me in the phone book and you won't, call the phone company and try telling them to patch you through without telling you number (like it's emergency and you lost number) and FBI will be on your doorstep (just for good laughs:p)- Nowadays, with the cellular world, a lot don't have home phone service or listed numbers. TRUE, all told, raises flags, but wouldn't have me worried in and of themselves.

I would write up the terms of this deal in detail and have him agree to it and send you back a copy from his main email address.

True - and I'd recommend it be the one he uses for his PayPal, because with email headers and all later, if problem, have more evidence.

After payment it wouldn't hurt to contact PayPal and see if they can let you know when you are safe from chargebacks/fraud in this transaction. That should make you feel better when it happens and then you can turn over the domain to him which will make him feel better too!

:bingo:

As to PayPal "services" versus "goods" - Is just more likely to be taken serious and really investigated by PayPal if you later had a problem.

 

[randomo]

OK, thanks for your help, guys!

 

[briguy]

Hi folks,

On another forum, I got an offer for a domain I had listed. The prospective buyer has been a member there for a couple of years, but has only 2 posts and no feedback. I'm a little uncertain about making this deal (mid-$xxx).

We did one smaller deal,

Did you do the "small deal" on the same forum that you are selling the $XXX domain on? If not...how is his feedback on other forums?


I thought of this mainly because I have a somewhat high TR here but on other forum I may have did one or two deals...

P.s thanks EG.domains,nielsencl and maximum for your tips..they sure lessened the learnign curve for me!