4 ms·

Don't underestimate how valuable the right to be sued is. If other people have no recourse if dealing with you goes badly, they'll naturally be reluctant to tru

Don't underestimate how valuable the right to be sued is. If other people have no recourse if dealing with you goes badly, they'll naturally be reluctant to trust you.

rfrey 10y ago
That might be true if your market is other businesses. The courts are largely closed to normal consumers though, because of cost and the perception that justice is for sale. I doubt many mainstream consumers consider "can I sue this company if things go south" when making a purchase.
- vertex-four 10y ago
  Personally, being in a UK, I consider "do I have enforceable consumer protection rights" when buying products online. That broadly amounts to "do they have a business address in the UK, contact info, are they active in promoting their business, perhaps do they have a physical shop", etc etc. I'd seriously avoid shopping where I couldn't contact the owners, unless I was doing something illegal (and therefore where I couldn't rely on my consumer rights) in the first place.
  - cookiecaper 10y ago
    That's part of the tradeoff that you accept when you operate anonymously. Of course it will turn some people off, and as a consumer, that's a perfectly reasonable position to take. But as a business owner, until you have enough money sitting around to tolerate a lawsuit ($5M-$10M), if you're in a market that is willing to tolerate it, it could be a very reasonable tradeoff.
    - vertex-four 10y ago
      I really doubt that many businesses would make it to $5M sitting in the bank without ever allowing anyone to know who they are - or slipping up and getting caught. I can't think of who would spend money with such a business if there were any alternative, in countries with well-developed consumer protection systems.
olau 10y ago
Except that if it comes to a lawsuit, almost everyone loses one way or another. Sensible people and companies build up trust gradually.

Don't underestimate how valuable the right to be sued is. If other people have no recourse if dealing with you goes badly, they'll naturally be reluctant to trust you.

rfrey 10y ago

That might be true if your market is other businesses. The courts are largely closed to normal consumers though, because of cost and the perception that justice is for sale. I doubt many mainstream consumers consider "can I sue this company if things go south" when making a purchase.

vertex-four 10y ago
Personally, being in a UK, I consider "do I have enforceable consumer protection rights" when buying products online. That broadly amounts to "do they have a business address in the UK, contact info, are they active in promoting their business, perhaps do they have a physical shop", etc etc. I'd seriously avoid shopping where I couldn't contact the owners, unless I was doing something illegal (and therefore where I couldn't rely on my consumer rights) in the first place.
- cookiecaper 10y ago
  That's part of the tradeoff that you accept when you operate anonymously. Of course it will turn some people off, and as a consumer, that's a perfectly reasonable position to take. But as a business owner, until you have enough money sitting around to tolerate a lawsuit ($5M-$10M), if you're in a market that is willing to tolerate it, it could be a very reasonable tradeoff.
  - vertex-four 10y ago
    I really doubt that many businesses would make it to $5M sitting in the bank without ever allowing anyone to know who they are - or slipping up and getting caught. I can't think of who would spend money with such a business if there were any alternative, in countries with well-developed consumer protection systems.

olau 10y ago

Except that if it comes to a lawsuit, almost everyone loses one way or another. Sensible people and companies build up trust gradually.