I'm just wondering, of those of you who buy and sell frequently on forums, Do you show anybody financials, and revenue that asks, or do you qualify them with at least full contact information? I think it's out of line to send an email with a screen name and ask to see company documents...am I wrong, or is that the forum mentality? That's not how it works anywhere else. Some opinions please. Thanks
It depends, I'm quite selective when giving out such information. However, I don't think it's too much of a harm so require that they send me their full contact information before I give out the information.
That's the way that I work too, but believe it or not, some people take offense, and write stuff like, "Well you must not want to do business, because I am a serious buyer." LOL! Then what is the problem, show me who you are, for all I know you're the IRS, or a competitor. People never fail to amaze me, just making up these rules on their own, that most normal people in business would laugh at.
I wouldn't mind giving seller my full contact. Although I have never been asked for full contact when I ask for financial and revenue details. If I were to sell a site, I would not mind showing the buyer/anyone the site's financial and revenue details.
Really? You would show your business to a complete stranger who will not give you his information? Now, I think the fact that someone who is serious about possibly doing business, sends you a request for information without their name, is a red flag. I think that any communication that purposely hides behind a fake name is a red flag, and it is not someone who is doing business ethically, or they at least have something to hide. By the way, this only happens with people from forums. Business people send me immediate full contact info, with office numbers, cell numbers, the whole picture.. Because they are ready to do business. They don't play around. And it's not because of income or money. I don't know how some of these people get taken seriously with back alley business skills.
In site sales I've been involved with, I've handled this by showing "selective" screen captures that support whatever claims of income/earnings I've made for the site--but that don't reveal any sensitive information--to any perspective buyers who requested them. My thinking on this is that if I say the site is earning $XXXX publicly then offering this "brief glance" to any perspective buyers isn't revealing anything I haven't already stated, but it does offer the buyer a heightened sense of credibility for my revenue claims that may raise their interest and prompt them to inquire further. However, once it goes beyond the "I might be interested" point, there's certainly an exchange of personal and contact information before I'll offer anything more than the selective screen capture, and I've never had a buyer who didn't understand that, its just smart (and good) business for both parties to know exactly who they're getting involved with in the deal.
No. What I meant was I never ask for full contact before showing those details. I would hide confidential data and give them what they need. It is hard to verify the data given by buyer. They could have given me fake information and I would not know (how do you verify it is not fake contact?). I think I should try to ask for full contact and see how people would react to this. As far as I am concerned, a serious buyer would not hesitate to give me full contact.
I don't, not on forums. I agree with what was posted above. You can tell who the real people interested are, and who just wants to see what will get them the most money fastest. If the message is professional with full contact info, quite often I will call, have a chat and then usually I will disclose at least some of the information.
Usually they will have something else registered in their name, or company with them listed as an employee or officer. Business people respond with a phone number, as do I. IF someone gives a fake name, you can verify that in about 3 minutes. When you call them on it, and they have some excuse, you know not to deal with them. The cold hard facts are, honest people that do business in the real world, do not hide.
Normally the people I work with on digitalpoint and webmaster forums are the people who call, or give me there contact information and want me to call them. It makes things alot better and you get to know the person
Well, if I were to sell a site, there's no reason to show my company's income statement, balance sheet or cash flow. As to showing people info for the site I'm selling, I'll show select details. I won't show stuff that I'd consider "free market research." Plus I'm always willing to do a contract that states everything I've represented to put the other party at ease.
All pretty much the way I have always done business. For some reason there seems to be a "Post your stats" mentality around this forum, that does not exist elsewhere. I thought may be I was being unfair, but I see no need to bring my way of doing business,(And the way most people do it ) down to the level of amateurs.