How to Sell Digital Products or Services Without Getting Scammed

[Jasmine]

If you use a platform like Fiverr to sell your digital services or a platform like Etsy to sell digital products, there is a least chance of getting scammed as these platforms monitor the transaction and come forward if there is an issue between seller and buyer. However, if you are selling independently, you are under the risk of not getting paid.

Let’s say someone contacted you to edit a video, you delivered the service, and the client just disappeared without paying you. Or, let’s say you sold a website but the buyer ran away without paying. These are common scams.

You need to use a service called Escrow. Escrow is a payment mediation service that will protect the buyer as well as seller. The buyer has to deposit money on Escrow and release the payment only after service or product is delivered. The seller on the other hand will receive payment only when the buyer marks the order satisfied.

 

[Ithedicious]

Most shopping and freelance platform has been equipped with escrow services that will protect the buyers and the sellers from getting scam and this is one of the best technology that can be used to prevent scam in the online space. Because of this whenever someone is interested in your services , the person must follow up the due process that has been set up in the third party platform they are using by depositing in money firsts .

A lot of freelancers have reported about some people not depositing money and will message the sellers privately to deliver a certain services and that they will pay outside the normal system of payment. This is not the best because you could be at risk of getting scammed as a seller because people who choose to pay outside the normal payment procedures are not likely to be trusted. These are the things we need to understand.

 

[Frankdan]

It's not advisable to sell digital product without the service of platforms that serve as middlemen. I know some people trade directly with the buyer so, they can all percentage of their money. But it's risky. That's why I always listed my digital product on marketplace. Though, one my boss advise me to trust my buyers especially those from top countries with good profile, I don't think I can risk it. Thanks to escrow, you can know trade online without any hassle. But I hear escrow is not available for all countries.

 

[Mika]

Scams are common when you are a service provider or online seller, however, if you take certain measures, it is easier to avoid scams. One of the easiest ways to avoid getting scammed is to use a trustworthy platform. For example, if you are selling services, use fiverr or upwork to sell your services. These platforms work as middlemen when some problems arise, if someone tries to scam you then will step in and look into the matter. If you are selling independently, you should use payment mediation services like escrow. If you are dealing with huge funds, it is ok to use escrow but escrow has a high disbursement fee, so it might not be appropriate to use for smaller transactions. I normally pay $20 flat for each transaction. if I am selling services for $20-$25 I cannot use escrow. In a situation like this use a payment service other than PayPal, where the client cannot send chargebacks.