Finding an End User

[yorkshiredomainer]

I have a domain that I'm ready to sell (HotelsInStrasbourg.com). It's really rather nice, given that it's a popular tourist city, as well as a magnet for business travel due to the base of the European Parliament being based there.

I think the fact that it is a clean HotelsIn... .com domain sets it apart from the many hyphenated, .orgs etc. that crop up, and I'd like to get a decent price- perhaps low £xxxx to the right person.

The best way to achieve this is by finding an end-user, and I was wondering what people's top advice was for carrying out this sales process, from the initial decision of which parties to approach, right through to what to put in the email. Thanks!

 

[aramyus]

I think direct contact with hotels that buy ads is the best approach.

An other possibility would be to develop a site and rank it (and then contact the same people), but it's a different business model and may not be worth your time.

Recent transactions (see below) are not favorable, but for geo domains, the majority of transactions are not published.


Data from namebio
TRDate Domain Price
5/10/2016 hotelsinsingapore 305
4/6/2016 hotelsinusa 144
2/4/2016 hotelsinmathura 150
12/7/2015 hotelsincannes-france 100
11/3/2015 hotelsindortmund 200
10/9/2015 hotelsindubrovnik 1999
2/13/2015 hotelsinbenidorm 188

 

[yorkshiredomainer]

I think direct contact with hotels that buy ads is the best approach.

An other possibility would be to develop a site and rank it (and then contact the same people), but it's a different business model and may not be worth your time.

Recent transactions (see below) are not favorable, but for geo domains, the majority of transactions are not published.


Data from namebio
TRDate Domain Price
5/10/2016 hotelsinsingapore 305
4/6/2016 hotelsinusa 144
2/4/2016 hotelsinmathura 150
12/7/2015 hotelsincannes-france 100
11/3/2015 hotelsindortmund 200
10/9/2015 hotelsindubrovnik 1999
2/13/2015 hotelsinbenidorm 188

Thanks for your help- it seems from the list that there's no real trend regarding prices. Dubrovnik fetches almost £2k, perhaps because it is a smaller area than USA (in reality, who searches for "Hotels in USA!!") so there is definitely hope for a good price.

My only issue would be how to contact the hotels- whenever I send a "cold call" email, I'm worried that I'm coming across as a spammer!

 

[aramyus]

Thanks for your help- it seems from the list that there's no real trend regarding prices. Dubrovnik fetches almost £2k, perhaps because it is a smaller area than USA (in reality, who searches for "Hotels in USA!!") so there is definitely hope for a good price.

I really don't think you can use past transactions to valuate a geo domain. Your best chance is to create competition between hotels by having a real site, but I'm not sure it's worth.

BTW: people probably don't search 'hotels in usa' they more likely search hotels.com, expedia.com or similar sites.

 

[yorkshiredomainer]

I really don't think you can use past transactions to valuate a geo domain. Your best chance is to create competition between hotels by having a real site, but I'm not sure it's worth.

BTW: people probably don't search 'hotels in usa' they more likely search hotels.com, expedia.com or similar sites.

OK thanks for your help.

 

[yorkshiredomainer]

I've got some great advice about my own domain, so thanks! Perhaps now we could take this thread back to a discussion about approaching end users in general.

 

[Kate]

First of all:
If you have good domains, you don't find an end user. The end user finds you

There should be at least dozens of hotels in Strasbourg, but most of them probably have their URLs already and no desire to change. They will not buy the domain unless:

• it is a clear upgrade to their current domain name
• or it would complement their current domain name

The problem is that you have HotelsInStrasbourg and not HotelInStrasbourg.
Since it's a plural it looks more like a domain for a directory of hotels or a site rating hotels.

If I were running a hotel it's not a domain I would want.
I would rather take: strasbourghotel.com or strasbourg-hotel.com (the French don't mind hyphens like the Americans) or hotelstrasbourg.com or hotel-strasbourg.com. They are all registered BTW.

PS: hotelinstrasbourg.com is available... accordingly I don't think your domain is much valuable.
Good luck.

 

[frank-germany]

I don't think the domain is worth the effort

the past sales prices are pretty close to what I would suggest
and for low xxx USD its not worth the effort


those Hotels won't buy it

 

[trp3]

Just some tools which could help you:

zfbot.com
domainero.com

 

[yorkshiredomainer]

Just some tools which could help you:

zfbot.com
domainero.com

I've used domainero before, by ZFBot is new to me so thanks

 

[Igor Mironyuk]

I have a domain that I'm ready to sell (HotelsInStrasbourg.com).

I live in Nikolaev (it's ukrainian city). So my domain is NikolaevPhotos.com
And so I think that HotelsStrasbourg.com better than HotelsInStrasbourg.com
"In" I think is excess.

 

[imc]

Thanks for your help- it seems from the list that there's no real trend regarding prices. Dubrovnik fetches almost £2k, perhaps because it is a smaller area than USA (in reality, who searches for "Hotels in USA!!") so there is definitely hope for a good price.

My only issue would be how to contact the hotels- whenever I send a "cold call" email, I'm worried that I'm coming across as a spammer!

Why would a hotel buy your name? Think. The names suggests hotels in (city) and logically the site will have multiple competing hotels. Your best bet is to sell it to a developer/affiliate or provider of tourism related services either in that city or companies which develop in this niche.

 

[fatter]

As far as reaching endusers I just do a google search, and copy down advertisers for the keyword, don't click on the ad link it costs them money, then I also go 4 or 5 pages deep in search results, go to there website and click on the contact us link, and send an email, with a disclaimer this is the only email you will receive from me, keep the prices reasonable. I usually give 2 options a buy now price, and alow send it to auction price explaining if there are no other bidders you get it for that price. I pay the fees.
Joe T

 

[LucidDomains]

If you want to dramatically increase your chances of a sale, call instead of email.

JMO

 

[aramyus]

If you want to dramatically increase your chances of a sale, call instead of email

Intuitively, calling hotels in Strasbourg (by phone) sounds more promissing than contacting them by email.

Is your recommandation based on actual experience ? Would you try to do the same for (good) invented and meaningless domains names.

Of course, when you have a prospect, it's probably a good idea to call them by phone.

 

[Kuffy]

go to there website and click on the contact us link, and send an email, with a disclaimer this is the only email you will receive from me,

I think that the disclaimer is a great idea, I think I would be tempted to add a polite request to forward a copy to the marketing department, or something like that.

 

[LucidDomains]

Intuitively, calling hotels in Strasbourg (by phone) sounds more promissing than contacting them by email.

Is your recommandation based on actual experience ? Would you try to do the same for (good) invented and meaningless domains names.

Of course, when you have a prospect, it's probably a good idea to call them by phone.

Yes, any communication over email can be miscommunicated and ignored. A telephone conversation is miles better and can convey emotion and value to the potential buyer who will then be able to give you an offer or a 'not interested'. Make 20 calls for the domain and you will probably find someone who will give you something for it and if no one is interested it, drop the domain and move on.

 

[Omar Negron]

Just some tools which could help you:

zfbot.com
domainero.com

Yes. ZFBOT is awesome!

-Omar

 

[frank-germany]

I use http://F1lter.com