domain FTL.com

[Bob Nunya]

Hi,

An international freight company I work with on some marketing projects has asked me to research the value of this domain. I am just getting started on this project and from what I understand, three letter dot coms are an expensive proposition. They are not averse to paying (what I consider to be) a premium for it.

Any ideas?

 

[Bob Nunya]

The thing is, it's not about what it's worth as a domain name sale in the general market, as you have to factor in many things.
It's simply about what the company you are enquiring for are wanting to pay for it and what the owner thinks it's worth. If you can marry a common ground then there is a sale, and some bartering in between of course.

If however their top budget is $10K and the owner says "around $100K" then none of the speculative valuations matter.

It's a 3L.com, and they are selling for 5 figures without much problem.

Ask the company their top budget so you know what you are bartering with, and then email the owner of the domain name with an offer (I'd say of around $3.5k, but it entirely depends on their budget too). That is not a shabby offer so they won't ignore it (or gives you chance to reply and ask "too low?", but at the same time you're not going in too high.

$3.5K? I don't think the owner will even reply to that low of an offer. It appears the low six digits range is where it will likely end up. That is a huge speculation on my part. We pitched an offer in that range a couple weeks ago. I am waiting for the owner to decide what they want to do. Unless a non-disclosure gets inked I will let you know what range it lands in.

 

[ecalc]

Please share some insight as to why the unnamed freight company would encourage you to publish the exact domain name and amount bid before closing the deal. It's an odd negotiation strategy that could be interpreted as thinly veiled self promotion by the domain registrant. Thanks!

 

[james haw]

Please share some insight as to why the unnamed freight company would encourage you to publish the exact domain name and amount bid before closing the deal. It's an odd negotiation strategy that could be interpreted as thinly veiled self promotion by the domain registrant. Thanks!

True this has potential. And, although pretty unlikely, if the domain owner sees this they'll be rubbing their hands together now...

$3.5K? I don't think the owner will even reply to that low of an offer.

Possibly you are right thinking about it, but it entirely depends on the owner. Some people reply to all, even $500 offer saying "try 5 or 6 figures". Maybe they're getting high 5 figure and a few 6 figure offers already and are ignoring (eg) $25K offers? You don't know until you begin. But yeah maybe low 5 figures is a fair starting point to at least get a reply going.
Good luck

 

[ecalc]

Hey James,

Not sure if we understood one another. Let me put it another way. Whenever I read a Pre-Purchase Appraisal thread, I assume that the OP is the domain registrant pretending to be an interested buyer. When the OP scoffs at low numbers and embraces high ones, that removes all but a shred of doubt.

We all know the mantra - every domain name is unique. If a buyer screws up he/she can’t stroll down the aisle and buy another one just like it. Poker players don’t play with their hands face up and domain buyers don’t go on public forums broadcasting their negotiations.

 

[promo]

Well according to the OPs second post he is coming here on the recommendation of the domain owner.

Not sure coming to a reseller forum asking for appraisals is the route to the highest price though. But apparently the domain owner think so.

Edit
Also only stuff with matter is thought not to be able to achieve FTL. Empty space can and is thought to have done so shortly after the big bang.

 

[Bob Nunya]

Please share some insight as to why the unnamed freight company would encourage you to publish the exact domain name and amount bid before closing the deal. It's an odd negotiation strategy that could be interpreted as thinly veiled self promotion by the domain registrant. Thanks!

Hi ecalc,

I suppose your suspicion is warranted, given what little I've learned about this business since this little effort began. I am not the owner. The owner was honest with me about wanting a large price for it, but also open in that he "would consider offers from actually serious parties". Seriously, I think that is his thing. Is it possible he is just done with bs artists that he claimed he gets messages from? That's what he described to me.

Regardless, he was open about the wide variety of valuations. I don't think any of the valuation comments here will surprise him (except that $3500 one). I am willing to bet he has seen this thread but who knows? Separately though related: The *unnamed potential buyer* has instructed me that any final price will be undisclosed. I do not know if this trips your spidey-sense more or less but apparently we will not be announcing a valuation if an agreement can be had.

The reason I posted here? This is not really my game. I found this forum after a google search. I thought this would be an interesting place to pose the question.

 

[james haw]

I don't think any of the valuation comments here will surprise him (except that $3500 one).

I retracted that later on

That said (chewing the fat a bit) there is no definitive answer as to how much it's worth or what the right opening bid should be. Or what the correct approach is. Some tactics work some don't, some do/don't in certain scenarios, and with certain people.

$3.5K might not get a reply, ever. Or might get the reply "try more like $35k" expecting it to end the conversation, and a reply of "ok I offer $35k" might end up keeping the negotiations down as you went in at what they said. Many scenarios are possible


Be interesting to hear about progress though, as much as you are allowed.

 

[ecalc]

Hi Bob Nunya,
Sorry for being rude, I appreciate your civility. Non-disclosure of potential transaction details is perfectly reasonable and doesn't spark my spidey sense but that genie left the bottle on page 1. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time. In God we trust, all others pay cash. Good luck!

 

[Bob Nunya]

Thanks to all who helped me with this endeavor.

Our negotiation with the owner was not successful. I am not sure how this will sit with ecalc but the owner declined our highest offer. I can say that we offered a high-five digit price and he countered with a six digit number. The company is going to keep their online presence as it is currently. The owner indicated a few "domain pros" contacted him due to this thread, so I must tip my hat to ecalc, for while I am not the owner, he certainly gained exposure from my inquiry. I suppose he already knew that.

Tally-Ho!
Bob

 

[Clay]

Hah. Bob is not Clay! eClec, you are one shrewd and cynical man! Bob actually mentioned you by "name" in our last call (sorry Bob, I had to mention that) .

Regarding this particular domain, I am just not interested in selling for anything less than a LOT.

 

[Foskaay]

if the seller is not in hurry to sell could do between 5-7figures...