How to buy a domain from a domainer?

[and5rey]

I'm interested in a particular domain and I'm sure it's owned by a domainer, as it is a nice typo domain and it is parked.

I don't know if I even can afford to buy that domain, but of course I'd like to get it for as low as possible.

Do you guys have any tips on how should I approach the owner?

 

[Dotmainer]

1. look around, does he offer that domain somewhere (sedo, tdnam, afternic, namepros, other forums )

 

[scoops22]

Yea look up the name ,see what comes up.It may be for sale somewhere.Go to whois and see what info the owner has listed there,It could have an email and phone number that you can use for contact.Goodluck.

 

[Kate]

Be upfront, say you are a domainer and looking for reseller, not end-user pricing.

 

[scandiman]

How to buy a domain from a domainer? Make an offer. :p

 

[Len]

Anyone who is in the domain business likes to receive offer's. Email, pm or otherwise. :talk:

 

[Dotmainer]

2. If you are going to contact him, try FIRST through PM,
if you do it through 'whois' he (we) think its end user, its important.

 

[fonzie_007]

Do you guys have any tips on how should I approach the owner?

It depends who the owner is....

 

[-REECE-]

I bought 3 names off domainers in the last month via emails. I've had a very good experience this way. Since they're domainers (like you), it's natural for them to start with a higher price than you feel the name is worth (or are prepared to spend). For the most part though, I've found most domainers I've dealt with to be very reasonable.

You do get the few disillusioned ones who want more for their .info than the .com would ever command, but that's life...

 

[lzy]

Semi related but when I tried to buy a domain from another domainer, I googled his username and came up with all sort of shit you wish you didn't found out.

 

[danielr]

Semi related but when I tried to buy a domain from another domainer, I googled his username and came up with all sort of shit you wish you didn't found out.

You Found me... GOOD JOB!

It depends who the owner is....

Absolutely Right!

I get emails from other domainers all the time and they think I am going to give them a discount because they are also in the business. No Way. Too many times I know I am dealing with acquisition brokers... and they are getting smarter. I never want to sell a name that somebody else is just going to turn around and resell it... I want the end user to come to me.

However, you might try what somebody else tried with me and almost got away with it. This person made up some bogus email "[email protected]" and made a few posts on a website forum on how they are a social worker trying to take care of the poor, feed the hungry, save the world verbage and was in need of a website name.

Then a few weeks later, after that post was indexed in they search engines I get an email from "[email protected]" saying very little and was interested in a specific name for sale. Ofcourse i reasearched the email address and read the post. However, since the name they wanted did not really match up to they type of site they were looking for.... I wanted to investigate more.

I joined the forum under a womans name and used an attractive avatar. And before you know it ... emails exchanged and a new email was given since they just did not use "[email protected]" much. I Investigated the real email and found out what i wanted to see.

It's amazing the stuff you can find out about if you try.

 

[IMguru]

It depends on the reputation of a domainer and his needs. If someone needs quick money then he can negotiate in a low price other wide you would have to spend a lot of money.

 

[lzy]

You Found me... GOOD JOB!

Hmm, whatever was that for?

 

[danielr]

Hmm, whatever was that for?

I was referring to all the good things you would find if you googled my user name..."danielr" .... when it comes to selling domains.

Semi related but when I tried to buy a domain from another domainer, I googled his username and came up with all sort of shit you wish you didn't found out.

 

[italiandragon]

my question is: why do you want it?

 

[and5rey]

Thank you guys for all your tips. Actually I contacted the owner via Whois e-mail and have made him a really low offer ($50) in order to start negotiating from as low as possible and see what he replies - how much is he looking for (he hasn't replied yet).

I just wanted to simply park the domain and start earning on PPC. I wanted to establish a little income of it (= I wanted to invest in that domain - pay e.g. 1-year revenue and start earning the next years...). However, I have decided not to buy it, as I might have some legal TM problems (it is a perfect typo of a trademarked company with traffic & Alexa rank and it's just a matter of time when the company knocks on the door IMO).

I also searched Google for the owner's name and the first result was a law document with a conviction for the owner to transfer the domain to the company of which typo domain he owned. So I wouldn't like to become famous on Google for similar things.

@Daniel: That's a nice and funny story. Thank you for sharing!