Do you think paid directory owner who sold their sites should refund submitters?

I own a few paid review directories and never plan to sell them.

IMO, I would consider it is better to refund all the paid submitters if they want upon sale of the directory.
at least directory owner should publicly state who is the new owner so that submitters can track the links.

What do you think?

 

The seller should already have worked out the details on keeping their commitments to whom they sell the directory to.

Else I buy your directory and erase the paid links, month later your company buys back said directory....etc.

 

Atleast they should introduce the new owner to us.

 

I think it's a chance we take and accept when submitting our sites. I'm not expecting a refund if someone should sell a directory as it's within their right to do so.

I do think that someone contemplating the sale of thier directory would do well to stipulate that the current listings are to remain under the original terms, be it annual or permanent.

If other terms are agreed upon, so be it. I'm not going to get worked up over a lost directory listing.

 

Is it OK to buy and sell links on this scale? Is Google not getting a little tense about these sort of arrangements?

 

Dont agree..

The new owner has to keep those directory links so why to pay refund ?

 

Ok if its paid review. Once you have reviewed they got there moneys worth. If its for the lifetime of the directory and you have to close for whatever reason then thats the directories life. If you sell the directory then the links should stay.

 

I take my directories seriously enough that although i wouldn't sell them i will give an example scenario of the things i would be willing to do if i did sell them.

Example:

1. I would thoroughly investigate as much as i could about the person who i would be selling to.

2. They would have to agree to provide a real address and phone number and agree to be available on phone for a limited time to answer concerns of the current clients.

3. They would have to sign a real legally binding document, i would pay legal fees and have this done all above board and they would have to sign and agree to keeping the links in place, or as minimum, 5 years, and this would have to be disclosed to all listed in the directory and a refund immediately sent to anyone not comfortable with that.

4. Going to this length and more would not only protect myself as a seller but also the new buyer, it would instill confidence through all persons involved and affected by the sale.

5. Your reputation would remain good and would most likely lead to good future business and high regards held.

 

the new owner should be introduced to all the paid link holders... & he should be informed that he should never delete the paid links... & the owners of the link also should track it oftenly...

 

There is nothing like has to keep sadly these days. Often seller don't bother to mention it to their buyers about the terms and conditions.

Its like this:

You grow a tree, give it all the care and water. Time comes for fruits, you sell of fruits from it and enjoy the profits.

Next now again when the time comes to give the tree some care and water, aah you become too lazy and have other works to do, you have no time. Hence now you decide to sell of your tree.

The new owner feels, this tree should give me fruits (thinking afterall I paid 10x profits of the fruits to the original farmer ), but doesn't bother to pour water to the tree, thinking it has enough.

Result, slowly the tree dies it natural death.

The above said is nothing but TRUTH whats happening in this directory industry.

 

Well said..

So its better to sell your directory to a person who has good online reputation.
John scott did the Same thing Trusted Buyer.

 

People who subscribe to a directory do so under the terms given by the directory, for example if it states lifetime link, then that is what it is regardless of owner plain and simple.

 

Let's take this a step further.

Owner earns $10,000 in link sales for the directory.
Owner sells the directory for $10,000.
Owner refunds all buyers link purchases costing $10,000 and then deletes all links. Hands over to new owner.

Can't for the life of me see this happening.

 

once a person has paid for a link they do not rly go bak to the site.

They may just keep an eye on link but other than that nothing.

I dont think that the usbmitters should be refunded.

 

There is no obligation for the seller to disclose to whom he sold the site to. If the new owner is interested in being "introduced" then so be it.

As far as "being informed" that he should never delete paid links - that would come under the terms of the sale. Some sellers may stipulate this and others may not.

But in the end, are you really going to get worked up over losing a directory listing? And to what lengths are you going to go should your listing get deleted?

 

Why? The new owner should make good on all commitments in order to preserve and extend the value of his investment ... this only logical. It would make no difference to those who have submitted previous to the transaction.

 

Just because a directory changes hands doesn't mean refunds should occur - it doesn't happen in any other industry, so why in the directory industry? As mentioned by a few others it would just be a case of making sure the owner honoured leaving all exisiting links in the database... if the new owner were to remove those links then he would quite simply be destroying his purchase...

 

The new owner should be informed and agree to some sort of terms before purchasing the directory. This is a basic understanding just like if you were to sell/buy any business.

 

I think it's seller's responsibility to make sure that the new owner is going to keep all links the way they are supposed to be listed. (Weather it's a bidding directory or general)

Other than that, there owner is not bound to give you refund if he is selling or even give any announcement of new owner. (Though its good to update everyone)