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Selling an embarrassing product - best way to keep identity hidden?

by aussiebrah
12 replies
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Hi, I've created a physical product which is quite embarrassing. I'd like to be able to sell it on ebay, but my name will appear in people's paypal accounts after purchasing from me.

I've done some research and it seems that I can take credit card payments on etsy without my name being exposed. Am I right?

I have a very rare surname and I'm worried someone may dislike the product and write about me on a forum/blog and then googling my name might lead people to see that I'm selling this product.

Has anyone got any tips for someone in my situation?
#embarrassing #hidden #identity #product #selling
  • Profile picture of the author ronald911
    Why don't you just register a PayPal account on your business name?
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    • Profile picture of the author arrival7
      Yeah, set up your business as its own entity. This will allow you to use the business name instead of your name. This is what everyone else is doing.
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      • Profile picture of the author aussiebrah
        Originally Posted by arrival7 View Post

        Yeah, set up your business as its own entity. This will allow you to use the business name instead of your name. This is what everyone else is doing.
        In order to have a business name, won't my real name be publicly available in connection to the business? Can you have a business and keep your name hidden?
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  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    Originally Posted by aussiebrah View Post

    Hi, I've created a physical product which is quite embarrassing. I'd like to be able to sell it on ebay, but my name will appear in people's paypal accounts after purchasing from me.

    I have a very rare surname and I'm worried someone may dislike the product and write about me on a forum/blog and then googling my name might lead people to see that I'm selling this product.

    Has anyone got any tips for someone in my situation?
    Is the product embarrassing for you or for the customer?

    It reminds me of a scam back in the days of mail order where a quite religious society were ordering a number of sex toys that never got delivered.

    The scammer mailed the purchasers refund cheques (checks) emblazoned with the words "Refund for giant dildo offer"

    Of course no-one banked the cheques due to embarrassment and the scammers got rich.

    If the product is a bit embarrassing to the purchaser do you really think they would discuss it on social media?

    Of course it would pay to be discreet but it is very hard to hide your identity especially when someone has paid you or a company that you own any money.

    It is pretty easy to find company owners details from the various registrars...for example here is Australia's - Search ASIC's Registers | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission

    If you are providing a service and the product you sell does what it says and you treat people ethically regardless of how embarrassing the item may be I don't think you should worry too much.

    If things did go pear shaped you could always change your name by Deed Poll.
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    • Profile picture of the author aussiebrah
      Originally Posted by Oziboomer View Post

      Is the product embarrassing for you or for the customer?

      It reminds me of a scam back in the days of mail order where a quite religious society were ordering a number of sex toys that never got delivered.

      The scammer mailed the purchasers refund cheques (checks) emblazoned with the words "Refund for giant dildo offer"

      Of course no-one banked the cheques due to embarrassment and the scammers got rich.

      If the product is a bit embarrassing to the purchaser do you really think they would discuss it on social media?

      Of course it would pay to be discreet but it is very hard to hide your identity especially when someone has paid you or a company that you own any money.

      It is pretty easy to find company owners details from the various registrars...for example here is Australia's - Search ASIC's Registers | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission

      If you are providing a service and the product you sell does what it says and you treat people ethically regardless of how embarrassing the item may be I don't think you should worry too much.

      If things did go pear shaped you could always change your name by Deed Poll.
      It's embarrassing for both me and the customer, but especially for me if I'm posting pictures of myself using it to show it works.

      Do Google search results include information from the ASIC register? If so, I could use a very bland business name, make no reference to it on my website - and then nobody could connect the business name to my website/product???

      I'm most worried about my name being exposed by a Google search as being connected to this product.
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      • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
        Originally Posted by aussiebrah View Post

        It's embarrassing for both me and the customer, but especially for me if I'm posting pictures of myself using it to show it works.

        Do Google search results include information from the ASIC register? If so, I could use a very bland business name, make no reference to it on my website - and then nobody could connect the business name to my website/product???

        I'm most worried about my name being exposed by a Google search as being connected to this product.
        What I'm saying about the company details available from ASIC is that if someone wants to track you down they will.

        i would almost suggest the Dan Kennedy (well others too) approach of getting the skeletons out of the closet and baring them all.

        Imagine you are running for president...isn't it better to say "I smoked pot"...rather than deny and then get found out.

        If your product is embarrassing as you say...which I doubt...as there is so much truly embarrassing stuff out there....I would try to own that space.

        Look at me...this is embarrassing right...

        I had a rantallion but now I'm proud to line up in the local change rooms.

        You've got to find a way to be proud of the embarrassment and then make sure when people try to find any dirt on you you are the one standing there saying....

        "Well...It worked for me!"

        "So well in fact I bought the company" (Remmington analogy)

        Just think of this....

        If your situation was something so shameful that no-one would purchase the product then I could understand....

        ...but that presents an amazing opportunity...

        Think of the daytime TV slots.

        Think of the Publicity

        If you own that space you will sell a Sh*t ton of whatever it is.

        Don't be scared....

        ...you're a long time dead.
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  • Profile picture of the author ynef
    Cloned a willy?

    Best idea would be a PayPal account with your business's name. Another one would be to accept Bitcoin because we all need to contribute and make it go mainstream anyway.

    On top of that if it's embarrassing enough I don't see why customers wouldn't want to use Bitcoin to stay anonymous themselves.

    I'm not entirely sure about the legal side of it, but writers often use an alias so why couldn't you? Consider yourself a rock star like Marilyn Manson!

    And lastly, if you have already went through the trouble of creating your embarrassing product, I don't see any reason why you should care about your name being stained. If you're making serious money with it, the ones complaining will be the ones jealous of your success.
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    Content writer, web developer, SEO consultant - Ynef's Portfolio

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  • Profile picture of the author violet0176
    Own it or don't sell it.
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  • Profile picture of the author linda dropshipping
    register a PayPal account on your business name without your own name
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    to be a better girl.

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  • Profile picture of the author chuff1026
    lol
    this has to be hell of embarrassing if you are worried about even if they wil get your info from the corp name
    lol
    wtf?
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    Check out my 700+ FREE Videos on Youtube About Drop Shipping
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    • Profile picture of the author aussiebrah
      Originally Posted by chuff1026 View Post

      lol
      this has to be hell of embarrassing if you are worried about even if they wil get your info from the corp name
      lol
      wtf?
      it's a health product for an embarrassing body issue
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  • Profile picture of the author FatBoBo
    Hi!
    While i read your thread i got an idea. Couple of years ago I made a Paypal account which I could not verify (connect it with Mastercard) because i used incorrect name and surname. Over the time i got few k € on it and problem was how to withdraw the money? so my plan was to transfer the money from this "fake" account to my real account which was verified but i couldn't because limit for transactions on unverified Paypal accounts was 400€ or something like that. So what i did was i called paypal help and explained them the situation. They were truly helpful and transferred my money without major problems. I have to inform u that this was few years ago so things might change over the time....I hope it helps!
    Greg
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