A great name going to waste...

[Phronesis]

I've been sniffing around a domain name I want for about 2 years now. It's owned by a company that either went out of business or merged with another company. None of the info on the whois is correct - at least, not anymore. Emails get returned, phone numbers don't work, and neither the name I want, nor the primary domain for the business resolves. The company has apparently been defunct for some time as there are only a few old links to it on the web. The worst part is, (thanks no doubt to an IT guy looking to make his job easier) the domain is registered until 2010.

So, when all typical methods of contacting an owner to make an offer fail, what else can you do? I might add, this domain is probably worth low-mid $xx,xxx.

 

[-REECE-]

report it for invalid whois and backorder it :D

I've been sniffing around a domain name I want for about 2 years now. It's owned by a company that either went out of business or merged with another company. None of the info on the whois is correct - at least, not anymore. Emails get returned, phone numbers don't work, and neither the name I want, nor the primary domain for the business resolves. The company has apparently been defunct for some time as there are only a few old links to it on the web. The worst part is, (thanks no doubt to an IT guy looking to make his job easier) the domain is registered until 2010.

So, when all typical methods of contacting an owner to make an offer fail, what else can you do? I might add, this domain is probably worth low-mid $xx,xxx.

 

[Phronesis]

report it for invalid whois and backorder it :D

I'd seriously consider doing that except that I'd probably end up having to pay a lot more for it than buying from a bankrupt business.

 

[-REECE-]

Have you used a service like DomainTools offers on it to see previous owner info? Maybe one of them who had contact with this business in the past would be able to help - or perhaps the business had different contact info in place at some point that may give you a lead.

I'd seriously consider doing that except that I'd probably end up having to pay a lot more for it than buying from a bankrupt business.

 

[Zilla]

another way is PM the name to me, I can help you, consider that is xx,xxx name... :hehe:

 

[likepeas]

another way is PM the name to me, I can help you, consider that is xx,xxx name... :hehe:

he might as well ask reece who is a mod.

 

[Phronesis]

Have you used a service like DomainTools offers on it to see previous owner info? Maybe one of them who had contact with this business in the past would be able to help - or perhaps the business had different contact info in place at some point that may give you a lead.

That's not a bad idea. Before I go that route though, I think I'll search the white pages for the name of the previous tech contact.

Thanks for the offer Zilla...

 

[heroes]

It sounds to me like the company went out of business rather than merged. If it had merged you would think they would have taken care of that side of it.

Assuming it has gone out of business, then it is probably in the hands of a liquidator/receiver/administrator. If this is the case, they are very keen to sell all assets and wrap the thing up so they can distribute any proceeds to creditors. This makes for an easy buy of a domain name (fingers crossed).

I would be pursuing exactly what has happened to the business.

Hope this helps.

 

[likepeas]

Have you used a service like DomainTools offers on it to see previous owner info? Maybe one of them who had contact with this business in the past would be able to help - or perhaps the business had different contact info in place at some point that may give you a lead.

That's not a bad idea. Before I go that route though, I think I'll search the white pages for the name of the previous tech contact.

Thanks for the offer Zilla...

tried
http://wdprs.internic.net/

 

[gazzip]

Most the time I find that using a combination of archive.org, Google,
Domaintools/whois.sc ,whitepages you can find out who to contact within 2 to 3 hours. You just need a minimum amount of info to start off with.

I love that kind of hunt


.

 

[Phronesis]

Update: the domain in question has not been active since 2001 according to archive.org. The company's primary website has not been active since 2003. However, checking their achived page showed me a link to another great name in the same niche that they own, which is also not being used.

 

[gazzip]

.. However, checking their achived page showed me a link to another great name in the same niche that they own, which is also not being used.

So did you manage to get a contact email for that one ?


.

 

[Phronesis]

Its all the same - "hostmaster @ company.com"...

 

[domainer50]

Its all the same - "hostmaster @ company.com"...

Have you been looking at this name for a while? Are they renewing it when that time rolls around? If not, why not just backorder it?

 

[Phronesis]

Have you been looking at this name for a while? Are they renewing it when that time rolls around? If not, why not just backorder it?

I've been looking at this name for 2 years. It appears they registered it for a 10 year period back in 2000. It's not the kind of name you'll just get when you backorder. It will certainly be highly sought after. That's why I think acquiring it prior to expiration would be cheaper.

 

[domainer50]

I've been looking at this name for 2 years. It appears they registered it for a 10 year period back in 2000. It's not the kind of name you'll just get when you backorder. It will certainly be highly sought after. That's why I think acquiring it prior to expiration would be cheaper.

Ah. Knowing that they bought it for 10 years. I am not sure how to go about it.

 

[RJ]

Try to get a hold of someone from the old company. When you do, offer them a monetary incentive to put you in touch with whoever it is that can help you.

Sites like www.peopledata.com are invaluable in finding phone numbers and mailing addresses.

Be careful sharing the name in public and forget about reporting it for invalid WHOIS. Domains like these are ripe for domain thieves. There are domain thieves working within registrars too, even the big ones.

 

[Phronesis]

Thanks RJ. I won't spill the beans. I'll see who I can get to and update.

 

[domainer50]

Thanks RJ. I won't spill the beans. I'll see who I can get to and update.

Best of luck! Let us know how everything turns out for you!