Dealing with previous owners of expired domain names

[markfromslo]

I've been contacted several times in the last six months (since I got in the domain business) by previous owners of expired names. They are generally very upset, and some have accused me of stealing the name.

The most recent one for me was yesterday when the owner of a name left me a message on my voicemail-only number in my Whois data. This guy is the owner of a tattoo shop a couple hundred miles from me, and the name was the somewhat unique (but used by a few companies in the world), non-trademarked, name of his business. I'm not in the mood to call back; eventually he'll try me by email and I'll reply there.

I'm just curious what you guys do in cases like this. On one hand I feel sorry for them; but on the other hand, hey, it's business and they were pretty stupid to let the name go.

 

[fonzie_007]

State the obvious to them, domaining is an industry. If you wouldn't have picked up the names someone else would have. Also, you should be clear you have no malicious intent. If they offer you a fair price for the domain name (even if it is slightly less than what you think you can get elsewhere), you should take it. If you explain things correctly, hopefully the guy will be more understanding that you are not trying to hold him for ransom.

I myself picked up two domain names, which are somewhat unique within the past two weeks. I am suspecting a similar angry call from their previous registrants (one who is still advertising the dropped domain name that I have on his homepage).

 

[Dave_Z]

It's a reality there are people out there who don't know and don't care how
these things work. They simply think they have absolute exclusive rights to a
domain name, and start making a lot of fuss if they lose it because they didn't
pay on time.

For the generally condescending people, don't reply at all unless they start
making any threats of sort. If they start making threats, then tell them any
further communication will be thru your attorney.

For those who know and practice the word "respect", then you can give them
your undivided attention.

 

[EbookLover]

Personally, I wouldn't even bother responding. These people generally have no clue and won't listen to reason. You snooze you lose. That is the way domains work.

You can't help it that they did not remember to renew it. Time is money and therefore why waste time with these people? Now, if they understand that it was their own fault and they want to buy it from you, that is a totally different story.

I saw a post by some schmuck in another forum that was upset that someone regged a domain that he was thinking about buying 2 weeks prior for his new website. It was a decent domain not only for his site but even generally speaking. He decided to not reg it for now thinking that it would be available at any time. But it was a 3 dictionary word domain on a popular topic.

So he emails the guy who regged it telling him that he was sneaky and probably somehow found out that he wanted to register it and so he must have snatched it up on purpose. He told the guy that he had to hand it over for the reg fee because it was technically supposed to be his. He even called Godaddy to complain. Can you believe that?

Some people. They just don't get it, y'know.

 

[ridesign1]

Personally, for me it would depend how much of a good mood i was in, if I decided to give back the domain for the price i paid for it, and what potential i would consider it to have in the future.

 

[.X.]

Unless they offer me a $$$$ amount for the name,I don't pay them any mind,I have recieved a few of the same mails as you.Unless you wanna sell,Just disregard any correspondance with them.