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zac3366

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We were recently contacted by someone from Ename ("The #1 domain name marketplace in China"), asking for a client if we would like to sell a domain. At first the client's budget was $5,000. Now, after a few days and with no hard negotiations, their budget has gone up to $30,000. Me and my partners feel this domain name could be worth a lot more for the right buyer. We don't know who the buyer is, but one of the largest online companies in China has a brand/product that matches the .com domain name.

We think this might a real opportunity for us that we would like to explore. We don't have much experience when it comes to selling domains. The question is, what to we do next?
  1. Ask who the buyer is to be able to negotiate better?
  2. Set a high fixed price and see what they say?
  3. Start an auction and contact the companies we think might be interested in the domain name?
  4. Hire someone professional to negotiate the sale for us?
  5. Something else?
Any advice is welcome :)
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
How many extensions are taken? Use DotDB to check.

You can aslo hire your broker.
 
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If it is a physical product that they sell, there may be no issues even if they have a trademark.

Keep in mind, that you may want to act quickly, if you feel the price is a fair one for you.

There is a section for professional appraisals here on Namepros, and I wonder if it would be worth posting there to get an expert opinion. Or, since we have some real experts in the domaining world on this forum, maybe it would be worth paying one of them for a really informed perspective?
 
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No need to ask who the buyer is.

Set your price. If it's worth it to them, they'll bite. If it isn't, they'll walk. Are you okay with walking away from a 30k offer after a 12year hold?
 
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No need to ask who the buyer is.

Set your price. If it's worth it to them, they'll bite. If it isn't, they'll walk. Are you okay with walking away from a 30k offer after a 12year hold?
Yes.
 
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We were recently contacted by someone from Ename ("The #1 domain name marketplace in China"), asking for a client if we would like to sell a domain. At first the client's budget was $5,000. Now, after a few days and with no hard negotiations, their budget has gone up to $30,000.
Isn't it interesting that the budget went up almost six fold without significant negotiation? Are you sure that these folks are legitimate?
I've had the experience of receiving an email allegedly from a domain marketplace, claiming to be interested in purchasing it. When I called the marketplace to confirm, they indicated that this was not so. No such email was sent.
Don't be afraid to make certain it's a legit offer. And, maybe check online to see if there is some reason this company would be very eager to buy it now?
 
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Isn't it interesting that the budget went up almost six fold without significant negotiation? Are you sure that these folks are legitimate?
I've had the experience of receiving an email allegedly from a domain marketplace, claiming to be interested in purchasing it. When I called the marketplace to confirm, they indicated that this was not so. No such email was sent.
Don't be afraid to make certain it's a legit offer. And, maybe check online to see if there is some reason this company would be very eager to buy it now?
Thanks, valid input.
 
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ename is not the #1 domain name marketplace in China...
 
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ename is not the #1 domain name marketplace in China...
Ok, thanks. Do you know more about the company? If they are established, serious etc?
 
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I dont know what is established, serious mean.
They just a broker. What are you worry about?
 
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I dont know what is established, serious mean.
They just a broker. What are you worry about?
It's always good to know you are dealing with professional and reliable companies.
 
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Of course it is professional.
 
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ename is not the #1 domain name marketplace in China...
Excellent point. According to DomainNameWire.com in January 2020, Ename was the #4 registrar in China.

The top registrar in China was Alibaba Cloud, followed by Xin Net and West.cn.

Thanks for clarifying that.
 
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Excellent point. According to DomainNameWire.com in January 2020, Ename was the #4 registrar in China.

The top registrar in China was Alibaba Cloud, followed by Xin Net and West.cn.

Thanks for clarifying that.

To be clear, I wrote it within quotation marks. It's what ename.com claims themselves :)
 
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To be clear, I wrote it within quotation marks. It's what ename.com claims themselves :)
Smaller registrar, but with a bigger ego?! :xf.wink:
Yes, I saw that claim too on the internet.
 
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Would it be considered unprofessional to start an online auction where I invite the current buyer and others that I think might be interested? And would it be fruitful?
Chances are you'll only have this single retail buyer bidding.

As you said, you've only received a single offer each year. What are the odds that suddenly a bunch of serious buyers are going to appear with more than $30k to throw around?

I would simply go back to them with your asking price and negotiate (or not) from there.
 
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I was offered 5K , and then 40K+, by different people (and with time gap about 1-2 years, hold time over a decade), I accepted the second one.
My top sale happened this way. It was almost clear I wouldn't get a much higher price.
Every situation is different. There may be TM issues. I had a cctld I kept for more than a decade which I sold for 10K although it could get 1M (logically), but 10k sale was painful enough and I let it go. I'm paranoid about agents, but endusers don't deal with sellers directly, strangely. Can buyers prefer to pay more sometimes, because the person who handles the sale would get more money out of it, I think this is not impossible either. Can their lawyers offer 100 or UDRP, although their company would be willing to 100K: very possible. Sometimes, wording/mood of the response makes big difference, I suspect. You may need to stay cool, although you may feel warm.
 
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Congratulations, but I think Chinese buyers must have set a ceiling. If price exceed , they will give up. I hope you will seriously consider it. I have deal with them many times.
To be honest, I may have guessed your buyer , Lol.
 
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If you don't have experience with Chinese buyers hire an expert that does. In almost all cases people mess these sales up. There is a 95% possibility you already lost the sale by waiting.

Time is critical right now. Chinese buyers have incredible power to walk away and never think about a product again if they feel things are not going smooth. I hope you can still save the sale by stopping all games and responding with a clear buy it now price that has a deadline. Deadlines in Chinese culture is not a pressure technique, it is respected.
 
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Another consideration, along with the above suggestions, would be to check the NameWorth valuation. Their retail value estimations might tend to be overly optimistic. However, if the 30K is their retail price estimate, that might give another thought to seriously considering that valuation.
Granted, that doesn't mean that you couldn't potentially get more, but it would perhaps give you a better sense of what might be fair.
 
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I would be sceptical if the offer goes from $5k to $30k without any negotiations. Sounds like a fake offer to me. I hope it isn't for your sake.

Good luck, hope it works out
 
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Hire someone professional to negotiate the sale for you (y)
 
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ename brokers are reliable,
i had good experience with them with the names i sold there
i remember being nervous in the first deal closed at ename,
but everything worked just fine in a few days i received the cash
 
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ename brokers are reliable,
i had good experience with them with the names i sold there
i remember being nervous in the first deal closed at ename,
but everything worked just fine in a few days i received the cash
Sounds good. Did you use an Escrow service?
 
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Sounds good. Did you use an Escrow service?

No
they contacted me representing a client

the Domains/money was transfered using ename escrow service
 
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