With the recent changes at Escrow/com asking for extensive ID and other photo verification which domain escrow services are you likely to use in the future, and why?
I've sold domains listed on Sedo before, but never used their escrow service. How would you rate it as to ease of use and price?
Yes, via email... Also you can initiate it via their LiveChat... The only one significant minus at Sedo - lack of API to integrate it on other platforms...
I have used both SEDO and Escrow and have had good experiences with both. In reference to the change you mention, are they also requiring photo ID from the buyer? If this is the case, it would be a serious obstacle to completing sales.
There are 2 other new threads about similar topics but Escrow seems to be requiring docs even from buyers as well... a potential deal killer when selling names.
Apparently anybody who uses them has to do this. There is a whole thread started recently about this > here.
A merchant account is still dealing with credit cards which can be vulnerable to a chargeback. One of the great things about Escrow/com is that once the payment is verified and collected you never have to worry about that again.
Payment verification - it is just a 50%... Another 50% - Buyer must to finalize the transaction... and only then you will receive your money... Sedo does antifraud-verifications as well... and takes your domains into Sedo's accounts with all major registrars... So your risk is 0%.
With escrow.com we can get a scenario when the domain was pushed/transferred and not confirmed (and WHOIS was also not changed OR changed to 3rd-party contacts)... So no domain and no money for you.
Of course chargeback is a risk but you can vet your buyers, ask for a verifiable phone number etc. But I don't think you will be scammed often especially when dealing with established companies that care about their reputation and wouldn't want to be featured on Ripoffreport. Bottom line is that you don't need marketplaces to sell domains: you can handle the transaction yourself and pay no commission (other than credit card fees). Which should more than offset possible chargebacks.
I'll stick to escrow.com, unless buyer has problem with it. On the other hand, most of my sales come from platforms like Internet traffic, GD, or Sedo and in these cases I don't have to worry about escrow.
Certainly, you may use their Concierge to avoid such scenario... but it abnormally costs a few times higher than regular commission.
Sedo Transfer Services for external domains sales is 3% of the purchase price: Domain Transfer Service. That means Sedo is the most expensive on this list for big transactions: 3% gets big fast, when you sell domains for 5+ figures. I'm considering Payoneer the most seriously.
Compare Escrow.com's Concierge commission vs Sedo 3% (where such "concierge" is by default and at no fee)...
There's also this problem with Sedo: If your domains are listed on Sedo and you sell them through a direct email negotiation, you'll still have to pay 10-15% of the sale price in fees. We can't choose to not have concierge at Sedo. We can choose to not have concierge at Escrow.com.
Sedo external escrow service for me: fast, cheap, PayPal masspayment to disburse funds, good customer support, no photo ids/utility bills/contracts signed in blood etc.
Regarding Payoneer... It is the same system as regular escrow.com The same direct and risky moves of domains between sellers and buyers...
