How to get sale back after being too aggressive?

[Pound]

I normally play tough in domain negotiations, and if I lose a sale below my wanted value then it doesn't bother me. However, this time I think I have played it too tough for the domain name in question (have shortened the email conversations!):

Them: How much is this domain name?

Me: Sorry, not specifically for sale, feel free to make an offer though

Them: $200

Me: Sorry, far too low as we are in the process of developing it - what is your max offer?

Them: $800

Me: Again, too low, sorry. Could sell for $2,200 though.

[silence]

Me: I take you aren't interested?

Them: Sorry for not getting back to you, but your price is out of my budget unfortunately

Me: I understand. There is some flexibility on price if you are still interested?

[no reply...]

----

Now, in hindsight $800 would have been more than enough for this domain. How would you recommend me getting him interested again without looking weak (and thus putting him off)?

 

[johname]

Ask if they can meet you in the middle.

Mostly this is trying to get them to talk to you again and perhaps even a counter bump to their previous $800

 

[Pound]

Ask if they can meet you in the middle.

Mostly this is trying to get them to talk to you again and perhaps even a counter bump to their previous $800

Would it not look desperate, though? As my last email ended with me asking if he would be interested in making a higher offer and he didn't reply...

 

[johname]

Dont worry how it looks. And you are desperate or you wouldnt want to sell it so badly for $800. Just think about getting them to talk to you again before they find another domain

 

[Pound]

OK, agreed. Have sent an email - let's hope!

 

[biggie]

Now, in hindsight $800 would have been more than enough for this domain. How would you recommend me getting him interested again without looking weak (and thus putting him off)?

:talk:

Hi

if only hindsight, was foresight or if in reality one could be realistic.

with every additional email you send, your leverage will decrease

true this is, young jedi

 

[johname]

The above is very true if he can stand to lose the $800. Sounds like he cant.

 

[Pound]

The above is very true if he can stand to lose the $800. Sounds like he cant.

It's been almost 2 weeks and no reply - my guess is that I scared him off. Now, hopefully, he will be interested once again.

 

[RazorNF]

If he still doesn't contact you, just throw it up fixed price on sedo for an amount you would be happy with, and let him know it's there for x number of days should he change his mind.

 

[cdboard]

the person might check up on the domain to see what is being done with it.

you could put up a simple webpage for the domain, with a note that it's for sale. with a link to the sale page.

 

[willmfftt]

if $800 was "more than enough" then you shouldn't have countered with $2,200 IMO. You overshot a little. On a more positive note your negotiation skills aren't bad. I would've said I was expecting $1500 but will meet in the middle, so $1150. If they decline that then $950 final offer. You don't want to seem too desperate but you want to seem interested in making a sale.

I once read somewhere, it is better to have made a quick dime then to wait for the big dollar (or something like that lol). Maybe next time you should just take the money if you are happy with it. Sucks to lose a good sale.

 

[NPer]

It's been almost 2 weeks and no reply - my guess is that I scared him off.

Two weeks? That's not really a lot of time that has passed!

When end-users do not call/email me after approaching me, I leave them alone.

They sometimes (not always) come back after a few weeks, even months.

Like biggie said, every additional email you send now will reduce your negotiation power as you are giving the impression that you may be desperate.

If he detects desperation he may hit you with a sub $800 offer.

If you really need the money, respond with ONE email saying $1500. If he says $800 again, then accept (since you are saying that you are happy with it).

If he responds with $1000 (for example), then it's better, right?

If he doesn't respond after seeing the price drop, wait for him to respond. Don't send further emails thereafter.

If he doesn't bite, he probably has already changed his mind and you should let this slide.

What I wouldn't suggest is sending an email saying that you will accept $800, he will detect desperation and might just ignore you. He will wait for more emails for further price drops below $800, and then he will hit you with a pathetic amount. This never happened to me, but it happened to another domainer who I approached for a name last year... he sent me one too many emails... and the ball was in my court

He may come back to you if you leave him alone actually.

My rule of negotiation via email (when the end-user approaches me) is this:
Only send ONE email for every ONE received.

All the best :tu:

 

[biggie]

:talk:

the funny thing is, we're giving advice on negotiation tactics, for a unknown domain name?

so the name could be worth more or less, in our opinions, than OP's min or max he's willing to sell for.

but basic routines should still apply.

though i can sense the desperation in the OP's replies, things like:

"if we can't get this buyer back in the fold, then i'll never sell the domain in the future"

or

"i really need this sale or else..."


those two potential 'states of being' can also be perceived in emails, so take note.


confidence is a major part of leverage -

Good Luck!

 

[JFS]

never reject an offer if you need/want the money.
if you do that you will feel bad.
if you say "i believe this domain is worth 10k" and stick with it and rejecting lower offers and that makes you feel bad because you need the money, then, maybe the domain isn't worth 10k...if you can't afford to lose an buyer adapt the price you are seeking.
simple.

 

[Ben42]

I think you've gotta strike while the iron is hot. If an end users is really interested they probably need the domain "now", if after 2 weeks and no response they either shifted gears with the project, gave up or just found another domain.

Gotta close it while they are excited about their project!

 

[alien51]

If this is going to be the first, and the last, time you two will be doing business together, then it probably doesn't matter if you will look pathetic and desperate. :D

Reputations are only applicable for repeat business.

On the downside, the buyer will most likely use this experience to stonewall any domainer with a lowball, the next time he tries to buy a domain from someone else.

 

[biggie]

If this is going to be the first, and the last, time you two will be doing business together, then it probably doesn't matter if you will look pathetic and desperate. :D

Reputations are only applicable for repeat business.

:talk:

whether or not you think a sale will result in repeat business...every business deal could affect your reputation.

if one owns more than the 1 domain, then there is always a possibility of repeat business.

or there is possibility of "referral" business from that buyer.

but that depends on how you are perceived by the other party.

as in, did the buyer feel taken or did they feel like they got a good deal.

were you patient and understanding of the buyer's ignorance with transfers, how to pay, etc.

how you "come-off" plays a part, as a factor, that effects the potential...of repeat or referral business.

this world ain't that big anymore, and we are only a few degree's of seperation from the next domainer or end-user.

 

[wo]

Them: How much is this domain name?

Me: Sorry, not specifically for sale, feel free to make an offer though

Them: $200

Me: Sorry, far too low as we are in the process of developing it - what is your max offer?

Them: $800

Me: Again, too low, sorry. Could sell for $2,200 though.

[silence]

Me: I take you aren't interested?

Them: Sorry for not getting back to you, but your price is out of my budget unfortunately

Me: I understand. There is some flexibility on price if you are still interested?

[no reply...]

It was going well until you said "There is some flexibility." That was just BAD. It made you sound like you're playing games given that you just said you were developing it yourself.

If you really needed to continue the conversation, you could have asked what they plan to use it for. Some will say that's non of your business, but it's a perfectly natural question since you initially said you intended to develop it yourself.

As others have said, buyer MAY check the domain again to see what's being done to it (imho, only true if they like the domain and can't get over it, can't find anything better).

So my suggestion at this point is to put a page that the domain is currently in development, but you may consider offers above 2K. Any offers below this, you want to know what the domain is used for, and if they'll agree to shared ownership (this is complicated stuff, and will require legal agreements, so I don't recommend it unless you REALLY know what you're doing. It's not worth it for smaller domains).

 

[alien51]

whether or not you think a sale will result in repeat business...every business deal could affect your reputation.

if one owns more than the 1 domain, then there is always a possibility of repeat business.

or there is possibility of "referral" business from that buyer.

but that depends on how you are perceived by the other party.

as in, did the buyer feel taken or did they feel like they got a good deal.

were you patient and understanding of the buyer's ignorance with transfers, how to pay, etc.

how you "come-off" plays a part, as a factor, that effects the potential...of repeat or referral business.

this world ain't that big anymore, and we are only a few degree's of seperation from the next domainer or end-user.

Sellers who are arrogant and prima-donna, are probably more affected by this. Something like: "My time is precious. Every hour that you keep me waiting to buy my domain i'll keep raising the price by $300".

But if you're more concerned that you might appear desperate for cash, or be viewed like a sausage, maybe the buyer will remember you for repeat business when he's looking for lowball bargains again. :D

 

[biggie]

Sellers who are arrogant and prima-donna, are probably more affected by this. Something like: "My time is precious. Every hour that you keep me waiting to buy my domain i'll keep raising the price by $300".

But if you're more concerned that you might appear desperate for cash, or be viewed like a sausage, maybe the buyer will remember you for repeat business when he's looking for lowball bargains again. :D

:talk:

lol


dats duh dumbest shizz-it i ever red a nother domainer rite.

(not calling you dumb, just the words that you typed)


i've had repeat purchases from buyers who paid five figures for names, then came back to buy more. but it's not about the amount, it's how you relate.



the quality of the name/names, the professionalism in which the transaction was handled and the communications between us....is what made them come back.


sure my time is precious, but so is theirs, and when that mutual respect is apparent then both of you know that each operates at a higher level "mentally", than parties who approach others with no respect, initially.



as such, the buyer has respect for your knowledge, your professionalism, your portfolio and your valuation of domain names in general.


when that occurs, you don't have to say shiz-zit like, my time is precious and i'll keep raising price the longer you take, etc, etc.

i still have contacts, who will make contact, when they are ready to do a contract and that's a fact,jack!