A buyer with a compelling story

[polyromcom]

Wonder if anyone has experience dealing with this: potential buyer claims they let they were ill, they let their domain lapse and it is hurting their business dramatically. The archive records dont show much use of the domain but it was forwarded to a very active domain. I dont doubt that they owned it and want it back cheaply. I suppose it could be a domainer scam but not sure...

In any case, assuming the buyer is who they say they are, how do you respond to this kind of appeal? With compassion? Pure business?

I didn't buy the name to sell it back to them. It's a good generic that I bid on competitively at auction. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[infmoney]

Business is business. I'm a nice person, but I know lots of people use sob stories and fake stories to try to get domainers to sell for pennies on the dollar.

For example, the infamous "college student" excuse. The buyer could be telling the truth. If you want to be nice, you could turn it for a small profit if you feel the story is legit.

Wonder if anyone has experience dealing with this: potential buyer claims they let they were ill, they let their domain lapse and it is hurting their business dramatically. The archive records dont show much use of the domain but it was forwarded to a very active domain. I dont doubt that they owned it and want it back cheaply. I suppose it could be a domainer scam but not sure...

In any case, assuming the buyer is who they say they are, how do you respond to this kind of appeal? With compassion? Pure business?

I didn't buy the name to sell it back to them. It's a good generic that I bid on competitively at auction. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Jason.tv]

A sale is a sale, if the price is reasonable why not?

Jason

 

[JFS]

all buyers tell some story... and 99,9% are lies for you to sell the domain dirty cheap.

 

[surprise]

I would give him a discount , but that's it ....

 

[DU]

Talk to them on phone.

 

[Sabre]

Talk to them on phone.

What DU said. Have a few choice questions to ask them surrounding their back story - do a quick bit of research first to make sure you know the answers they should be giving!

It's a lot easier to fudge a story together via email than directly on the phone.

 

[DU]

What DU said. Have a few choice questions to ask them surrounding their back story - do a quick bit of research first to make sure you know the answers they should be giving!

It's a lot easier to fudge a story together via email than directly on the phone.

I wondered if I needed more detail but you nailed it

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

Who cares what the story is?

I'm not in the business of listening to sob stories from strangers, especially "I lost my domain" (boo, hoo) excuses--just a variation of "I couldn't hand in my homework because my computer crashed."

Yeah, right.

*

 

[lennco]

I smell a rat.

You need to be careful, this could very well be the guy you beat out in the auction or one of them.

I bet you got this email right after your info showed up on the whois.

If the so called original owner's business depends on a redirect domain then he needs rethink his business plan.

Small discount maybe but no more then that.

 

[DU]

*

Who cares what the story is?

I'm not in the business of listening to sob stories from strangers, especially "I lost my domain" (boo, hoo) excuses--just a variation of "I couldn't hand in my homework because my computer crashed."

Yeah, right.

*

You know, good karma.
Sometimes a little sugar goes a long way

 

[SK1990]

*

Who cares what the story is?

I'm not in the business of listening to sob stories from strangers, especially "I lost my domain" (boo, hoo) excuses--just a variation of "I couldn't hand in my homework because my computer crashed."

Yeah, right.

*

But Ms. Domainer I was telling the truth!

And to all of the IT guys, yes I tried turning it off and back on again. No luck.
______

These type of inquiries should definitely be analyzed case by case. I like DU's suggestion of speaking with them on the phone.

 

[polyromcom]

Hey, thanks for all the helpful advice. Oddly, the buyer has been a Sedo (where the domain was recently listed after auction) community member since 2009. Hmmm hmmm hmmm... I countered with what I believe to be slightly above an optimistic market value. But guessing that I won't hear back based on the buyer's profile. Yeah, perhaps someone I beat out at the auction. I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks thanks!