I have a potential buyer I've been negotiating with for about 3 months. A very casual exchange with a couple of weeks between emails. I'm pretty certain this is an end user. The agreed price is in the low $,$$$.
(I left $ on the table by not researching the inquiry better before replying with asking price)
The name was never parked or hosted. It was sitting with a default godaddy lander. So the buyer must have used whois to find my email. I'm fairly sure this end user really does want the name. But am a little confused at the time taken to reply. The price was agreed on and my last email explained the transfer procedure per his request. (obviously not a domainer)
I want to close the deal but do not want to do so carefully. I forwarded the domain name to a simple but classy custom landing page and received 3 more inquiries in a few days (12). I want to honor the current agreement but do not want to wait much longer (1 week). I want to reply to the new inquiries as well. I expect at least one of the new inquiries to be the original inquirer.
If this person really wants it then make it clear you have other offers in a nice way non demanding or " i'm desprate way". ( maybe they want you to appear desprate reduce the price )
It's holiday time or they could be busy, what ever if they are that interested they will respond or move on.
The first buisness rule i learn't is never rely on anyone if you want to be successful, but be nice in the process. In this case don't put all your eggs in one basket. Time waits for no one.
Sometimes you have to put a little pressure on someone to get action. You could take a slightly annoyed tone and state something along the lines of "It's been two weeks since you said you wanted the domain. If we're not able to complete this in the next couple of days, I'm going to assume you're not interested."
As for the other inquiries, I would outright ask them if they are from the same company that made an offer two weeks ago (don't mention it by name). Then if they're not, ethically you shouldn't be negotiating until your other deal falls through (in a couple days, if you use my previous suggestion and get no reply).
Best of luck,
RJ
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testing 1..2..3... is this thing on?
Just tell the guy you've received other inquiries for the domain. Let him know if he wants to buy he has to speed up the process or you'll start talking seriously with the other inquiries you have. Be careful with the other inquiries because like you suspect one of the other inquiries might be a plant to see if you'll drop the price.
Respond to all the other inquiries you have and mention you have someone very interested and if the deal falls through you will be contacting all of them.
You don't want to lose the buyer and you don't want to lose the people inquiring about the domain because the buyer might flake out at the end.
Yes - agreed. How long can someone expect to wait on them without looking for something better. It's sort of like when a girlfriend goes away to another state for college and the boyfriend says "wait for me" but she will find better offers because its just too much time in between.
Alot can happen in a month, or even a couple weeks. I would agree with stephan, RJ and deu, you don't want to lose the first deal and you dont want to sell yourself short too.
If the buyer really wants it, tell him to buy it. Don't let him control your life.. "ohh I want it.. oh maybe.. let me get some money.. "
Don't tell me that mike... Haha i am 1400 miles from my girlfriend for half the time haha. But as all above said send them a kind, yet stern e-mail asking if they are truelly interested to speend the sale up.
As said before you can't let them control your life.
still consider the price of $,$$$ it's not easy to produce if he/she likes the domain i think a courtesy follow-up email won't hurt and also inform him/her as he's not alone interested in the domain can put a little pressure on him and not on you as looking desperate to sell. HTH
I'm thinking (hoping) it's a schedule thing on his end. The company looks solid and the price, based on what I can tell, should not be the issue (imho). Here is a quote from thier mission statement.
" With this in mind we’ve developed a strong platform base in order to suit all client advertising needs across all ATL advertising platforms i.e. TV, Radio and Cinema. "
Mobile Marketing is also one of the services listed. I'll let the first buyer (inquirer) know that I do have other parties interested.
Should I forward the original asking price to the new inquiries? Or has the value just gone up?
Thanks again for the advice.
(Repped all I could)
namenut
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From Me and Mine ..... To You and Your's Happy Safe Holidays .... ♠ And a Happy New Year 2009 ♠
I've seen several members here and elsewhere doing this - And think it is a good route to take.
Simply add a statement to any Emails or Letterhead you use stating any Offers agreed on or any negotiations ongoing will only be honored for "X" amount of time. I've used it several times myself to put a little heat under peoples rears and it seems to work or at least flush out the time wasters up front.
__________________ Nothing to see here ... Move Along. Nights in White Satin I dare you to find a better version - And this one is almost 40 years after the fact.
Just mention to him that you will respect the offer and go through the deal if it is done within 1 day or 2 days. If he fails to read this email in 2 days and opens it on 3rd day then it is his bad luck.
If you fail on establishing a deal with other buyers after 2 days then your bad luck as you lost the 1st buyer
Opportunities they come and they go. Grab the one you can and forget about the other ones.
The email is going out today. I've written about 9 drafts. kinda like to those multi ending option DVDs.
We'll see.....
I've repped everyone I could. Thank You all for the feedback. I'm quite fortunate to have such members offering advice. Again , many many many thanks, for the time.
namenut
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From Me and Mine ..... To You and Your's Happy Safe Holidays .... ♠ And a Happy New Year 2009 ♠
I'm happy to say I took a mix of the great advice given and received a very positive reply. I'm sure, now, that I left $ on the table but will honor the price and be happy with it.
"Details at 11" That means I'll tell you the more about it when the kids go to bed. (after the sale). This will be a decent sale (low $,$$$) for a "brandable" generic ??? []mobi name. And in an amicable transaction.
The name will be used for pretty much what I had in mind when hand regged only a few weeks before the original inguiry. Mobile content, design, marketing and advertising. I'll be suggesting a "relationship" in order to develop some of my []mobi names.
Thanks again for the advice
namenut
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From Me and Mine ..... To You and Your's Happy Safe Holidays .... ♠ And a Happy New Year 2009 ♠
Sold to a South African Co.
They will be using it in a mobile content division.
They currently do TV, Radio and Print media advertising and marketing.
I left a ton of money on the table by replying with out researching the email. Once I quoted the price on the name I received higher offers waiting for the buyer to respond. I honored the original quote. Sold at SEDo ($1200) even though I had two (2) higher offers.
I really wanted this name to go to such an end user. I dunno why I should care but I did. A clothing Co also emailed me about it. I lost $700 by honoring the quoted price, Potentially a great deal more lost after realizing what kind of, for the lack of a better term, "fish" was on the end of my line.
Over all I'm happy with the sale and look forward to visiting the site. Even if it sits at godaddy today.
Thanx again for all the advice. I'm working on a deal with EbonyIvory.mobi and I have a feeling it is the same ..... end user. Call me crazy.
namenut
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From Me and Mine ..... To You and Your's Happy Safe Holidays .... ♠ And a Happy New Year 2009 ♠
DNKitchen.com and Chef Patrick ---> 
Nothing to see here ... Move Along.
they come and they go. Grab the one you can and forget about the other ones.
It always feels nice when some of our chitter chatter helps members here 
by replying with out researching the email. Once I quoted the price on the name I received higher offers waiting for the buyer to respond. I honored the original quote. Sold at SEDo ($1200) even though I had two (2) higher offers. 
