Acquiring Domain Name (From Non-Domainer) Through WHOIS Data

[63character]

I've been working on developing a company which happens to have its desired domain name taken. Now, I'm of the opinion that this reg fee domain is most likely the best option for this company. However, this domain is registered, so I'd appreciate a little advice on acquiring it (note: read further...some amazingly coincidental stuff).

Now, this domain is a two word, $20 at most domain. It's been regged over the years, but I actually think the current owner picked it up in December. So basically speaking, the domain has very little reseller value.

Now, whenever I'm interested in acquiring a domain name, my first step is looking up the WHOIS data. However, with this potential domain purchase, one thing did stand out: the owner lives about a half mile away from me. Now, this was about as crazy as it gets (especially in a town of about 10K people, with a generic, non-local domain), but I decided I may as well just go along with emailing him. Problem is, I'm not getting a response.

So, what's my best option here? The way I see it, I have six choices (in no particular order):

1. Message him through Facebook
2. Call him
3. Message him through Linkedin
4. Knock on his door 8-X
5. Send letter
6. Contact him through his company (seems to be a mid level guy)8-X

The issue with all of these, at least for me, is it's going to make him think that his relatively worthless domain is worth big bucks. I'm pretty sure the guy isn't a domainer, but the website has been dormant for a few months. I'm trying to find a solution that doesn't make him think I'm some nut (after all, even you would be surprised if a guy showed up at your door interested in buying a domain), while also not making him psychologically believe he has a gem on his hands.

 

[Keith]

I would email again. Perhaps your first email got caught in spam.

As to the value, it's up to seller to determine. You may think it's only worth $20 but the seller may think $20k. You could always list the domain here in the pre-purchase appraisal section to get a few opinions.

 

[63character]

I would email again. Perhaps your first email got caught in spam.

As to the value, it's up to seller to determine. You may think it's only worth $20 but the seller may think $20k. You could always list the domain here in the pre-purchase appraisal section to get a few opinions.

I really think the idea is original and unique, so I'm against posting it in the pre-purchase appraisals.

I may have made a mistake by posting it in the newbie forum. I'm not exactly a "newbie" and I guess posting this question in this forum was a bad idea.

The domain is worthless. Really. Reg fee, at best. It would remind you of all the domains that get posted in the appraisal forum like "worldsbestseesaws.com" and "fancysmancybookpublishing.com." Worthless.

 

[Keith]

The domain is worthless. Really. Reg fee, at best..com.

It cannot possibly be worthless if you yourself admit that it's been registered for years. Apparantly it has worth to at least you and the registrant or you would'nt want it.

Now the question is, how much are you willing to spend and how much does the seller want? That will determine the "real" value.

 

[63character]

It cannot possibly be worthless if you yourself admit that it's been registered for years. Apparantly it has worth to at least you and the registrant or you would'nt want it.

Now the question is, how much are you willing to spend and how much does the seller want? That will determine the "real" value.

It hasn't been registered for years. It's been registered over the years. Usually, that means some knucklebrain registered it in 2004.

It's a reg fee domain. I may be willing to pay more than a reg fee (for the tune of about $20), but it's still a pretty lousy domain for anyone but me.

What some full time domainers don't understand is that there's always another domain. When a potential sale falls through, that potential customer probably just found something else which would work.

 

[sanfran]

U already wasted hundreds dollars worth of energy on that.
For $20 most folks won't even bother doing a thing

 

[npro3]

What some full time domainers don't understand is that there's always another domain. When a potential sale falls through, that potential customer probably just found something else which would work.

Sounds like the name is worth $20 tops to you. So if the potential seller doesn't let it go for that, take you own advice and find another name.

 

[RazorNF]

Maybe the thing to think about is - If you feel the name is so worthless, why even start a company on it.

Doesn't a great idea deserve a great name?

But to answer your question - either your email is going to bulk or he just is choosing not to reply.

I was going to suggest sending the offer via Sedo, but that's not possible with your valuation of $20. (I personally respond/counter to every Sedo offer, but not necessarily to every Joe that emails me via whois)

Seriously don't go to the guy's house - that would be strange. I would personally think you're a nutjob if you knocked on my door asking to buy my domain.

To be honest, at $20, how much effort are you going to put into this - time is money, why not just register another "reg-fee" domain for your business.

 

[ProSence]

But thing is communication, you should establish communication once, and know the result, there would be any medium of communication if your email is not replied.

 

[Kate]

It's a reg fee domain. I may be willing to pay more than a reg fee (for the tune of about $20), but it's still a pretty lousy domain for anyone but me.

What some full time domainers don't understand is that there's always another domain.

What some non-domainers don't understand is that $20 is not worth my time, hardly worth the time to read and mentally process your E-mail.

This name is taken for a reason, good or bad.
$20 is a deal only if the guy had no intention of renewing the domain anyway.

Consider the following scenario: I have held a domain name since 1999. Accordingly I have been paying at least $10 (possibly more) per year. My total cost so far is $100+. So if I were to accept your generous offer of $20 I would effectively be selling at a loss, as I would not even recoup the money spent over the years.
Why should I sell at a loss to you, even if the domain isn't too great objectively ?

Since he's a neighbor why don't you give him a phone call to probe his intentions ? I would probably go knock on his door and say hello in person.

You say it's for a business, therefore the domain name is a business expense for tax purposes, and you can afford to be less stingy.

Honestly, your $20 offer would be considered downright insulting by many domain owners. Personally I am not so easily offended so I would just think it's not 'business-like', and that you are not very smart for not putting yourself in my shoes for a minute :gl:

 

[iowadawg]

Call or go by.
Introduce your self.
Tell him you were looking for domains for a new blog/site.
And came across the domain he owns.
Ask him if he would sell and if so, what price.

Why make complicated such a simple solution?

 

[Name Trader]

I'd say calling him is best.

But I agree with everyone else. It at least has value to you and to the current owner. And if it was such a crappy domain I wouldn't want it for my business. Why not just put hyphens between the words and register it for regfee? You can then use that domain until the domain you want drops again.

I can't really think why I'm even posting in this thread. A $20 highest bid is insulting to anybody. Personally I'd go find a better domain to use.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

If you sent me a lowballing offer with an attitude, I'd ignore your email as well.

As to knocking on someone's door: I would think twice about that, especially if you plan to low ball him/her. You never know these days about who you're dealing with. Could be a p'od nutjob.

The bottom line: the owner has something you want, and he/she can ask whatever price he/she wants.

*

 

[iowadawg]

Only you domainers would think a $20 offer is insulting!

That is what is wrong with the entire domain industry!

 

[johname]

[*]Contact him through his company (seems to be a mid level guy)8-X

You mean offer $20 to a guy with at the very least has an ok job?

If your budget max out at 20 bucks you can always have a long term approach, wait to see if its renewed. This is better than alerting the owner your interested in it. (almost a certain renew)

 

[wwwweb]

$20 is not even worth my time for answering such a silly email. You have no idea what he needs, or wants the domain for. He could have the same idea as you.

Do you think this person really needs your $20 happy meal money. The post above me is right, just because you value the domain as a reg fee domain, means nothing in the REAL world. Can you imagine the time, to get payment details, transfer etc, if he does not have a good understanding of sales, all for $20. We all get these offers on a daily basis, post the name, if it is worthless as you say, nobody will touch it, my guess is, domain has niche value somewhere.

 

[-NC-]

I've been working on developing a company

this reg fee domain is most likely the best option for this company

How much is your work worth?
What have you invested so far, is it more than $20?
What are the projected earnings in your business plan?

Why would you not just send an email with an offer of $250 plus escrow fees? Perhaps he will reply to that one.

 

[GiftedDomains]

If you would knock at my door to buy a domain, i would expect nothing less than you carrying a suitcase filled to the brim with 100 dollar notes. Going to someone elses house with a $20 dollar note?!?! This would look so desperate to me lol , Hmm....But when you think about it,this would look so desperate that if you are lucky and the guy is a kind-hearted man, its possible that he would donate the name to you.

Seriously, i understand that this is probably one of those names which most domainers wouldn't even register for reg fee and that you don't want to overpay. But $20 deals are only made in domain forums such as this one, ebay, etc. and mostly only if people don't want the domains anymore anyway. I would never ever even reply to an email from someone (enduser or domainer) offering me $20 for a domain. I would completely ignore him. So i hope you didn't make the mistake and mentioned $20 in your email. If so, then there is still hope that the guy will reply sooner or later.
But one thing is for sure: if you call him by phone or even visit him, you should at LEAST add a Zero to your $20. AT LEAST!

 

[Name Trader]

I would never ever even reply to an email from someone (enduser or domainer) offering me $20 for a domain.

Then you a letting go a selling opportunity. I always reply with my price. I have sold several domains that way. The way I think about it is they are sending you a low-ball offer just because they don't want to be the one to name their price. OK my sales are probably less than 1% using this method, but a sale is a sale. The other 99% either 1) don't respond, 2) send a polite refusal, or 3) send a rude reply (the majority).

 

[RyanAM]

The irony of the Whois info.

I had an experience like that once, and I met one of my better friends.

Short story:

I'm at school, and look around. I see a few kids using proxies. I'm aggravated that people are too dumb to bypass the school's simple firewall. I go on the website, and I notice it used a shoutbox script that was vulnerable to a PHP injection.

Before I go and deface the site (this was back when I was <18 so hardly any consequences, can't do that stuff anymore), I figure, "you know what, I'm just going to contact them and tell them to stop using that vulnerable shoutbox..."

Can't find a contact page, so I go to whois info. I see the street name, and I'm like "hey, cool, this guy lives on a street that's the same name as mine!"

I then look at the city/state/zip, this guy lives on my street!

I get his email from whois, and email him with info about the vulnerable shoutbox, and plant a demonstration on the site to prove to him it's vulnerable.

He responds, and we talk back and forth about it, he was cool about it and fixed it. I then reveal to him, I live on your street!

He's in "wtf" mode and I'm like "yeah, there's a Dairy Queen right in the middle."

We agree to meet at the dairy queen, start talking about technology related things, and now we're friends. lol

But anyway, getting onto the psychology side, start with something completely unrelated (possibly from another email), and then ease in to the domain once you've set up communication.

Maybe offer him a better domain to trade, using a $0.99 coupon to register an unreg'd nice one, that way he gets a deal, longer term before he has to renew, and you get the domain you want.