Domainers Moral Dilemma what would you do ?

[gazzip]

I purchased a nice 2 word 9 letter .com in a snapnames auction a couple of weeks ago and now the previous owner (uncomfirmed) would like it back.

They have a website on the .co.uk

DOMAIN STATISTICS:
Visitors to this Sedo Listing*: 79
Unique Visitors per month*: 31


This is the email i received

I am writing from a UK based firm called *********.

Our domain name *********.com was not re-registered properly, and was recently bought by your company. Can you please advise us how much it will cost to buy back the domain name. <edited>

I look forward to your reply.


Their name

.....................................................

What would be the best way to handle this predicament ? What would you do ?

Hence...Moral Dilemma :td:

(I have just visited their website and I very much doubt they are a one woman band)

Can anyone do a previous whois name check for me to confirm they did infact previously own it, it is not listed in archieve.

Thanks

 

[irishmat]

disregard their comments and price according to what 'you' value the name as, and remem this is your end user

alot of end users try this kind of thing to get the name on the cheap, so take with a pinch of salt anything they say

 

[Sabre]

If you have any doubts, then don't let morals get in the way of your sale. Sell for the price you want to sell for and if you're not happy with the price offered, don't agree.

alot of end users try this kind of thing to get the name on the cheap, so take with a pinch of salt anything they say

Agreed :tu:

 

[fonzie_007]

Their mistake. Place a fair price on the domain. If anything, give them a slightly under market value price and you are doing them a BIG favor. Lots of drop catchers will NOT sell or have exhorbitant prices.

 

[Keynes]

Agreed, sell the domain at your desired value (target price)...favours and business only work in the context of reciprocity...

 

[IAmAllanShore]

If it is unique to them, then understand that they might be the only fish for your lure...

Coupled with this is still the possibility that they might seek to get it back the UDRP route if the name is as specific to their co. as they think it is.

That being said, price with what you'll be happy with given the associated risks.

-Allan

 

[Phronesis]

I'd be looking for more proof that they were previous owners of the domain. Lots of scammers out there looking for a deal. If it were me personally, and I could verify that they did in fact let the name drop by mistake, I'd sell it back to them cheap but at a high enough price to cover my time and trouble.

 

[cache]

don't overprice the name, and let them know that you are selling lower than the market value and ask for some positive comments for your advertisement.

 

[kev]

its a toughie :hehe:

id say treat them as an end user. but, if i were in your position, i would struggle to decide also

Good luck in negociations man
kev

 

[tetrapak]

If they really have only one employee (try to get more information about this), i wouldnt ask for more than 100 pounds.. If they have more employees, then 1. he lied, 2. you could have asked for more, but because of number 1. you should ask for a proper price..

 

[Dave_Z]

Hence...Moral Dilemma :td:

What do your morals say?

There are pros and cons for this. But only you can seriously answer that.

 

[accent]

DOMAIN STATISTICS:
Visitors to this Sedo Listing*: 79

This says to me that you have a name with a market.

If you find that they lied about number of employees or previous ownership then either ignore them or hit them hard and :
ESCROW ESCROW ESCROW

 

[whitebark]

Wow so close to Christmas and everyone is yelling gouge! Make a small profit and move on. It doesn't sound like you have any major plans for the domain, nor does it seem like a humdinger of a traffic generator for you.

Karma is worth more than profits.

 

[FPForum]

Wow so close to Christmas and everyone is yelling gouge! Make a small profit and move on. It doesn't sound like you have any major plans for the domain, nor does it seem like a humdinger of a traffic generator for you.

Karma is worth more than profits.

I agree.it kind of depends on the name you got..If its something mainly related to this company you may lose the traffic. Maybe its a name that fits well with the company..If its something like domains.com then you could easily flip a nice profit on it selling it to someone else..but if its a name like namepros then parking it wont keep visitors coming back..If the name isnt very brandable then I say sell it back while you still can. just my 2 cents

 

[Keral_Patel]

I am a beggar and I haven't ate from last 48 hours. Will you push some premium domains of yours in my godaddy? Plz.... SIR...

No you won't so it doesn't matters as a domainer to you if the company has one employee or 100.

But I can understand the thing that it gives some food for thoughts. I would also have thought on this one if I were in your place. But this can be a scam artist. I would continue with regular price you have thought in your mind and meanwhile spend some time in researching who is it really.

If this is a genuine one then, yeah maybe they will get a discount or for cheap from you. If you decide to be a bit soft on them.

Sometimes this kind of things put a domainer in such a bad situation that he cannot carry on with the lump of guilty feeling in his head. I am also having this kind of problems and sometimes it costs financially.

Life goes on.... Maybe will get some other chance in my life to acheive my dreams.

 

[Mike]

Contact the company via phone and verify their existence. chances are that you're getting to the secretary first; pose as an interested client and see if the front desk gives some answers about their business (size, reach, etc.) most employees, given that they are satisfied, like to talk about their company.

morals. well, while i agree with your point of view i don't think that the company is sharing the same view. it's business and as many others before me already posted; the domain represents a certain value, this is not charity- or you'd give it away, and since you're considering to sell the domain, might as well sell it for its true value.
however, verify the company, see if there are TM or R issues. if so, they may consider to buy the name back just under the costs of their attorney sending a C&D letter to you. Since they are not coming for free either, you can already calculate $xxx for the domain. :imho:

 

[rocknrollo]

Investigate....If they lied to you about the size of the company make them Pay. If it is a one man show just ask for what you think is fair.

Business is a game. Play to win.................................

 

[cityforums.com]

I'd be looking for more proof that they were previous owners of the domain. Lots of scammers out there looking for a deal. If it were me personally, and I could verify that they did in fact let the name drop by mistake, I'd sell it back to them cheap but at a high enough price to cover my time and trouble.

Good response ... you may be able to right a mistake

and make a few bucks while you're at it.

 

[floatingworld]

If it is unique to them, then understand that they might be the only fish for your lure...

Coupled with this is still the possibility that they might seek to get it back the UDRP route if the name is as specific to their co. as they think it is.

That being said, price with what you'll be happy with given the associated risks.

-Allan

I think this is about right.
Assuming that there is nothing 'special' about this name email them saying that you appreciate the seriousness of their concerns and that therefore you will be more than happy to let them have it at your domain discount rate which is $250 plus escrow fee. Even a small co will pay this to make the problem go away.....

 

[gazzip]

Wow - Great replies guys/gals Loads of rep will be coming if I am allowed

hmmm, where do I start ?

I have sent an email asking for a photo copy of a renewal, expiry or anything to prove prior ownership of the domain just to make sure I am not getting scammed by someone who just wants the name for cheap.

(thanks for the three offers by PM to help check the previous whois, really appreciate it and I will take one of you up on that offer a little later, rep to all though )

I very much doubt there is only one employee as the email they sent to me was also forwarded to another person within their own company - duuur - sounds like bullshit to me.

Their website also shows they are hiring and they are consultants in various different fields which I very much doubt one person could do on their own.

As far as I can see there are no trademarks on the domain but there are "potentially" far bigger end users that may be interested in it, probably quiet a few smaller ones that may be interested too perhaps ? (speculation on my part)

I bought the name as I really liked it and thought I could use it to encompass all my future projects so I would be happy enough not to sell, however, all my names are for sale if the price is tempting, even the developed ones.

I would like to avoid the possibility that they might seek to get it back the UDRP route. Basically because I don't like negative hassle, better things to do with my time also it gives domainers a bad rep (after all the name is exactly the same two words as theirs, even though they are generic they may be entiled to it ? )

If they did own the name before then I will very likely just ask then to make an offer and go from there, I would of thought I could sell it for low to mid x,xxx at least within a few years as I think it is very brandable and can be used in various areas (speculation going by other sales) but I don't think for one minute they will be offering anywhere near that.

I do sympothize with them but it could have been a lot worse for them - They run their website on the .co.uk and also own the .net and the .eu so at least it won't have affected their business much at all (no incoming links)

I am a softy so they will probably get lucky, as Fonzie knows, alot of people would not even be willing to sell.

However, if they did'nt previously own the name I will be asking what I think is a good price for it, they can take it or leave it, I do have a future use for it

Thanks everyone for the excellent input - I will give as much rep as the system allows, a little later as I need to go right now great replies.

NPros :hearts:


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What do your morals say?

There are pros and cons for this. But only you can seriously answer that.

My Morals say if they previously owned it give them a break :hehe: hey, its near christmas - ho ho ho

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