After a buyer and seller have completed the asset transfer in a FlippaPay transaction, the final step is for the buyer to confirm the release of the funds from the trust account to the seller. FlippaPay has a secure two-step confirmation process for releasing funds, to ensure that the Buyer indeed approves. If you’re the Buyer, here’s how to release the funds, and if you’re the seller, here’s what to expect.
When to Release
Only release the funds after you have received all assets and are satisfied with the transaction. Double-check everything – domains are in your account, websites files delivered, any other deliverables (like training or support) are provided per your signed agreement. Once the funds are released, the transaction is effectively closed and the Seller will get paid. Flippa (via the trust account) cannot undo a release easily, so treat it as final. If there are any outstanding issues, you need to resolve them with the Seller before authorizing the payout.
Step-by-Step for the Buyer to initiate release of funds on FlippaPay
Click to Confirm Payment Release on Flippa
Go to your Flippa transaction page (Deal Completion Area) in the Payments tab. There will be a Buyer to Confirm Payment Release stage with a link once the Seller completed the asset transfer stage. The Buyer should click this link when ready to release payment. This action notifies Flippa that you believe the sale conditions are met and you are requesting FlippaPay to pay the seller.
Check your email inbox for confirmation
As soon as you confirm payment release, Flippa’s system will send an email to the buyer’s registered email address on file. This email is a security measure – it contains a confirmation request to verify that it was indeed the buyer (you) who wants to release the money. The email will usually outline the transaction (e.g. “Flippa listing number, amount $xx,xxx”) and ask you to reply with a specific phrase confirming your authorization, including “I authorize Flippa to release the funds for the sale price of $___.” The email will specify exactly what to reply with, and we may ask you to type the listing ID or amount to avoid any confusion or accidental reply).
Reply to the Email with the Authorization Phrase
Type the requested authorization and hit reply on that email. Make sure you do this from the same email account registered with Flippa. You don’t need to write a whole message; usually the exact phrase or a simple “I confirm release of funds for <your Flippa listing number>” is sufficient, as instructed. This reply serves as the second factor of confirmation.
Wait for confirmation from our team
Once you send the email reply, our team will verify it. This might be a manual or semi-automated check to ensure the email is from the legitimate Buyer and the wording is correct. It’s typically quick, but in some cases can take a few hours (especially if in different time zones or if outside business hours). We will then process the release on FlippaPay. You should receive a confirmation when your funds have been released to the Seller.
Release Complete
After approval, we will initiate the payout from FlippaPay to the Seller from the trust account. The Buyer’s role is done – the secured funds are now on their way to the Deller. The Flippa transaction will be marked as Completed or Funds Released.
For Sellers, once you see that the Buyer has clicked to Release Funds (you might get a notification), you should soon receive confirmation that the funds are being disbursed to you. However, note that the Buyer also needs to confirm the release of funds as above via email, so give them a little time. If you’re in touch with the Buyer, it doesn’t hurt to kindly remind them to reply to the email if they haven’t (sometimes Buyers don’t realize the second step via email email is needed). Sellers will typically get an email from Flippa or our payment partner when the payout has been initiated, including details like the amount and where it’s headed (which bank account, etc.).
This two-factor release system is in place to add an extra layer of security. It prevents scenarios where, say, someone other than the Buyer gains access to the Flippa account and tries to release funds without permission, or if a mis-click happens. Only the Buyer’s email reply from the registered address serves as the final green light. It’s a bit of added effort for the Buyer, but it dramatically increases trust in the process for both parties.
Milestone or Scheduled Releases
When a deal is set up with multiple payments (milestones) or a scheduled payout structure using FlippaPay, the release process adjusts slightly. The process of the successive payments is coordinated between all parties; the Buyer, Seller, our Payments team, and, where applicable, the assigned Account Manager or Flippa Broker.
Milestone terms defined in the Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) are tracked by Flippa. As each milestone becomes due, the buyer and seller are expected to communicate progress, completion status, or any issues via the Chat tab in the Deal Completion Area.
Once approved, Flippa processes each release according to the agreed schedule. Additional confirmations may be sent as courtesy notifications at the time of each payout.
Troubleshooting the release of funds
- If you are the Buyer and did not receive the confirmation email after clicking Release Funds, please check your email junk or spam folder. The email should come from a Flippa address. If it’s not there within a few minutes, please contact our Payments team so we can resend it or re-confirm your address.
- If you sent the reply but haven’t heard anything for a while, please reach out again to ensure that we received it. Also please double-check that you replied with the exact requested text. If it’s not exact, we might be waiting for a response as requested.
- Occasionally, we may need to call the Buyer or do a secondary verification if there are further concerns (for example, a very large transaction might warrant a quick phone verification). Don’t be alarmed; it’s all to ensure safety.
- Sellers should keep their payout information ready (see Setting up your payment details). In the unlikely event that a Seller hasn’t provided their bank details yet, a further delay could occur. Our provider cannot send money to the Seller until the Seller’s payout method is on file, so please make sure that’s completed to get paid promptly once the Buyer releases funds.
Once funds are released, we consider the transaction to be completed. Both parties are automatically asked to leave a review or feedback for each other on Flippa.
In summary, releasing funds with FlippaPay is a straightforward process: a button click and an email reply. It’s intentionally a two-step process to protect all parties. As long as you follow the steps, the Seller will receive the money promptly, and you can then both consider the deal successfully completed.
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