Domain Name Broker Association

[johnn]

Hello all,

I think that many of you here are tired of selling domain names for a buck or two for profit.
The domain business today is not the same domain business like several years ago - where you can sell the name for 5 or six figures. Why?

According to my research, there are hundred of thousands of domain dealers out there who own an average of several hundred names (many of us from NP do to). These dealers accumulate million of names (both good and bad names) BUT THE MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MARKET THE NAMES.

In the NamPros for sales section, you're technically selling to other resellers for a small profit. Sometimes you're even take a loss if the name is about to expire.

I think the domain market is not as bad as many may think if you can find the market/buyers.

I'm thinking creating a site called "Domain Name Broker Association" (Let me know if you can think of a better name).

What we'll do with the site strictly membership (where you have to pay a nominal fee,i.e. $10 a year to prove that you're serious.
- Members will exchange current inventory by entering them into one large database with the prices that they wish to sell.
- There will be a couple of full time marketing members who their job will be contact end-user to solicit the sale based on the name.
- A certain percentage will be retained for the administration of the association.

So what I'm trying to do is gather as many names as we can so we have a large inventory and then we'll market them diectly to the end users.

I have successfully did this. I bought names from NP here for a couple of bucks, define and contact the potential buyers and close the sale for a couple of hundred dollar (I believe Wanda did it too).

Let me know your thought! Feel free to pm or send me an email.

[email protected]

Regards,

 

[Anthony]

This community-selling method is intriguing and the points you bring up are interesting. Maybe if we could see something towards how the structure of it would work?

 

[johnn]

Anthony.

The key here is marketing. Many of us do not have the time to search for potential buyers to send them emails.

I have several contacts in India and Russia. We can negotiate with them to work "full-time" on a "commission only" structure.

It's a win-win situation: we gather members to collect a large amount of names to our database and have people to work hard on the list to market the names. They have to because of the commission-only structure - No sales - No food.

John

 

[dnbuydomain]

What main values, principles and objectives should guide your Domain Name Broker Association?

I like your idea. Why don't you join my OSRP project?

 

[johnn]

Originally posted by dnbuydomain
What main values, principles and objectives should guide your Domain Name Broker Association?

I like your idea. Why don't you join my OSRP project?

The main idea here is to market the names to the end-user market.

What's OSRP project?

John

 

[AdoptableDomains]

I have been brainstorming for several months about something similar, but for slightly different reasons. I'll explain what I've been thinking since it could be done by the same organization since the subject has come up.

My thoughts were more along the lines of what the web hosting guild was supposed to do with hosting providers when it was a young and developing (untrusted) industry. Basically to create some consistency and standards of integrity of brokers and domain aftermarket sellers by making some consistent minimum standards to display the organization logo as a badge of honor. Some requirements I'd been considering are:

• Members would agree to not knowlingly "cybersquat" on names in bad faith against trademark holders. (The purpose is to clean up the image of the industry)
• Members would agree to other policies banning unscrupulous practices such as appraisal scams, undisclosed or abnormally high transfer fees, sham biddiing, spamming, whois harvesting, etc.
• Members would accept minimum common forms of payment including escrow services and online payment services like PayPal.
• Members must have a website/page of their own with at least basic contact information such as email and phone numbers. (but could actually sell through services like sedo, afternic, or ebay). The page would include the organization logo linked to the association site.
• The association could have a cross-site buyer/seller rating program similar to ebay/forums that would be linked from their site or whereever they sell.
• The organization would provide help for sellers in becoming better domain marketers with selling and marketing tips, and do's and don'ts.
• The association would have a member directory of sellers who have joined and agreed to the organizations standards.
• The organization site could offer tips to new buyers as well such as a glossary of terms and jargon, domain/transfer/dns FAQ's, directory of approved sellers, brokers, escrow services, legal links, etc.

I was thinking along the lines of "domain marketers association" or "domain marketing and development association". I would think membership would include marketers, brokers, and developers.

Does anyone else see a need for this aspect of an organization? The main thrust is to instill confidence and professionalism in the sellers.

 

[Anthony]

Or maybe "Domain Sellers Guild"?

I really like what you have down there, Mark. You actually helped answer some of the question I had earlier. One concern I have is the problem of internal power struggles within the organization.

Care to add your thoughts on that?

 

[johnn]

Mark,

Excellent point to start. That's what I have in mind.

The reason I use "Broker(s)" because it covers everything.
Being a Broker, you have to pass certain qualifications (Real Estate Brokers, Financial Brokers, etc..) and also have to carry the duty of developing & marketing.

After all, I thnik we're on the same page.

BTW, I did secure the domain name DNBA.org

John

 

[g0ldy]

Great idea!

 

[AdoptableDomains]

Originally posted by Anthony
One concern I have is the problem of internal power struggles within the organization.

Care to add your thoughts on that?

All trade organizations have some bit of politics involved, especially when you mix large well funded members with individual entrepreneurs. This is just something that would have to be dealt with in a fair manner to all. Surely some whould want and shoot for higher standards, but could could agree on some minimum standard for membership.

Originally posted by johnn
Mark,
The reason I use "Broker(s)" because it covers everything.
Being a Broker, you have to pass certain qualifications (Real Estate Brokers, Financial Brokers, etc..) and also have to carry the duty of developing & marketing.
John

I generally think of brokers as a neutral party working a deal between a buyer and seller, as opposed to a marketer who is probably not neutral in being the actual seller or a party to the transaction, but could also be a broker for others. I think most of us would be marketers rather than brokers. Although the organization itself could act as a semi-neutral broker for it's members.

 

[RJ]

Originally posted by AdoptableDomains
Does anyone else see a need for this aspect of an organization? The main thrust is to instill confidence and professionalism in the sellers.

I've considered the idea before and absolutely see a need for it. There is a lot of mistrust for domain resellers and that a group that held members to a common standard could work towards alleviating some of that.

Would be happy to lend my support if this were to come together.

 

[johnn]

I'm glad that eveyrone see a need for this type of organization.

Give me a couple of days to put all the pieces together.

If anyone would like to be a part of this please pm or send me an email to let me know your capability and what you can contribute.

email: [email protected]

I'll be using the domain dnba.org (I just registered yesterday) unless you have a better name or ideas.

Many thanks to all the posts.

John

 

[johnn]

I have the hosting and ths cms done for the site.
Now we need to form a comitee and put some contents to the site.

http://www.dnba.org

Thanks,

John,

 

[webscorpion]

Nice idea, Johnn. Will try to contribute.

Regards.

 

[Domainerz]

Ver nice Johnn,

I fully support the idea. While being in Pakistan, let me know what can I do for this common cause..!!!

Regards.

 

[johnn]

Hello all,

I just want to say thank you to all of you who wanted to be a part of this association.

I just want to do it right so please give me sometimes to finish the sites so we can all get together and do some works.

Thanks,

 

[webscorpion]

If you need resources or tools, let me know.
Good Luck

 

[johnn]

Thanks Ed.

 

[webscorpion]

You're welcome. Just let me know how I can help

 

[AdoptableDomains]

I'm happy to contribute as well. Where do we start?