When enquiries start coming in, your focus should be on identifying serious buyers and progressing the right conversations. Most enquiries will be genuine. Some will not. A measured approach ensures you stay in control throughout.
We review the majority of enquiries before they reach you, filtering out timewasters and suspicious messages wherever possible. This helps improve quality from the outset. However, no system is completely foolproof, so it is important to stay alert.
This is the most important part of the process.
Genuine buyers will want to understand your business properly. They will ask relevant questions, review financials, and follow a clear process. Anything that falls outside of this should give you pause.
Be cautious of enquiries that:
Ask for money, bank transfers, or any exchange of funds early in the process
Request bank details or personal information not directly related to the sale
Ask for "help" that sits outside a normal business transaction
Show no interest in due diligence
Offer to buy the business without viewing it or reviewing accounts
Suggest meetings away from the business location without a clear reason
Ask questions that do not align with how a genuine buyer would behave
Request that you download software or install an app to continue discussions
In some cases, an enquiry may appear credible at first, before shifting direction. If the tone or nature of requests changes, take a step back.
Strong interest should never override sound judgement. If something feels unusual, treat it carefully.
A few patterns can appear unusual at first, but are part of how the platform works:
We review enquiries during working hours. Messages sent overnight are released together once approved, which can result in several appearing at once. This does not reflect anything about the buyer.
If a buyer submits an enquiry without a message, we generate a simple request such as “Please send more information”. This ensures you never receive a blank enquiry and is not a sign of low-quality interest.
A structured approach protects both your business and your time:
If you need guidance at any point, you can review our selling guides or explore how to manage enquiries effectively.
If an enquiry raises any concerns, even minor ones, let us assess it for you.
You can contact us and we will review the enquiry and respond as quickly as possible. We would always rather take a closer look than have you proceed with uncertainty.