discuss So what do you do when previous owner contacts you to get name back?

Let them know that the good news is that the domain might be for sale. If they really want it back, they will buy the domain at the set price.

Silentptnr said:

Let them know that the good news is that the domain might be for sale. If they really want it back, they will buy the domain at the set price.

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You are Right. But they may know at what price we buy it in expired / closeout.
I don't think most of the owners want to pay XXXX for their mistake. May be they think its some sort of blackmailing.

Silentptnr said:

Let them know that the good news is that the domain might be for sale. If they really want it back, they will buy the domain at the set price.

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good point
i mean it coulda just as well been picked up by someone who doesnt wanna sell it at all

I just think that if you find an available domain and register it.....past registrants mean nothing. It's one of those "so what" kind of things. Has no bearing on the current registrant.

I once had this exact situation and after the person finished telling me their sob story, I immediately told them how happy I was to be the owner of the domain.

No hard feelings.

I consider each request on a case-by-case basis... many are not acceptable reasons but I keep an open mind as there are always exceptions:

I returned Radikal dot co for free (at my own cost) to the previous owner last year.
There's a number of reasons I thought this was worth doing:

1) It was a small ongoing business - with a website, email address and matching social media handles
2) The former registrant was based in Haiti and unable to use a computer at the time of renewal
3) They were courteous and cordial in their approach, and made no demands
4) The business focuses on social/societal impact by helping entrepreneurs fight their way out of poverty
5) The material cost to me was $10. In relative terms, the opportunity cost to them was also far greater than mine

Whilst many consider empathy to be a weakness, I've always considered it a strength.
I'm not saying I'd comply with every single request - but I try my best to look at the facts and make decisions in a way that let's me sleep easy at night.

I've been talking to the previous owner of a two letter hyphenated domain that I own for almost a year now. He started off being very rude and threatened to sue me. When he realized it wouldn't work we started discussing the price, and ended up agreeing that he would pay 12.000$ for it. But now after almost a year he's not been able to get the money to pay for it. I acutally believe that but it also might be that he's trying to get the price down, that ain't happening though, but these situations are tough. If he hadn't been rude at the beginning I would maybe consider going down a bit.

I bought a domain for $1500. Many years later I had someone call and explain his partner sold the domain without his permission. He seemed sincere, was nice and cordial in the conversation, so I proceeded to try to help him.

I offered the domain to him for the price I paid, $1500. The seemingly sincere and cordial person erupted into a moment of completely losing control of emotions. It was nasty. I never really understood what he was yelling, but he implied I should give him the domain.

Regardless of my past experience, I will always try to help those that are sincere and cordial.

I wouldn't even sell it to this person given the story and specifics you have provided. Sounds like a possible chargeback waiting to happen, IMHO. Red flags, IMHO.

However, to answer you question in a general sense, what would I do?

Well, to be frank, I would probably just ignore such an email because IMHO 9 times out of 10 this stuff is usually just BS. But I'm rather cynical in general

DomainVP said:

Sympathy and business don't mix.

I can't afford Tom Bradys house, but I want to move in because I am looking for an upgrade for my family.

It's your domain, not theirs; conduct business accordingly.

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I think they do mix. I'd love to upgrade my family but when I think of it, I have all I need so what's the point? Sure, I'd love to get a new Tesla but do I need it? I really don't.

I'm sure that had I been more of a hardass in business I'd have profited more but does that equal happiness and prosperity? We're all different and I respect that for some people it's all about the money. Like has been pointed out, I too like a good night sleep knowing I helped someone when needed, even if that was at my own expense.

Also, it doesn't always cost you eventually. Like I mentioned I gifted a .org. probably would have been a mid $xxx sale. I got in touch with their dev guy (externally hired) to get the transfer done. Some weeks after he contacted me again as I know my way around the aftermarket and asked if I could help them out acquiring a couple of domains. All of a sudden I was making some deals totalling nearly 100k and taking a nice percentage brokering it.

I believe in life (and business) you get what you give and I count my blessings each and every day.

yes thats for sure another way to see it... for any quick flip offer out there.. not just this one.. but its not $500... and I still have no clue what 300+100cash means.. I mean does it mean the 300 is not cash lol.. maybe I get shares in his project or business lol
who knows

either way... its a good name so I would like to take my chances with it...

but hey.. maybe I'll just write back to him and say that I'll go as low as he wants if I do not sell it for more elsewhere in next 12 months. I'll give it some more thought.

so far after he send me his 300+100+3coms offer I didn't hear from him again. I guess he understood my 900$ offer was reduced special just for him.. and not really negotiable.

its undeveloped offer.. so I did offer him monthly plan for couple months etc.. if he needs one.. he said he's not interested.

thanks for all your comments.

infosec3 said:

I was on the other side of the equation. I was the guy trying to buy my domain back. I sold a domain to a NamePros member for $200. Soon after, I received an offer for $1000 for that domain, because the other domainer here did not change the contact information, so it showed my email.

I contacted the domainer via PM and asked if he could sell the domain back to me for $300. He said, "No, thanks". I thought everything was lost and gave up. However, a few days later he contacted me and sold me the domain for $300. I then answered the $1000 offer and asked the end-user for $5K. We negotiated a bit and agreed on $4K. So, I ended up selling the name for $4K.

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You're lucky the buyer and seller weren't the same people running an old scam.

About 20-ish years ago we did daily or twice daily " large block " copy and paste searches for EMDs in a niche market.

And one fine day after months or perhaps a year of 100% non available currently reg domains
about 18 domains were returned as available to register ( at the older higher cost rates as previously alluded to) .

Took 'em all of course right on the spot.

Couple months later heard from the previous registrant who realized " they were gone" and
" they were mine".

Several very hostile incoming phone calls and emails came my way.

I merely held my ground and stated that he registered 'em at one time under certain terms and, he failed to meet the obligations of his terms with the registrar - the main term being to PAY for their renewal fees per the terms of the registrar or the names are available for others to register.

Also mentioned to him that the names could have been sold one by one to various buyers and try and re-acquire them back from a dozen to maybe eighteen or more potential buyers.

He did make an iffy, low offer as I recall for the names and I gave him a reasonable ( IMO ) counter to
re-acquire the names.

Ended there with my keeping 'em and we each went our own separate domain ways.

Had he been a bit less hostile and more pleasant up front we might have ( ?? ) worked out a deal but nevertheless I anticipated a profit for all of my search work, acquisitions cost and, having 'em all available rather than scattered about.

alcy said:

... plus offered me 3 .com domains... which aren't very nice.

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alcy said:

plus those 3 names he offered... it kinda did feel like I was dealing with domainer and offered 3 names out of his maybe very extensive catalog.

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I think that should be enough for you right there to just move on with the name as your own and go with your original plans you had for it when you acquired it.

Nikul Sanghvi said:

I consider each request on a case-by-case basis... many are not acceptable reasons but I keep an open mind as there are always exceptions:

I returned Radikal dot co for free (at my own cost) to the previous owner last year.
There's a number of reasons I thought this was worth doing:

1) It was a small ongoing business - with a website, email address and matching social media handles
2) The former registrant was based in Haiti and unable to use a computer at the time of renewal
3) They were courteous and cordial in their approach, and made no demands
4) The business focuses on social/societal impact by helping entrepreneurs fight their way out of poverty
5) The material cost to me was $10. In relative terms, the opportunity cost to them was also far greater than mine

Whilst many consider empathy to be a weakness, I've always considered it a strength.
I'm not saying I'd comply with every single request - but I try my best to look at the facts and make decisions in a way that let's me sleep easy at night.

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This was the right thing to do and I like to think I would have done the same thing as well in that situation.

Sounds like that is night and day with what you got going on.

Maybe part of your thought process may be ".....well, if I let a name lapse that I liked I would hope someone would do the same for me......" True, do unto others.... but, from the picture I have seen drawn this was just laziness, carelessness, or ignorance for the name to have dropped and you to get it.

I think that's all been said already but.....don't second guess yourself after you decide what to do. Just do it and move on.

Ategy.com said:

I'm actually in the middle of an incoming negotiations via GoDaddy's Buy Service (wow are they ever ridiculously slow when it comes to communications).

It was the GD agent who told me the guy is the former owner. I felt a little bad, but the (mid $xxx) opening offer was just too low for me to even consider. I told the agent that I'm flexible in my price a bit, but that $xxx simply wasn't going to move it.

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The buyer now is into low $xxxx .. below what I would have set as my retail price .. but still into a territory where it's a reasonable number.

Also got more info from the agent/broker .. turns out the buyer originally used their service to acquire the domain the year before .. and contacted the agent the next day after it left his account .. I'm definitely going to be flexible and cut him a deal .. left to be seen the final price .. Steamie still needs his treats (and I still need to pay for all my flood damage)!

The domain name probably was not used much, if in doubt you can check archive.org or google cache.
The previous owner may simply be infatuated with a long-held domain. Like so many domainers clinging on to bad names.

Personally. I don't buy any sob stories. I also take the rough with the smooth, if I lose a domain I wanted to keep. It's my fault I let it drop and it got bid up to 10k on DropCatch

Receiving sob stories has happened less than a handful of times to me. I quote them my usual retail price, and negotiate down. Any negative comments from the buyer, and I usually shut down negotiations. I don't have the time to waste listening to other peoples sob stories, and respond to them, delaying the inevitable, no sale. Most times the prospects don't want to pay anywhere near market levels. So ta-ra!

Does that make me cold-hearted?

Internet.Domains said:

I bought a domain for $1500. Many years later I had someone call and explain his partner sold the domain without his permission. He seemed sincere, was nice and cordial in the conversation, so I proceeded to try to help him.

I offered the domain to him for the price I paid, $1500. The seemingly sincere and cordial person erupted into a moment of completely losing control of emotions. It was nasty. I never really understood what he was yelling, but he implied I should give him the domain.

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it could the very same person who sold it at the first place LOL