Frequently Asked Questions

Any business being sold that has a meaningful digital presence. That's most businesses operating today. If you have a website, a Google Business Profile, social media accounts, or online advertising — you need a structured digital handover.

The businesses that need us most are those where digital assets are core to how the business operates: eCommerce stores, restaurants with online booking, service businesses with review profiles, any business spending money on digital advertising. Losing access to or mishandling these assets during a sale can destroy the value the buyer paid for.

Yes. We operate primarily in Australia and the USA, but digital assets don't have borders — a Google Business Profile or a Shopify store is the same regardless of where the business is physically located. We can handle transfers for businesses operating anywhere, with primary time zone coverage in AEST and US Eastern/Pacific.

Three things: expertise, order of operations, and documentation. Most business owners don't know what order to transfer digital assets in — and getting the sequence wrong causes real problems (sites going offline, ad accounts losing history, Google Business Profiles getting flagged). We've done this hundreds of times. We know what breaks and how to prevent it.

We also produce a formal Handover Report that both parties have on record. If any dispute arises about what was or wasn't transferred, there's a signed document that settles it. DIY handovers leave everyone guessing.

Fully remote. Digital asset transfers happen through platforms — there's no physical component. We work via email, video call, and secure credential sharing. On-site visits are never required and never offered.

Starter handovers (domain, website, email) typically complete in 3-5 business days. Professional tier (adding Google, social, ads) takes 5-10 business days. Enterprise transfers — particularly those with eCommerce platforms and custom integrations — take 10-20 business days.

We can work to specific settlement timelines when we know about them in advance. Contact us early if you have a hard deadline.

Initially, just a rough description of the business and what digital platforms you're aware of. We'll do the full audit to uncover everything. As transfers proceed, we'll need access to individual accounts — we guide you through this step by step, and we never ask for more access than is needed for a specific transfer.

Some platforms have restrictions on direct ownership transfers. Meta Business Manager, for example, has specific rules around transferring ad accounts that can't always be worked around cleanly. In these cases, we document the situation clearly, guide both parties through the correct platform process, and — where the platform allows — set up a transition admin period where the new owner has full operational access while ownership formally transfers through official channels. We never leave a stalemate undocumented.

Yes. This is one of the key reasons to use a professional service — we sequence the transfer so the website stays live throughout. Domain transfers are the most common cause of downtime if handled incorrectly. We mitigate this by ensuring new hosting is confirmed and DNS is configured before the domain transfer is initiated, and by using low TTL values before the transfer to minimise any propagation delays.

The Handover Report is a formal document produced at the completion of the transfer. It lists every digital asset that was in scope, confirms the transfer method and date, and records the buyer's verified access status for each asset. Both buyer and seller receive a copy. It serves as the definitive record of what was transferred as part of the business sale.

Yes. Google Business Profile ownership can be transferred through Google's official process. The reviews, photos, and listing history remain attached to the profile — they don't disappear. What changes is who manages the profile. We handle this transfer carefully to ensure the profile isn't suspended during the process, which can happen if done incorrectly.

Yes, with some nuance. Facebook Pages can have their primary ownership transferred within Meta Business Manager. Instagram business accounts linked to a Facebook Page can be transferred along with it. Personal Instagram accounts (not linked to a Business Manager) require different handling — usually a password change and 2FA reconfiguration rather than a formal ownership transfer. We guide you through the correct process for your specific setup.

Historical data in ad accounts (campaign performance, creative library, audience data) stays with the account when ownership transfers. This is one of the most valuable parts of a digital business handover — the buyer gets the benefit of historical data for machine learning optimisation and audience targeting. Getting this wrong by transferring incorrectly can cost weeks of relearning. We ensure the historical data is preserved.

Yes. Shopify store ownership is transferred by changing the store owner account. All products, orders, customer data, apps, and settings remain intact. For customer data specifically, we ensure the transfer is handled in compliance with Australian privacy law (Privacy Act 1988) and relevant US state privacy regulations. The buyer needs to understand they're taking on responsibility for that customer data under applicable law.

Yes. Email marketing platform accounts (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign etc.) can have their ownership transferred to a new user, taking all subscriber lists, templates, flows, and campaign history with them. The key legal consideration is that the new owner inherits the consent obligations — subscribers consented to hear from the original business, and the new owner should notify them of the change of ownership. We include guidance on this as part of Enterprise transfers.

Because hourly pricing creates the wrong incentives and the wrong risk profile for both parties. With hourly rates, complications become expensive surprises. With flat-fee pricing, complications are our problem — we absorb them within the agreed scope. You know the cost upfront and it doesn't change because a platform threw up an obstacle. That's a better deal for everyone.

Either party can engage and pay. Most commonly, the seller pays — it's in the seller's interest to demonstrate a clean, professional handover, and it's a reasonable cost of sale. Some buyers prefer to engage directly and pay themselves for the assurance of being the client. Business brokers often include the cost in the sale agreement upfront. All arrangements work fine for us.

50% is invoiced on engagement confirmation and work commencement. The remaining 50% is invoiced on delivery of the Handover Report. Payment by bank transfer or credit card. For Enterprise clients with specific settlement timeline constraints, alternative payment arrangements can be discussed.

If the handover doesn't complete through any fault on our side, we'll refund the relevant portion. If a transfer can't be completed due to platform restrictions or seller account issues outside our control, we'll document this clearly and the 50% completion payment won't apply to that specific asset. All edge cases are handled case-by-case with transparency.

Yes. We have referral relationships with business brokers and M&A advisory firms in Australia and the USA. We handle the digital component of the handover professionally and return satisfied clients who reflect well on your process. Contact us to discuss a referral arrangement.

We're accustomed to working within settlement timelines. The key is engagement timing — the earlier you bring us in, the more flexibility we have in the transfer sequence. For tight timelines (under 2 weeks), we may recommend prioritising specific assets and completing the remainder post-settlement, with the transfer plan clearly documented. We communicate clearly with all parties about what's achievable within a given timeframe.

Yes. Our digital asset audit can be used as part of due diligence documentation — it provides a complete inventory of digital assets with their current access status and ownership. This is useful for buyers who want to understand what they're acquiring before settlement. The post-transfer Handover Report can be included in completion documentation.