How long do you leave a "How much?" offer open?

[canswift]

Once again, after some back and forth, I have put forward a $$$ sum in response to a "how much?" email. Yet again it seems that this email disappears into a black hole, with no response. When I do put an email price forward I have spent some time researching and haven't just plucked a figure out the air.

The initial enquiry is often from someone who I have checked out and can see they are most likely an end-user (so, not a trifler or low baller). Do I wait a week or so and then email again, asking if they want to move forward or not? I feel like I'm spinning my wheels waiting for a reply. Do any of you NPers include a line like "offers good for 5 business days" or something like that? How do any of you make the enquirer do one thing or get off the pot?

 

[DubDubDubDot]

Most likely they are not familiar with the process of domainers quoting a huge asking price and then selling for as low as 1% of that price.

If your asking price was not firm, then email them back and let them know you will consider an offer if they'd like to make one.

 

[SpareDomains]

I usually flip it to make them place an initial offer. If you did quote a price you could always revisit them and say our buy it now is x,xxx but we would be willing to negotiate in the xxx-xxxx range etc... if the price you shot them was well above what you really needed for the sale. I generally lay out a buy it now price plus a negotiating range so I don't have to revisit them as I leave the door open for them to approach on a buy it now or negotiations and if neither interests them I move on. My responses are unique to the domain at hand and the buyer at hand as domains that get offers monthly I'm not as open to negotiate as domains that rarely see offers I'm more willing to bounce numbers back and forth. Bottom line if you need the sale and you overpriced nothing wrong with revisting them and trying to make it happen, good luck.

 

[Spade]

When I make an offer, and it seems as though they are not sure, or do not want to follow through - I always include the line "I will honor this price for 10 business days". This puts a little bit of pressure on the buyer but not enough to make them feel like your a used car salesman.

Truth be told, if the buyer doesn't come back with a counter or an acceptance, 9 times out of 10, it isnt going to happen at all.

 

[Andr3w]

I usually reply with the following after 1-2 weeks of not getting any answer:

"[end user name],

Have you gave the offer any thinking?
I would be willing to sell domainname.com to you rather then sending it to auction.
I can assist you with the domain transfer too.

Thanks.
Let me know.
[my name] "

 

[canswift]

Thanks to all for the input. The price I quoted was close to what I would accept as I didn't want to start scarily high. I also included the line "or reasonable offer".

What I was trying to figure is whether in general most NPers have some sort of time limit expressed, so that after (say) a week you would be free to pursue other offers or sales avenues without feeling like you were in limbo waiting for the original respondent to reply or counter offer.

Oh, well this one sounds like a dead duck...and it did sound promising.

 

[Spade]

Thanks to all for the input. The price I quoted was close to what I would accept as I didn't want to start scarily high. I also included the line "or reasonable offer".

What I was trying to figure is whether in general most NPers have some sort of time limit expressed, so that after (say) a week you would be free to pursue other offers or sales avenues without feeling like you were in limbo waiting for the original respondent to reply or counter offer.

Oh, well this one sounds like a dead duck...and it did sound promising.

Never use the term "or reasonable offer". All you are doing is putting yourself in a weaker negotiating position. The second I see that, I know that I can counter, and Im going to. No one will simply accept your offer price, if you put that next to it.

I always counter big or dont counter at all. If you want to make a big sale, you cant be afraid to ask for a lot and scare the potential buyer away. However, that being said, you also have to have some value in the domain name. You cant counter someone Ten Thousand dollars on a cr@p domain name.

This is why you see people reporting huge sales. They are not afraid to say no to a low offer, and arent afraid to lose a deal with a big one.