"How much?"
A term often used when purchasing something that doesn’t hold a visible offering price or that is even listed for sale. When it comes to something that is unique and literally "one-of-a-kind," money isn’t always the determining factor if a sale agreement takes place. Domain names fit this principle to a T!
Working in the domain name industry for many years and being involved in a lot of different situations has helped me gain a wide verity of experience. This helps me better understand the wider picture of the industry and what takes place in different situations, like buying a domain name from its past owner. Here is a brief overview of those experiences.
When you see a domain name and it's for sale, that's a good thing—as long as the listing is valid and listed by the rightful owner! Often, if a domain name is NOT listed for sale, it can be a real goose chase just figuring out who owns the domain.
When/if you do find out who owns it and decide to contact them, you might not get a reply if your email reads along the lines of “I see you're not using the domain, how much will you sell it for?”
Why not? The owner likely has played that game hundreds, if not thousands of times. So what is the remedy? Working with an experienced and trusted buyer broker will likely help prevent deep frustrations, massive amounts of wasted time and your lack of experience in the situation will not shine like the summer sun. This easily could be a deal breaker you wouldn't even know about. Experience matters! Be wise and speak with a Uniregistry Broker! Email them via brokerage@uniregistry.com; it’s that easy.
Domain name owners are unique individuals. Very unique individuals at times. I have spoken with and dealt with many over the years, and based on this experience, the majority of these very unique ones will die with the domain names they own, sadly.
There is not only deep personal attachment but lack of financial motivation for them to sell. We are all unique individuals and it is very easy to get upset based on a situation that doesn’t reflect the results you may have hoped of. This doesn’t make that domain owner a bad person, mean, or any other words one could spew out, it’s just frustrating. It’s not money that will matter in this situation, it will be about pleasing the wants/needs of this domain owner and really not about the value of the domain name. Sometimes it's best to just move on, really. Move onto the next domain.
The person who owns the domain name is a big deal!
Partnerships matter: When buying or selling a domain name, the partner you choose matters! Whether you are the buyer or the seller, experience and trust are situations that are earned and respected.
It should matter to you what service you use to purchase a domain name. Often, domain names are listed for sale in many different places and having a trusted brand backing you up the whole way, should matter to you. From the communication, payment and change of ownership, it all matters. The Uniregistry/GoDaddy team have a lot going for it, so it earns a nod from me. They have a very long list of exceptional partners that make business happen.
Domain names are hard to buy and replace if you sell one. They are. Several years ago, a domain name investor could easily replace stock but that is much harder to do now. Domain name prices in the wholesale market have greatly increased. In most cases, great domain names are fairly inexpensive (yes, even ones that are hundreds of thousands of dollars), and I often see ones that were purchased not that long ago that have already become a desired asset for the current owner with solid increases in value.
Overview: Trust the brand you use to buy and sell your domain name, it should and does matter! Do not get so set on one domain that it’s the only one of interest because the owner may fall into that “very unique” category. Be flexible and trust the professional advice provided.
If you are new at purchasing a domain name, remove the blinders and work with a professional, such as the professional brokerage team at Uniregistry Brokerage for your domain name buying and selling needs! Without question, they have the resources and experience and they are a great partner to have.