discuss Why do you want to buy this domain name?

[Crysis]

When acquiring domain names privately, what would be the ideal response to these questions - "Why do you want to buy this domain name?", "How do you plan to use the domain name?"

I have always struggled to answer these questions satisfactorily. Of course, the majority of the sellers do not care what the buyer does with the domain name. However, there is a very small percentage of sellers who are not interested in money. They just want to know why do we need that particular domain name.

I tried answering these questions honestly (I am a domain investor, I invest in domain names, etc). However, I didn't receive an ideal response. When I answer sincerely, either the seller does not respond or they get vile and offensive

Just recently, I made an offer for a great domain name. The seller said that they are not interested in money. They wanted to know how do I plan to use the domain name. When I answered truthfully that I was a domain investor, I got a very nasty response.

Well, maybe we can lie and say that we want to develop this domain name, we need it for a startup, etc. But I feel very terrible and awkward when lying, so I tend to avoid it.

Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[xynames]

It’s a negotiation engagement question the response shouldn’t matter.

 

[Crysis]

It’s a negotiation engagement question the response shouldn’t matter.

Thanks!
Let's assume you are buying a domain name and you make an initial offer. The seller says "I accept your offer. How do you plan to use the domain name?"

What would be an your response?

In my past experience, when you answer truthfully either the seller does not respond, suddenly backtrack and say that the domain name is not for sale or they get offensive.

I am just trying to understand what would be the best response in such a scenario

 

[xynames]

I’ll be honest I’ve always been the seller posing that question.

The times I’ve been the domain buyer I’ve offered up the truth without even being asked - that I’m a reseller and therefore can’t pay too much for what I must resell, and the seller hasn’t seemed to think this was wrong or bad.

 

[hwgriffi]

But I feel very terrible and awkward when lying, so I tend to avoid it.

Bill Gates, lied.
Mark Zuckerberg, lied.
Donald Trump, lied.

How you get to the bag ( what you want ) is up to you bro, but if you are interested in money then you have got to do what you have got to do.

Just tell them you are starting a small [something] that you hope to turn into your full time job someday.

The owners are full of crap anyway. They want to know if they can add equity to the deal.

Let's not be naive bro. It's not like they are some pious person that wants the domain to have a good home, they want to get paid and to have equity on top of it.

 

[guilty]

Just recently, I made an offer for a great domain name. The seller said that they are not interested in money. They wanted to know how do I plan to use the domain name.

I doubt that someone doesn't care about the money but instead cares about what you're going to do with the domain. Personally, I think they want to know just so they can know if your idea is big. If the business is big, they will jack up the price, or even sell you the domain for not a high price but ask you to give them a percentage of the business.

If I contacted someone about a domain and they asked me what I am planning to do with it, I would just ask them to tell me how much they want for it. If they insisted on knowing what I am planning to do with it, I'd wish them luck. It's not their business to know what I am planning to do with the domain. No one would ask me what I am planning to do to a house I want to buy.

 

[tonyk2000]

I'm sorry but if I want to purchase the domain name that is for sale but not with "firm BIN" - then it would be the last question I wish to see. If this or that online negotiation system does not let me to "submit" and offer or otherwise express interest without ansewering this question - I will simply close the tab and purchase another domain. This is from buyers point of view of course... As a seller, I may or may not use "variable" pricing depending on the buyer, may or may not try to perform background check etc. However, as as seller I would never explicitly ask why do you need the domain and what for. So, if a marketplace has such a field in an inquiry form - it should not be obligatory to begin with...

 

[WillW]

I've been asking this question to every inquiry I've received so far. I've had responses from, "it's for development" to "is that really important?". For me, it's not as much about the actual question as it is about continuing the conversation with a potential buyer.

I forget where I read it but someone said when it comes to negotiation tactics, always end your message with a question.

Sales are tough enough as It is so when I get an offer or inquiry, I'll do everything in my power to get the best sale possible.

 

[golan]

For me, it's not as much about the actual question as it is about continuing the conversation with a potential buyer.

I forget where I read it but someone said when it comes to negotiation tactics, always end your message with a question.

Well, no offense intended god forbid, but this seems quite stupid to me.

Maybe to end your message with a question is a good tactic generally, but in the particular case of selling/buying a domain, such question seems highly inappropriate.

It's everyone's personal business, why they are interesting in a domain.

Imagine, you come to a shop, and you hear from a salesman/counterman:

"Why do you want to buy this pack of milk?"

"Why do you want to buy this computer?"

"Why do you want to buy this dress?"

"Why do you want to buy this car?"

While the task of the seller is to keep the buyer and to lead him through the checkout. But this question only frightens the buyer away.

If i would be such a buyer, instead of buying that milk/computer/dress/car/whatever, i would say to you: "Mind your own business", turn around and leave the shop. You know what? I always do like this, whenever the salesmen are going too far.

Like this:

 

[WillW]

@golan - No offense taken! I actually agree with you and I'm definitely not a fan of those tactics when I'm making purchases in-store. For me, I like to ask questions in general because I'm communicating with potential buyers through email, not face-to-face like you would in-store. I think there's a big difference between in-store & online negotiation tactics.

I do agree that it may be none of my business why a potential buyer may be interested in a specific domain and it definitely may be a turn off to a potential buyer, but I like to ask that question because it gives me some insight into the buyer/company right off the bat. Whether that be insight as far as ,"I'm planning on developing it" or "is that really important?" makes no difference to me. When it comes down to it, insight is insight and their answer creates a starting path to steer the negotiation a certain way. For me, it's a no brainer when it comes to online negotiations, and I'm going to ask as many questions as I can so I can learn anything I can about the potential buyer.

I recently had an inquiry on one of my names, where the buyer put an offer for $200. I emailed the buyer with a counter offer of $2000, which they were not a fan of and said they were going to look for another name. I replied and said I can't go that low. A couple days went by without any word or response and I thought the communication was over. During those couple days, I read that piece of advice, "always end every message with a question..." and I decided to email the buyer back and ask him why he was interested in the domain. He responded that same day and told me he started a company as a youth with the same name and wanted to use my name to develop, not to resell (He said I was bidding against him in the expired auction) He thanked me for asking him that question though.

I looked up the buyer through his email and I found on his twitter account he did indeed have a company with the same name as my name so I emailed him back and said I couldn't go that low that but I told him how much potential I saw for this name and asked him what he thought the name was worth. Long story short, the deal did eventually fall through, but he did come up quite a bit on his original offer, just not as much as I wanted to sell it for.

Although the deal didn't go through, I realized during those emails that asking that one question, not only continued a basically dead conversation, but also nearly completed a sale. Now I know the sale didn't go through and I do agree with you that it may be none of my business to know the purpose of a domain purchase - I'm not debating that. My original point, is that questions in general can be very helpful and vital when it comes to negotiating ONLINE, at least in my opinion and experience.

I may still have a lot to learn when it comes to domaining, but I do like to get to as much information as I can about any potential buyer and for me, the best way to do that is to ask questions and keep the conversation going.