Site sold on flippa - dispute!

[Budget traveler]

I recently sold a site on Flippa; the buyer initiated the payment via escrow; the buyer wanted the domain to be transferred to his Godaddy account from my current registrar’s. I asked the buyer to create an account on my current registrar’s so that the transfer would be instant, but he wanted the domain to be transferred to his GoDaddy account. Meanwhile, he wanted admin access to the Blogger panel (the site is on Blogger), and it was provided.

He removed my Adsense and ezoic integration, and he applied for Adsense even before the domain was transferred to his GoDaddy (it took 6 days for the transfer).

He got AdSense rejection mail after a few days of applying. He applied for the second time after the domain was transferred to him, but he got a rejection message within hours after applying with a low-value content message.

The buyer is saying it's the seller’s responsibility to ensure getting adsense or ezoic approval for the site on behalf of the buyer, and he wants to cancel the transaction now if it gets rejected for the third time. Note: I helped him make some changes to the menu(site navigation) and asked him to reapply. Now awaiting a response from adsense, and the escrow inspection period is going to end in the next two days.

Question: Is it really a seller’s responsibility to get adsense approval on behalf of the buyer? We never agreed anything on monetization approvals before closing the deal.

Should I accept the return of merchandise or should I object and dispute? It's already been two weeks, and I have to reapply for AdSense and ezoic, and I have to face the hassle of re-listing the site again!

Note: the traffic is still steady as it was and it is getting around 300 to 400 users per day; the site was earning well in terms of adsense and ezoic; I am not sure of the rejection in the first place; I assume it’s mainly due to their automated approval process rejecting it because of the site design or something!

 

[UpwardDescent]

This should completely boil down to if you stated on the sales page that you would guarantee approval.
If you did not state that, then no I don't see how getting approval would have anything to do with the sale as you are selling the site as is.

 

[Budget traveler]

This should completely boil down to if you stated on the sales page that you would guarantee approval.
If you did not state that, then no I don't see how getting approval would have anything to do with the sale as you are selling the site as is.

I did not state that in the sales pitch; i never did that in any of my previous listings.

Not sure what flippa is gonna say in this regard!

 

[thedorf]

No if you did not guarantee adsense acceptance it is not your responsibility mate. But you do what you feel best.

 

[UpwardDescent]

I did not state that in the sales pitch; i never did that in any of my previous listings.

Not sure what flippa is gonna say in this regard!

In that case it should turn out in your favor and the fact that you also were able to run your own tags on the site without an issue further strengthens your case (although it shouldn't even be necessary).

 

[HenryObi]

I recently sold a site on Flippa; the buyer initiated the payment via escrow; the buyer wanted the domain to be transferred to his Godaddy account from my current registrar’s. I asked the buyer to create an account on my current registrar’s so that the transfer would be instant, but he wanted the domain to be transferred to his GoDaddy account. Meanwhile, he wanted admin access to the Blogger panel (the site is on Blogger), and it was provided.

He removed my Adsense and ezoic integration, and he applied for Adsense even before the domain was transferred to his GoDaddy (it took 6 days for the transfer).

He got AdSense rejection mail after a few days of applying. He applied for the second time after the domain was transferred to him, but he got a rejection message within hours after applying with a low-value content message.

The buyer is saying it's the seller’s responsibility to ensure getting adsense or ezoic approval for the site on behalf of the buyer, and he wants to cancel the transaction now if it gets rejected for the third time. Note: I helped him make some changes to the menu(site navigation) and asked him to reapply. Now awaiting a response from adsense, and the escrow inspection period is going to end in the next two days.

Question: Is it really a seller’s responsibility to get adsense approval on behalf of the buyer? We never agreed anything on monetization approvals before closing the deal.

Should I accept the return of merchandise or should I object and dispute? It's already been two weeks, and I have to reapply for AdSense and ezoic, and I have to face the hassle of re-listing the site again!

Note: the traffic is still steady as it was and it is getting around 300 to 400 users per day; the site was earning well in terms of adsense and ezoic; I am not sure of the rejection in the first place; I assume it’s mainly due to their automated approval process rejecting it because of the site design or something!

If there was no prior agreement of such before the transaction, then it's not your responsibility. Also, I thought sites are sold alongside the Adsense accounts?

 

[Budget traveler]

If there was no prior agreement of such before the transaction, then it's not your responsibility. Also, I thought sites are sold alongside the Adsense accounts?

No, i never sell or buy sites with adsense accounts. It will be a little hassle while re-applying; but eventually it will get approved if the site has organic traffic and previously accepted by adsense.

 

[Budget traveler]

The buyer has rejected the domain on escrow! Escrow support says he can reject it for any reason!

Now the buyer has to return the merchandise, and I have the option to either accept or reject; then only i can raise a dispute. It will then go to the arbitrator.

Does anyone have experience with this? Not sure how can i challenge this decision!!

 

[TMONEX]

The buyer has rejected the domain on escrow! Escrow support says he can reject it for any reason!

Now the buyer has to return the merchandise, and I have the option to either accept or reject; then only i can raise a dispute. It will then go to the arbitrator.

Does anyone have experience with this? Not sure how can i challenge this decision!!

I will say take it up with Flippa support not escrow. They will check your sales page terms of sale etc

Funny I was just creating my course on selling on Flippa. I will be sure to give some tips to avoid things like this. Before you accept any bid, it's always nice to check in with them and explicitly state what they get from the sale. Also If i were you i will never do a cross domain registerar transfer. Things will go wrong during the wait period and the buyer will pull back completely as in your situation.

My advice to you.
This buyer is hell bent on getting their money back and no matter how hard you try those third party platforms will always be on their side. Take it from me. Similar situations if you have ever sold on fiverr as a freelance.

So best is get back you assets and relist, Flippa will allow you list for free in this situation and most likely penalize the buyer. But they will get their money back for escrow for sure.

 

[Budget traveler]

Yes, i am thinking to get the domain back asap. According to escrow support, the buyer can reject the merchandise for ANY reason, within the inspection period! So there is nothing much to fight!

 

[Msuin]

It’s not your responsibility!!! But , I want to know , why Adsense Don't approve his site? If it had been approved for you before.

 

[Budget traveler]

Yes, that’s what i am wondering! I got it approved within 2 days when I applied.

 

[TMONEX]

Yes, that’s what i am wondering! I got it approved within 2 days when I applied.

It went to manually review the second time. Also The first time was likely automated otherwise it's different Google staff seeing things differently.

 

[Budget traveler]

Now, I tried to apply from from my account and it got approved within a day!

Not sure why it is getting rejected when applied from the buyer’s account!

 

[will_you_be_mine]

Now, I tried to apply from from my account and it got approved within a day!

Not sure why it is getting rejected when applied from the buyer’s account!

If you don't mind telling what is price you are selling at for 9k visitors per month website ?

 

[real.alex]

I thought those guys sit on their hands and do nothing. seriously how did you manage to sell anything on flippa? did you find a specific partner or a person who you could trust?

 

[greasyyet]

Its not in your responsability if your website are accepted or not in adsense network. You sell a domain , and you have the right too get the money. Flippa are very strange , i pay 15.000euros for a domain with escrow and google dont accepted ... was my fault ! Good luck

 

[real.alex]

Its not in your responsability if your website are accepted or not in adsense network. You sell a domain , and you have the right too get the money. Flippa are very strange , i pay 15.000euros for a domain with escrow and google dont accepted ... was my fault ! Good luck

oh man, so sorry. didn't know you had it monetized already.... i was talking about simple parked domains. aged yes, but parked. I wanna list all my xxx domains on a domain flipping site but it seems that godaddy monopolizes that area - and is taking pretty big commission. i've been looking at other ways, asking around, discord forums etc ....

 

[Perb]

He removed my Adsense and ezoic integration, and he applied for Adsense even before the domain was transferred to his GoDaddy (it took 6 days for the transfer).

So you already had adsense and Ezoic on there - so the buyer quite rightly thought you were selling with them intact

Were they already active and working before the sale?

 

[Perb]

Yes, i am thinking to get the domain back asap. According to escrow support, the buyer can reject the merchandise for ANY reason, within the inspection period! So there is nothing much to fight!

You need to open a GD account and get them to push the domain back otherwise it will be locked for 60 days