Buy Domain From Other Owner

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Im going to spend $1000+ to buy a domain from another guy but im new in this domain market, Im not sure if the domain is safe to be purchased so i hope you guys can help me out with these questions in mind:

1) How do i know whether the domain is under trademark?

2) When i buy the domain there is no trademark infringement, few months later a company named their company exactly the same as my domain, can the company take away my domain?

3) How do i know if the domain is previously banned by Google Search Engine or AdSense?

4) If i pay first using PayPal or Credit Card, how can i make sure that the domain owner won't run away with my money?

Is there anything else i need to look into before buying a domain from another owner?
 
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AfternicAfternic
Can someone help me please?
 
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About the money question, you can use escrow.com. They'll hold money until you get the domain.
If you're new, you shouldn't be spending 1000 on a domain though.
 
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SEO Montreal said:
About the money question, you can use escrow.com. They'll hold money until you get the domain.
If you're new, you shouldn't be spending 1000 on a domain though.
Can PayPal do that too? By the way is there anyone else who can answer my other questions? Your help is appreciated!
 
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1) How do i know whether the domain is under trademark?

search here: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=gclj3c.1.1

2) When i buy the domain there is no trademark infringement, few months later a company named their company exactly the same as my domain, can the company take away my domain?

Generally, if you have it up AND IN USE, before they use or file their trademark, you will probably be okay. It would be best to use it instead of warehousing or parking the domain though.

3) How do i know if the domain is previously banned by Google Search Engine or AdSense?

Go to domaintools.com and enter the domain name. It will give you some indication if the domain is on a spam blacklist. I dont' know of a way to find out Google has banned it, but under a new owner, with proper content it should be able to overcome any past ban.

4) If i pay first using PayPal or Credit Card, how can i make sure that the domain owner won't run away with my money?

Definitely use an escrow service for a transaction of that amount. You can use escrow.com, afternic.com, sedo.com , etc.

Is there anything else i need to look into before buying a domain from another owner?

Other things you can look at are archive.org to see if it's had any content cached in the past. Search the full domain name on google to see if anything comes up. Check the whois of the domain and then do some research on the owner. Look at the warnings forum here to make sure the seller isn't reported as a past scammer (try BBB.org as well). If you have a paid membership at domaintools.com, you can also sometimes see whois history to see who may have owned the domain before the current person.


Good luck.
 
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I echo a previous poster - There is no way you can know a domain is worth $1000 without a long apprenticeship in this industry. If you need to set up a website now find a registration fee .com with two or three relevant keywords (prefer no hyphens). If you do not understand the last sentence it should prove to you that you should educate yourself before making any moves.

But it is better to move slowly. Learn from this forum, other forums, and google important terms. If you later buy an expensive name with natural traffic targeted to your business you can forward it to your website.

If you are buying as an investment understand that prices in this industry are more variable than probably any other realm with which you have experience. It is a fast moving, largely un-regulated and risky venture - some win some lose.
 
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AdoptableDomains said:

Should i use the New User Form Search (Basic)? What if there are records found in the search result? Does that mean the domain is trademarked and they can take away my domain without paying anything?

AdoptableDomains said:
Definitely use an escrow service for a transaction of that amount. You can use escrow.com, afternic.com, sedo.com , etc.

As i know Escrow will charge right? If $1000 they will charge $32.50, normally is buyer or seller pay? So does all domain buyer use Escrow? If i directly pay by PayPal does it mean that there will be a risk that the seller might run away with my money? Is there any protection in PayPal that i can get back my money if such things really happened?
 
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kahsoon said:
Should i use the New User Form Search (Basic)? What if there are records found in the search result? Does that mean the domain is trademarked and they can take away my domain without paying anything?

There's no firm answer -- most TMs are actually wordmarks , meaning that they are industry specific (e.g. MSFT can't prevent you from opening Bob's Window Blinds Store). Look carefully at the name -- if it's an exact company name, or an existing brand you might have trouble; if it's a generic name or product, you will likely be okay as long as your use is fair.

kahsoon said:
As i know Escrow will charge right? If $1000 they will charge $32.50, normally is buyer or seller pay? So does all domain buyer use Escrow? If i directly pay by PayPal does it mean that there will be a risk that the seller might run away with my money? Is there any protection in PayPal that i can get back my money if such things really happened?

The Escrow fees are usually paid by the buyer or split, depending on t he deal. Paypal has little or no protections, especially on intangible items like domains. I recommend you use Escrow, or get a written contract unless you're 100% sure you can trust the seller.

Good luck
 
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kahsoon said:
Should i use the New User Form Search (Basic)? What if there are records found in the search result? Does that mean the domain is trademarked and they can take away my domain without paying anything?

Use the basic search unless it shows hundreds or thousands of matches. use advanced to narrow it down if necessary.

kahsoon said:
As i know Escrow will charge right? If $1000 they will charge $32.50, normally is buyer or seller pay? So does all domain buyer use Escrow? If i directly pay by PayPal does it mean that there will be a risk that the seller might run away with my money? Is there any protection in PayPal that i can get back my money if such things really happened?

Escrow.com allows the parties to choose who pays or to split it even. As a seller, I would generally have the buyer pay if less than about $600. I ususally offer to split the cost from there up to about $3000, and I'll pay the full amount on larger sales. Depends on what you agree to. Sedo and afternic do third party escrow on domains not listed there as well. Compare terms and prices to see which is the better deal.
 
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