Blind listing
A blind listing advertises a business for sale without naming it or giving its exact address. Buyers see the industry, region, size and financial summary; the identity is disclosed only after a confidentiality agreement is signed and, usually, the seller approves the buyer.
Confidentiality is not optional in a business sale. If staff learn the business is for sale they start looking; if customers learn, they hesitate to commit; if competitors learn, they call the accounts. Blind listing is the standard answer — enough information for a buyer to self-qualify, not enough to identify the business.
What a blind listing typically shows
- Industry and a general region rather than a street address
- Asking price, revenue and cash flow, often as ranges
- Reason for sale, staffing level and whether the premises are leased or owned
- A general description of the customer base without naming anyone
Sources
This definition is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Canada Revenue AgencyGovernmentSelling a business
- 02Treadstone LawLegal commentaryKeeping a Business Sale Confidential in Ontario
- 03Treadstone LawLegal commentaryHow to Prepare a Business for Sale in Ontario
- 04Business Development Bank of CanadaIndustryHow to sell your business
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