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william

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Are You a Slave to Your Domains?​

Fellow domainers, let’s take a moment to reflect. Have you ever looked at your portfolio and felt an uneasy sense of obligation to certain domains? You know the ones I’m talking about:
  • That aged domain you’ve held for 10+ years because, "Surely, its time will come."
  • The 4-letter .com that looks nice but hasn't received a single serious inquiry.
  • The domain that GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says is worth $5,000, but nobody has even offered $50.
  • The auction prize you fought hard (and overpaid) to win, only to have it sit quietly in your account, collecting dust.
  • The domain that received one offer years ago, but has since sat idle with no further interest.
These domains feel like prized possessions, but if we’re honest with ourselves, some of them are more like financial shackles. Year after year, we renew them. We tell ourselves, “Next year could be the year it sells.” Or, “If I drop this, someone else might pick it up and flip it—and I’d regret it forever.”

Sound familiar? If so, you may be falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy.

What Is the Sunk Cost Fallacy?​

The sunk cost fallacy is when we continue to invest in something—money, time, effort—just because we’ve already invested so much in it, even though the future payoff doesn’t justify the ongoing expense.

In the context of domain investing, it means you might keep renewing a domain not because of its realistic sale potential but because:
  • You’ve owned it for years and “feel attached” to it.
  • You paid a premium price for it at auction and want to “recover your investment.”
  • Automated appraisals make it seem valuable on paper.
  • It received one offer years ago, and you’re holding onto the hope that another will come.
Sometimes, getting an offer can feel like being handed a ball and chain. No matter how small the offer was, you attach a perceived value to the domain. That single offer creates an emotional anchor, making you hesitant to drop the name in the future. Yet in reality, a poor domain name with a previous offer can often be costlier to keep renewing than if you had just accepted the offer and moved on. That one moment of perceived potential could end up costing you years of unnecessary renewals.

Let’s be real: a domain that hasn’t sold in five, ten, or even fifteen years is like a Netflix subscription you keep paying for but never use to watch anything. It’s there, quietly charging you every year, while offering no real value. Multiply that by dozens (or hundreds) of domains, and suddenly you’re looking at thousands of dollars in renewals for names that have little chance of finding a buyer.

How to Free Yourself​

Here’s a challenge for you: take a hard, honest look at your portfolio. Forget the past—how long you’ve owned a domain, how much you paid for it, or what an automated tool says it’s worth. Focus instead on the future:

  • Is there real demand for the domain?
  • Has it received any legitimate offers or inquiries in the past few years?
  • Does it align with current market trends?
If the answer to these questions is “no,” then maybe it’s time to let it go. Drop the dead weight and free yourself from the cycle of unnecessary renewals. Every dollar you save can be reinvested into higher-quality acquisitions or simply kept in your pocket.

Imagine the Freedom​

Think about what it would feel like to trim your portfolio down to the names that truly matter. No more guilt when renewal season rolls around. No more wasted money on names that aren’t working for you. Just a lean, profitable portfolio that reflects your best investments.

Don’t be a slave to your domains. Reevaluate your names, let go of the ones holding you back, and move forward with clarity and purpose. The freedom (and the saved money) is worth it.

And if you choose to renew but want to save money, read my post on:
How I Save 30% on Domain Renewals Every Year

Thanks for reading! Share your thoughts bellow.

William
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
good shit
was gonna post something similar

honestly with less sales.for years I literally feel weight off me heart everytime I dont renew and shrink folio cause i know it means 10 or 25 or.40 bucks in my pocket..that's com co io which is basically all I own...

but i do keep my good shit. and after years of expretience we get
good idea what that is...

500 names now.. but a good 150 ai coms will go soon... so... 300 name folio... sounds good to me haha... I cant even remember last time I paid under 5k for renew per year
 
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good shit
was gonna post something similar

honestly with less sales.for years I literally feel weight off me heart everytime I dont renew and shrink folio cause i know it means 10 or 25 or.40 bucks in my pocket..that's com co io which is basically all I own...

but i do keep my good shit. and after years of expretience we get
good idea what that is...

500 names now.. but a good 150 ai coms will go soon... so... 300 name folio... sounds good to me haha... I cant even remember last time I paid under 5k for renew per year

Optimizing portfolio > Growing portfolio.
 
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Optimizing portfolio > Growing portfolio.

yes
but.. have large folio of good names is no issue also

the problem of course is how many people.can have 10k folios ... there arent enuf good names to go around
 
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  • Automated appraisals make it seem valuable on paper.
  • It received one offer years ago, and you’re holding onto the hope that another will come.


If online appraisals have no worth, what is the metric for determining the value of a domain? A human appraisal falls under the same scrutiny. By what authority, merits their qualifications to quantify a domain?

I have received an inquiry not an offer, so don't hold my breath waiting??
 
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Don’t be a slave to your domains.
Hi

when ppc was pumping, i felt like i was pimping my domains.
as in, having them work for me and provide income to support the portfolio.

but have also felt the emotional ties that come when reevaluation time comes.
when the income producers no longer produce.
then there are the two and three worders, with clear usage potential
you know they are good domains, and you know if you drop any, HD or DC or Snap will grab some.

if you do drop some, then replenishing the portfolio with the same or higher quality names will cost more than what you might have originally paid for the ones you dropped. duh?
and then, how long will you have to hold those new acquisitions before they sell?

one can get caught-up for sure.

imo...
 
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i thought that way when i began until i noticed my domains kept getting premium listings from the registrar when i wouldnt renew. lol. Nice try.
 
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you know they are good domains, and you know if you drop any, HD or DC or Snap will grab some.

My hindsight is 💯. Half of the domains I let drop are being listed 100 - 300% higher than when I originally listed them.

I try not to look up domains I dropped.😣
 
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I see a lot of cyclical behavior related to new acquisitions that contribute to the bulge in domainer's portfolios. Getting sucked into smoke and mirrors. Better off purging than continually adding to future purges focus on what you can do with what you already have.

Some are quite adept at feeding these habits though and profit constantly off them.
 
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I see a lot of cyclical behavior related to new acquisitions that contribute to the bulge in domainer's portfolios. Getting sucked into smoke and mirrors.

I used to have a large portfolio, dropped 95% over the past few years to remain profitable with lower holding costs. It's painful, but the process is necessary IMO. I'm very selective in the domains that I renew now, and very occasionally will add a few as future trends develop.
 
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For myself, I found the market is the best teacher in terms of which domains have value, I always list at $1 with no reserve no matter what. Letting go is the best thing you can do in training yourself in finding better domains.

Unless you have some sort of established network and outreach, your best bet is to let go, like stocks, don't get emotional with it.
 
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Are You a Slave to Your Domains?​

Fellow domainers, let’s take a moment to reflect. Have you ever looked at your portfolio and felt an uneasy sense of obligation to certain domains? You know the ones I’m talking about:
  • That aged domain you’ve held for 10+ years because, "Surely, its time will come."
  • The 4-letter .com that looks nice but hasn't received a single serious inquiry.
  • The domain that GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says is worth $5,000, but nobody has even offered $50.
  • The auction prize you fought hard (and overpaid) to win, only to have it sit quietly in your account, collecting dust.
  • The domain that received one offer years ago, but has since sat idle with no further interest.
These domains feel like prized possessions, but if we’re honest with ourselves, some of them are more like financial shackles. Year after year, we renew them. We tell ourselves, “Next year could be the year it sells.” Or, “If I drop this, someone else might pick it up and flip it—and I’d regret it forever.”

Sound familiar? If so, you may be falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy.

What Is the Sunk Cost Fallacy?​

The sunk cost fallacy is when we continue to invest in something—money, time, effort—just because we’ve already invested so much in it, even though the future payoff doesn’t justify the ongoing expense.

In the context of domain investing, it means you might keep renewing a domain not because of its realistic sale potential but because:
  • You’ve owned it for years and “feel attached” to it.
  • You paid a premium price for it at auction and want to “recover your investment.”
  • Automated appraisals make it seem valuable on paper.
  • It received one offer years ago, and you’re holding onto the hope that another will come.
Sometimes, getting an offer can feel like being handed a ball and chain. No matter how small the offer was, you attach a perceived value to the domain. That single offer creates an emotional anchor, making you hesitant to drop the name in the future. Yet in reality, a poor domain name with a previous offer can often be costlier to keep renewing than if you had just accepted the offer and moved on. That one moment of perceived potential could end up costing you years of unnecessary renewals.

Let’s be real: a domain that hasn’t sold in five, ten, or even fifteen years is like a Netflix subscription you keep paying for but never use to watch anything. It’s there, quietly charging you every year, while offering no real value. Multiply that by dozens (or hundreds) of domains, and suddenly you’re looking at thousands of dollars in renewals for names that have little chance of finding a buyer.

How to Free Yourself​

Here’s a challenge for you: take a hard, honest look at your portfolio. Forget the past—how long you’ve owned a domain, how much you paid for it, or what an automated tool says it’s worth. Focus instead on the future:

  • Is there real demand for the domain?
  • Has it received any legitimate offers or inquiries in the past few years?
  • Does it align with current market trends?
If the answer to these questions is “no,” then maybe it’s time to let it go. Drop the dead weight and free yourself from the cycle of unnecessary renewals. Every dollar you save can be reinvested into higher-quality acquisitions or simply kept in your pocket.

Imagine the Freedom​

Think about what it would feel like to trim your portfolio down to the names that truly matter. No more guilt when renewal season rolls around. No more wasted money on names that aren’t working for you. Just a lean, profitable portfolio that reflects your best investments.

Don’t be a slave to your domains. Reevaluate your names, let go of the ones holding you back, and move forward with clarity and purpose. The freedom (and the saved money) is worth it.

And if you choose to renew but want to save money, read my post on:
How I Save 30% on Domain Renewals Every Year

Thanks for reading! Share your thoughts bellow.

William

Hey William,

I just want to share my thoughts on your point. (4-letter .com that looks nice but hasn't received a single serious inquiry.)

The person who buys old age expired domains are experts and i think the reason for not getting serious quiries about 4 -letter is maybe there is less potential and is too narrow niche to work on.
 
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For myself, I found the market is the best teacher in terms of which domains have value, I always list at $1 with no reserve no matter what. Letting go is the best thing you can do in training yourself in finding better domains.

Unless you have some sort of established network and outreach, your best bet is to let go, like stocks, don't get emotional with it.
I mean u list auctions at 1us start or make offer with 1us min???

thats much easier to do when we have handregs. nobody sane willput solid names they paid 4fig for on 1us start auctions.. so a bunch of greedy cheap resellers get them for 3fig

that's called negative roi
 
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yea baby
500 names
under 50 io
under 50 co
dozen xyz
dozen info
dozen .one
rest is com
under 5k renewals

will drop some 150 of 200 ai com buy spree from half yr back..so another 1k renewal saved

already made xxx profit on it

but wanna keep some shit like aigore veil and few more yummies

yea baby 350 names

yea baby

alcy getting smart in 2015 at start dumb kant alcy had like 5k names

alcy stoopid but he get wiser with age and one day he die Wiseman's and go thru the bardos like he buddha
 
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I think what you said makes sense. In order to avoid the sunk cost fallacy, we should really think about whether we need to hold the domain name for a long time. If not, I think I will act decisively to avoid further losses.
 
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Once upon a time, I had more than 1k domains. When I tried to drop about half of them the registrar obstructed and would not let me. It was a dark pattern on the bulk tool. Took me couple of months to get it all sorted out. After that experience, I dropped 95% of my holdings. It was a liberating experience for me. YMMV
 
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Excellent article, @william – thank you!

I find this one most difficult to break. Even if one not so great offer, a long time ago, I find it hard to give up on the name.
  • The domain that received one offer years ago, but has since sat idle with no further interest.

Focus instead on the future
I should print this out and post it near my computer. I think that is the essence of breaking free, look forward and be realistic in expectations.

Thanks again,

Bob
 
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I really think one the greatest quotes made on offers for a domain that battles to stay in your portfolio was by one of the greats here on NP:
Sell at a price that makes you happy.
You are not motivated to sell because you are emotionally attached to the name. On the other hand, if you haven't started using it yet, you don't face the hassle of migrating to another domain.
I personally think you should stand your ground if you don't need the money badly.
At the same time keep in mind that the first offer received is often the last.

We turn down an offer and then keep renewing the name in hopes that another will come. Perhaps humble thyself, adjust expectations and attempt a fair price with possibly the one and only buyer for that name.
 
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We turn down an offer and then keep renewing the name in hopes that another will come. Perhaps humble thyself, adjust expectations and attempt a fair price with possibly the one and only buyer for that name.

The flip side of that is if you’re always taking the first offer and never standing your ground you won’t get the full value out of your names.

My first 5-figure sale (25k) came when the buyer hit BIN on a name I’d had a $500 offer on less than a month earlier.
 
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The flip side of that is if you’re always taking the first offer and never standing your ground you won’t get the full value out of your names.

My first 5-figure sale (25k) came when the buyer hit BIN on a name I’d had a $500 offer on less than a month earlier.
The point is not about always taking the first offer but understanding the names that it will be the only. Hey nice job on that one btw well done.
 
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I have also rejected two xxx offers during my first year of domaining, because I read here "don't accept the first offer" 😂

I would sell ,two $5 hand reg for $700 each.

Well, those names have not received any offer since then..
 
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I had 260 and now i am at well under 100.. Even then, there are some that are probably dead weight, but I dont have the strength to let go of them quite yet
 
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