Is Escrow getting worse? (1.Viewing)

I thought I was the only one, I'll pass on the sale instead of using them.

I don't tend to have a problem with them. Yes, they are strict about KYC rules, and yes, that can slow things down. If it is your first transaction with them, it feels extra annoying.

But if you go into it knowing it will be slow, then you can rest easy and know your money is coming and that you're not accidentally taking part in a crime with a stolen credit card or hacked bank account. So it takes a week, big deal. You've been sitting on the average domain for a decade or more - you can certainly wait a few more days for the payment.

I'm not saying Escrow couldn't be improved - it certainly can - and should be. But I just warn buyers about the KYC rules and that it'll take a few days after you send payment for it to clear and then transfer the domain. So as long as the buyer isn't in a hurry and doesn't mind the identity checks, then its a very secure service, and I trust them. Its entirely foolish to say that you'd pass on a sale rather than use them - unless of course you're trying to hide something.

I've got a buyer that wired funds to Escrow on Thursday - we'll see how long it takes from there.

Escrow.com is not perfect, but it's still the platform we end up using for most of the buy-side deals we broker. In my experience, some aspects of the platform have improved over the last 12 months, and some aspects have been streamlined. Other platforms we will use, depending on the specifics of the transaction and the seller, are:

• Sedo - great for European and Korean sellers who are familiar with the brand
• Newly.com - the new kid on the block, focused exclusively on domain deals, and the only platform I have seen that has a chance of taking business away from the incumbent
• TrustAp.com - concierge transactions for big ticket domain deals
• Escrow.domains - great for weird currencies or crypto deals or complex deal structures or transacting with parties that Escrow.com won't transact with
• 4.cn - for Chinese sellers
• Domain Lawyers like Zak M, John B, etc.

I am probably forgetting a few. Lots of options out there, but I would estimate that most of the deals still happen via Escrow.com.