When you use Escrow.com through Flippa, the release of funds is handled on the Escrow.com platform. The Buyer must indicate that they are satisfied and accept the goods before their funds are released to the Seller.
How to release your funds on Escrow.com as a Buyer
Confirm all access and assets have been successfully received
Before doing anything on Escrow.com, please review and confirm that you have received everything that was described and promised in the sale. Escrow.com will generally not release funds until you, as the Buyer, give the okay (or an agreed upon inspection period passes without your response). You will need to make that sure you are indeed ready to finalize the transaction and release payment to the Seller. This includes thoroughly testing the website or app, confirming access and logins work, and that there are no outstanding deliverables.
Login to your Escrow.com account
Go to Escrow.com and sign in to your escrow account. Navigate to the Transactions section and find your active Flippa transaction. If you click the escrow transaction link directly from your Flippa Deal Completion Area conversation, you may be required to login again to Escrow.com first.
Accept the Merchandise/Assets
Within the transaction details, you should see the current status, where the Seller has marked items as delivered will likely be Awaiting Buyer’s Approval or something similar. There will be a button or option to Accept or Mark as Received/Complete. Click this to start the acceptance process. Escrow.com might ask you to confirm by ticking a box or a second Yes, I have received the items prompt.
Finalize on Escrow.com
Once you confirm acceptance, Escrow.com will record that you as the Buyer have accepted the goods. This is your confirmation that you will and are about to release funds to the Seller. Escrow.com will now move the transaction into the payment release phase.
After you accept, the transaction status on Escrow.com will update, typically to Completed. According to Escrow.com, once the merchandise has been accepted by the purchaser, Escrow.com releases the funds to the seller and the transaction is complete. In other words, your acceptance directly triggers the payout.
What if you don’t click accept?
If you as the Buyer do nothing and the agreed-upon inspection period expires, Escrow.com will reach out to you to confirm. If they don't hear back, they may release funds based on your non-response and complete the transaction with the release the funds to the Seller after the end of the inspection period. This protects Sellers from indefinite delays, and to prevent them from being without assets or payment for them. However, it’s best not to let it come to that – if you’re happy, formally accept; if not, raise a dispute or ask to extend the inspection period.
Receiving your payment from Escrow.com as a Seller
Once the buyer has accepted the goods on Escrow.com, you will get a notification that the Buyer has accepted or that the transaction is complete. At this point, Escrow.com will initiate the payout to you:
- Ensure you have added a payout method in your Escrow.com account. Usually this is a bank account for a wire transfer (Escrow.com typically only sends via bank wire for sellers). If your bank details were already entered when you set up the transaction, then you’re all set. If not, Escrow will prompt you to enter them.
- Escrow.com will then release the funds. This may happen within minutes of Buyer acceptance, but the actual transfer to your bank will take a little time (like any bank wire). You’ll receive an email from Escrow.com confirming the disbursement has been sent to your bank.
- If your transaction involved Flippa’s brokerage, Escrow.com might split the payment (paying Flippa’s due Success Fee separately).
- Escrow.com’s fee is usually paid by the buyer (especially in Flippa transactions by default), so the amount you receive should be the sale price less our Success Fee.
Note for multiple milestones
If your transaction on Escrow.com was structured with milestones, the release process will happen in stages. For example, if there were three milestones, the buyer will have to accept each milestone delivery one by one. Escrow.com holds all the funds upfront (the buyer would have funded 100% at the start), but releases them in parts. After the first milestone’s goods are delivered, the buyer clicks “Accept milestone 1” (and Escrow.com then releases that portion to the seller). Then the process repeats for milestone 2, etc. Escrow.com’s interface will guide the buyer through each milestone acceptance. As a seller, you’ll receive multiple disbursements accordingly.
Communication and confirmation
Flippa’s platform might not automatically show a Funds Released status when using Escrow.com, so communication is key. Buyers – once you’ve accepted on Escrow, you may want to send a quick message to the seller via Flippa messaging: “I’ve accepted the escrow, thanks for the smooth transaction.” Sellers – it’s polite to acknowledge once you’ve received the payment, and maybe leave a review for the buyer.
Escrow.com Auto-Release
In case of any confusion, remember that Escrow.com will auto-release if the buyer doesn’t actively accept but also doesn’t complain within the inspection period. The typical inspection period is agreed at the start (say 5 days, 7 days, or more for complicated sales). If you’re a buyer and you need more time to evaluate the assets, you can request an extension of the inspection period by contacting Escrow.com support (both parties have to agree to extend). Otherwise, by the end of that period, if Escrow.com hasn’t heard from you, they will assume all is good and pay the seller.
If there’s a problem
Should the buyer find an issue with the assets (for example, missing files or the site wasn’t as described), the buyer can choose not to accept and instead raise a dispute or issue on Escrow.com. In such cases, Escrow.com will hold the funds and might require the seller and buyer to come to a resolution (possibly involving Flippa’s dispute team as well, since the sale originated here). This is outside the normal “releasing funds” flow, but it’s good to know: if you’re not satisfied, don’t click accept – communicate the issue. Escrow.com has a process to mediate or refund if necessary, according to their terms.
For the vast majority of transactions, if everything goes according to plan, releasing funds via Escrow.com is as simple as the buyer clicking Accept on Escrow.com. It’s a single-step confirmation (unlike FlippaPay’s two-step), because Escrow.com as a third party already serves as the check. Once you do that, the escrow is closed and the money is on its way to the seller. Both parties can then focus on post-sale transition and enjoy the successful deal.
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