Is it wrong to post buyers details if transaction isn’t complete? (1.Viewing)

This happens way too often now where a buyer does not complete the deal. I am not referring to those that make offers and then disappear. I can’t really chase people when I don’t even know who they are.

I am referring to escrow transactions where buyer and seller agree to terms but payment is never made. From my understanding in these cases escrow will release their info if requested.

So, is it fair to post details of those who fail to complete transaction?

theinvestor said:

So, is it fair to post details of those who fail to complete transaction?

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I think they should be called out so why not. They entered into a deal then backed away which isn’t right.

In what kind of way would you post their details? Hall of shame type of way, here on DN.ca?

Esdiel said:

In what kind of way would you post their details? Hall of shame type of way, here on DN.ca?

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Pretty much….No point chasing them legally for a domain sale. At least to prevent others from going through the same hassle.

Or do you just let it go and move on?

theinvestor said:

Pretty much….No point chasing them legally for a domain sale. At least to prevent others from going through the same hassle.

Or do you just let it go and move on?

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I definitely like the idea, and I’m curious to know, but I’m not sure if I would personally want to bother. Might be bad karma for you, despite the fact they screwed you over first. Hard to say what their situation was too, but if the same person was doing it again and again just to mess with you then I think I would put them on blast. Lol

Could always share the stories with some but not all personal details being disclosed too.

Could also consider taking them to small claims court if you have all their real contact details. It’s meant to be a simple / public-friendly process where a lawyer isn’t expected to represent you. You can claim up to 25K in some provinces, maybe more now, but it’s for “smaller claims”. Definitely a lot easier to do if you’re both in the same province.

Here's my take on it:

1. Email/call them and just find out what's going on. "I understand that your plans may have changed, but an update from you on the status of this transaction would at least be professional and courteous."

2. I followed up on an overdue payment on a deal agreed to by email a few months ago and the guy said he was in the hospital and that he'd get back to me. Its been another month and I've still heard nothing. I could continue to nag him, but what if I found out the guy had cancer or something? There are more important things than domains or business.

3. If you're absolutely sure they're ghosting you, the next question is, are they a domainer? Or an end user? Since I doubt you're selling anything good cheap, I'm guessing you're not selling to a domainer, but more likely an end user.

a) Calling out a likely end-user is just a waste of your time and effort.

b) Calling out a likely domainer is probably equally pointless because they have probably hidden their name and using a throwaway email address.

c) if they are a domainer and you can get their real identity, sure, skewer them online. Its extremely unprofessional behaviour that should not be encouraged.

4. Also remember that even Escrow.com states that a transaction is never guaranteed until the deal is completed. I would have assumed than an agreed-upon escrow.com transaction was a legal agreement, but of course escrow.com doesn't want to get involved in that so they basically state that anyone can back out if the funds/goods haven't changed hands yet. I learned that lesson many years ago when Intuit backed out on buying a domain from me after long negotiations and an agreed upon Escrow transaction for a very significant sale. In the end, I sold the domain for more to another buyer just a year later, so it worked out better for me.

Basically its not worth your time/effort/aggravation unless you know the buyer is a domainer and that they may do this again. Then let'r rip.

theinvestor said:

So, is it fair to post details of those who fail to complete transaction?

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That has been a debate for quite some time and theoretically as long as it's truthful there should be no reason why the information cannot be posted.


That said...

Ask yourself if there is anything to be gained by doing so, maybe one could argue that you would save another domainer from going through the same aggravation. Then again every domain sale must be taken on its own merits, maybe the buyer got cold feet or found a less expensive domain.

When I ran a Mercedes-Benz franchise I would often have less experienced salesmen ring the sold bell (yes we had a sold bell) only to find out later the buyer got cold feet. I even had times where customers handed in the cheque and got cold feet.

I always said that a vehicle is sold when it drives off the parking lot, before that we have to assume anything can happen. If I spent my time worrying about all the sales that could have been I would not have been as focused on creating new sales.

So my advice has always been the same, consider the domain sold only when you have the funds in your account. If it does not work out put all the energy you were going to put into shaming the guy into your next deal instead. Look through your contacts, send out a few emails and see if you cannot drum up another sale.

Sorry about the long post but sales are the same regardless of what you are selling and these circumstances have been around as long as we have been selling goods.