How to Sell Domains Fast - Marketplace or Own Site

[JamesCrew]

Hi mates,

So after investing in more than 20 domains, I am desperately trying to sell couple of those since February 2015, but have yet to see any positive response.

I have tried the old 'Email to Potential Buyer' method but with no success. So now I am seriously thinking to launch my very own website with my domains listed for sale there.

But before I do that, I would like to know what you guys think would be a better and faster (not to mention more profitable) approach for selling domains?

I have other option of listing my domains to marketplaces like SEDO, Afternic and etc.. Have already done that last month, lets see what happens. But what I was thinking, would launching my domain selling website be a more direct method to attract buyers for the right price?

Would really appreciate your input mates. I am just about to lose my patience if I don't sell something fast, lol...

Good day,

 

[NameFit]

Let me be realistic and be practical, it is well established fact that average sale for good names where the buyers are end users is 1-3%. We are not talking about $50-$100 profit names, we are talking about names well at $1000 average. So if you have a portfolio of 100 names, you are looking at 1-2 sale in the year. You still break even at this sales volume. I do not think the 1-3% range goes up if you have larger portfolio - it is advancing towards more sales to keep the cash flow going. I park all my domains and let the buyers reach out to me. For the past 10+ years I have maintained that volume well above average with average price well above $1000. 5 years before that, I had minimal sales and paid out of pocket and was about to give up. You just have to spend more effort in acquiring the names rather than selling them. It requires knowledge of practical every industry in the world. It is not that you have go reading out about industry, you just develop it over time - 'General Knowledge' is he word that comes to mind. Also, it does require good knowledge of English, and above all how creatively you can think. Once you get into that 'mental state' of thinking, it is a breeze - you are all together in different state of mind. It is lot of work but rewarding in long run. There is no 'magic' name that you will hit on one day! Lastly, I would say, if you want a business buyer to come to you and pay you the optimum price, then you have to think like a buyer - meaning that you have to develop that level of understanding of the topic/solution/idea much much before the prospective buyer decides to establish a business around that thought and starts looking for a name.

I had a post about how start ups should select a name, you have to think exactly like a buyer.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/79...-a-name-for-your-startup.857739/#post-4856731

Hope this helps!

 

[Domainzy]

@JamesCrew I would suggest you look at money differently. This really helped me when i learned this

Instead of 'trying to make more money' i suggest you try to 'double your money'. And change your beliefs about money. You said you don't want to sell $20 or $40 domains because its not in your plan. <-This is the reason you haven't sold a single domain yet. Let me explain.

You have to start somewhere & it only takes 20 'steps' to double $1.00... 20 times to make a million dollars.

example:
1) 1x2=2
2) 2x2=4
3) 4x2=8
4) 8x2=16
5) 16x2=32
6) 32x2=64
7) 64x2=128
8) 128x2=256
9) 256x2=512
10) 512x2=1,024
11) 1,024x2=2,048
12) 2,048x2=4,096
13) 4,096x2=8,192
14) 8,192x2=16,384
15) 16,384x2=32,768
16) 32,768x2=65,536
17) 65,536x2=131,072
18) 131,072x2= 262,144
19) 262,144x2=524,288
20) 524,288x2=$1,048,578

Im currently on step 17 and started with a .99 cent Godaddy coupon code. It didn't happen quick, but it did snowball like the example above. Now that I only have 4 'steps' to the finish line, when i buy a bunch of domains i count them all as one 'step' until i reach the next 'step'. I look forward to buying a 100K domain name and then a $250k domain name

The hardest thing to do is convince yourself there is no difference between $1, or $100 or $1,000 or $10,000 or $100,000. Once numbers are no longer viewed as 'money' it becomes a very doable goal if you don't set a timeframe. Also keeping your day job is key so you don't spend your profits.

Hope this helped! I know it helped me since i started looking at money different.

 

[Kate]

...
So after investing in more than 20 domains, I am desperately trying to sell couple of those since February 2015, but have yet to see any positive response.

Well, it's been 3 months only. You need a lot of patience in this industry. And domains are illiquid assets, they don't sell fast at all, unless they are extremely high quality and priced right.

I have tried the old 'Email to Potential Buyer' method but with no success. So now I am seriously thinking to launch my very own website with my domains listed for sale there.

...

But what I was thinking, would launching my domain selling website be a more direct method to attract buyers for the right price?

You can list them at plenty of venues, even set up your own, but I don't think that will make any difference. Why ? Because nobody is looking for your domains, or domains that are similar to yours.
Remember: millions of domains are on sale today, all looking for a buyer. There are few buyers, and even fewer repeat buyers...

Here is the big secret: the best way to sell domains, is to have domains that buyers are looking for.

The bottom line: you need patience even with good domains, but if your inventory is not good enough buyers will never come. If you have registered bad names because you are new, then it's very possible you will have to ditch them and start it all over again.

Welcome to domaining...

 

[SpareDomains]

Selling domains fast generally doesn't lead to maximum ROI. So you have to decide what type of seller you are...

A) Sell more domains at lower pricing, domain forums, flippa etc... more work, less profit margin, can you continue to restock your inventory with the same quality if you let a quality domain go cheap? If so flip away, if not then over time the quality of your portfolio will continue to deteriorate and eventually dry up the sales machine as it's not as easy today to replace quality as it was 10+ years ago due to increased drop competition.

B) List your domains at Sedo, Afternic/GoDaddy, DomainNameSales, Your Own Site, etc... and be patient on offers. Basically pick quality domains with a business use and get them into all the distribution channels so the end users knock on your door first. A domain isn't worth what the first buyer will pay for it a domain is worth what the optimum end user will pay for it which generally can't be rushed. So basically Quality Domains/Distribution Channels brings optimum leads without sending one email. Personally this model has worked for me for 12+ years.

Could also combo the 2 methods. Prune your portfolio and flip the junk and be patient on the gems.

If ya wanna keep the question to use your own site or Sedo I would say for a beginner go Sedo as there is a trust factor there. If your willing to forfeit short term gain for long term gain then redirect all your domains to your own site. Your own site should look professional and anything you can add to instill confidence helps SSL, Escrow banner, SiteLock Malware Scanner etc... Having personal info on a buyer definitely helps in research/negotiations.

Most leads come direct from the parked page so whether ya use Sedo, Your Own Site, Your Own Sales Pages etc... pick parking landers or sales pages that make it obvious it's for sale as a x,xxx-xx,xxx sale trumps a few bucks in parking income. On Sedo I would go with the "Sales Crush" lander.

 

[Domainzy]

Mate, I frankly have to disagree with you on that. Just because I have set my goals a bit higher (not high as xx,xxx range) that doesn't mean I will never sell any domains

Ever notice that a lot of lottery winners end up filing for bankruptcy? Ever notice that a lot of kids who's parents left them money, go broke?? This is because they never 'learned' the experience of earning money, they were just handed it.

I take the same perspective on selling. If your not willing to start small, then you will miss out on 'learning' and the experience what comes with each transaction. Example.. if you had already been selling on ebay or flippa you would gain the 'experience' and confidence from each sale.

Do you know the tips and tricks of selling on ebay or flippa? NO, NO you don't, because your pride won't let you experience it. You have convinced yourself that you couldn't gain anything from starting small, however you have missed out on the important part.... experience. And hence why you created this tread and don't have a single sale yet.

My point is, if your not willing to gain the experience needed to succeed, then don't be surprised when you lack the knowledge, confidence, and reputation.... and instead rely on using 'hope' to sell your domains.

 

[RSK2000]

Well, I'm not sure how you will take my answer, but I will try and help, by sharing my random thoughts with you.

But, there really is no venue where you can sell domains fast. And most domain sellers would ask why you would want sell them fast. Warning - If a buyer senses you are in a hurry to sell they will possibly use that against you.

So in order to have the best chance of selling domains, bear in mind the following:

1.) The profit comes from the buying, not the selling - buy cheap to get the biggest profit and then you don't need to hold out for 'top dollar' - leave some skin on the bone for the next person.
2.) Domain names are not pets or children. So never form emotional attachments to them. They are just stock to sell.
3.) We all buy garbage domains. Be brutal with your portfolio.
4.) End users give you the best prices. But they are hard to find. Ideally, you want to be on the phone speaking directly to potential end users to get the best prices.
5.) Keep improving your sales techniques - learn from the best by reading, YouTube etc.
6.) The content on DomainSherpa.com amounts to an MBA in domain name buying and selling domains (in my opinion). Every time I watch the videos on that site again I learn something new. DomainInvesting.com and DNJournal.com also are essential reading. the more you know the more opportunities you will find to make sales.
7.) Flippa, Sedo and direct contact with potential buyers are the only strategies you need to get started.
8.) Low value sales are fine. But only for low value domains. Don't waste your time buying low value domains dreaming you are going to sell them for thousands. Look at sales on NameBio.com, DNSalesPrice.com and DNJournal.com to see what domains are selling for and why.
9.) Selling OK domains for low prices is worthwhile so that you learn how the transfer processes work, so you build up a good reputation and get good feedback from buyers and the small profits from each one you sell all ads up.

All these tips help you sell your domains faster, and help ensure you get the best price possible.

Also, I also think that almost all of the advice on this thread is good, too.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ilhicas]

I don't think there is a fast way. Its not like its a quick flip business(with some exceptions) I think you just have to be patient. How long are you holding the domains?

If you build a website you also have to get traffic to it to sell your own domains. And that will cost you time and money.

You can always try to sell here on forum or on ebay for a faster way to sell. But if the domains are not good its not an easy way to be profitable.

If you have good domains you should always try to put a flippa listing or try the new Sedo Direct Auction.

 

[Kate]

Just to put things in perspective...

Last week I sold a domain for $500, that I initially registered in 2006. So it's been a whole 9 years between registration and ultimate sale to an end user.

You must be wondering, why keep a domain that long, is this because I have faith ? Actually I was thinking that the domain might never sell. But I normally always pick domains that I know I could use if they don't sell. Thus I always have a few good domains available in the inventory whenever I need to start a new project (I like to stockpile domains for future use).
So I always advise people to buy domains in industries/niches they are familiar with. So you can think like an end user.

You say you registered dentist- and limo-related, but I assume you are not a dentist or don't run a limo business either. So these domains are not assets you can use. These names are worthless if you can't find a buyer. There is no plan B.

 

[tomcarl]

It all depends on your domains, there are no guaranteed fast sales for anything unless you've got an impressive domain with obvious value, otherwise if you emailed people about it and no one expressed any interest, chances are you won't fetch a fast sale for it anywhere else if your top end users didn't want it.

If you want a fast sale in the 5-20 dollar range, try forums/ebay auctions, that would be your best bet.

 

[The New Guy]

Method with highest probability of success:

1. Have a domain that can be used by multiple parties
2. Price that domain below market price.
3. Make parties from number 1 aware that your domain is available at a below market price.

Otherwise it's a waiting game - waiting for the right buyer, waiting for someone to find you, waiting for someone with the funds to make a good offer, etc.

 

[JamesCrew]

Just to put things in perspective...

Last week I sold a domain for $500, that I initially registered in 2006. So it's been a whole 9 years between registration and ultimate sale to an end user.

You must be wondering, why keep a domain that long, is this because I have faith ? Actually I was thinking that the domain might never sell. But I normally always pick domains that I know I could use if they don't sell. Thus I always have a few good domains available in the inventory whenever I need to start a new project (I like to stockpile domains for future use).
So I always advise people to buy domains in industries/niches they are familiar with. So you can think like an end user.

You say you registered dentist- and limo-related, but I assume you are not a dentist or don't run a limo business either. So these domains are not assets you can use. These names are worthless if you can't find a buyer. There is no plan B.

Appreciate your input mate.

Frankly I have to disagree where you said there's no plan B for dentist and limo domains.

No I am not a dentist, neither I run any limo rental service and I even have no idea how these sectors work. But still I can put these domains to good use (if I fail to sell them.)

I am a firm believer of what you have mentioned, to buy domains within the niche you are familiar with. But some times I will be restricting myself walking on this route and can risk to miss a great opportunity. This is where we have to take bold steps and look outside from our known niches.

How can I use these domains you might ask? Simply by turning these sites into lead generation sites.

Yes, the idea still works and for a guy like me who has up-to-date knowledge of SEO and knows intermediate HTML and designing websites, it's not that hard to develop such sites and optimize them for leads.

Long story short, the way I see my domains, I can use 80% of those for my own projects just in case I don't sell them in the near future.

Wish me luck...

Cheers,

 

[bonin]

I will not try to give advice, but I think that many people wrote here enough to have a starting point from where to start.

I'll try to give you a small example of me, how I started: I bought my first domain in December 2013, three months later, I had no sales and decided that it makes no sense to continue, I gave 10 or 12 of my domains to a stranger for free and I started doing research on what other niche to target for my future. After about a month I had taken a final decision that will be returned to the domains but will try more and learn more.

I read a lot in different forums, watch videos, even I made my own website where I can show my domains and the results came slowly. I start enjoying this business I knew that in the beginning it will be difficult and will put money, but I was determined not to give up and to enjoy, because I discovered many interesting and new things
From June 2014 until now I have 12 sales through different platforms Flippa, eBay, and Sedo and now here in the forum.

My sales are not for thousands of dollars, but this raise the spirit and give hope and confidence.

This is not an easy business, contrary to my expectations at the beginning, I realized this in the hard way.

P.S Maybe I do not have many sales, but that is because several of my domains have a higher price than the market, and for them I try to follow a particular trend - time will tell better.

Good luck

 

[Name Trader]

@JamesCrew

I sell 50% of my sold domains by listing them on GoDaddy as make offer 90 day sales with a minimum offer price of $999 (to avoid the time-wasters). There are a lot of eye-balls over on GoDaddy. It's the best advice I can give any domainer wanting to make some sales.

PS: The 90 days is just the auction period. It can still take days, weeks, months, years to sell them. I know it's a cliche, but you really do need to have domains that users (not domainers) like and want. How do you know you have these kinds of domains (since you haven't sold any yet)?

Only the very best Fog/IoT domains will ever sell for good money. I would have imagined all the great domains were taken years ago. You should be looking for the next trend, imho, and expect to wait years for sales. Dictionary nouns and verbs will always sell well.

 

[Kate]

The problem is always the same: the market is flooded with domain names for sale, that nobody wants. Exposure is not the problem. So I would not advise paying for featured listings. Generally that means wasting even more money.

Also, the end users generally don't stockpile domain names for future use. Only the bigger, domain-aware companies do that.
The end users buy a domain name when it is needed for a project. It is a question of domain quality but timing too. Hence patience is required.
The other opportunity, if you proactively reach out to end users, is to offer a domain 'upgrade': a domain name that is superior to what they are currently using. Keep in mind that few people really get 'it'. Not many people see the point of paying more than regfee for a domain.

I just want to say to the OP: you are not alone. It's not like you are an exception here, everybody is struggling to sell names. Look at reported sales, analyze the market, look at what people are actually buying, it should at least give you an insight at what kinds of names do well on the market.

 

[Shams]

I never was a domainer, it all just stated with a mistake. i was looking for a item on ebay and accidentally i bought a domain name. The domain name was just in $19 and seller don't want to cancel the order. so i keep the name and i wasn't know what to do with the domain. after 4 to 5 days i relist that name on ebay in $25 and forgot about that. After 28 days i received an email from ebay that your item listed on ebay has been SOLD. I push that domain to the buyer and register some domain in $25 using Godaddy coupons and after that i got interest in domains. now i mostly deal in 4 letter.com domain and succefully selling on different platforms. but especially on ebay my highest sale on ebay until now is $700.So i suggest ebay to the domainers for quick sale if your domain value is under $500. Domain names under $100 can make quick sale but still luck depends on the domain name.

 

[Domainzy]

@JamesCrew I think you are still overlooking what i am saying.

You need experience, and you can only gain so much experience by reading. I can read and ask professionals how to ice-skate but i will not truly learn until i experience it for myself. Same with domaining.

My suggestion would be buy another domain you are not attached to, with a coupon code and 'experience' what it is like to sell if for double or more. Because there is NO difference between a $1 and a $1,000,000 domain sale, except a mental game and a few zeros. The entire process is the same:

1) You use a marketplace or your own site to list the domain or you contact potential buyers.
2) You get an offer or a BIN
3) You get payment via paypal, Bitcoin, etc
4) You login and push the domain to the buyer.
5) You smile.

You have yet to experience this process, and the more you do the better you will get. But if you wanna do things the hard way, thats OK most people are stubborn and they don't want to start at the bottom of the ladder, they wanna run and jump on the ladder, but most fall off. Experience goes a long way.

 

[iowadawg]

Everyone did not mention this working way to sell domains fast.
Put them on namepros auction with $0 starting bid.
Watch them go out the door!

 

[JamesCrew]

@JamesCrew I think you are still overlooking what i am saying.

You need experience, and you can only gain so much experience by reading. I can read and ask professionals how to ice-skate but i will not truly learn until i experience it for myself. Same with domaining.

My suggestion would be buy another domain you are not attached to, with a coupon code and 'experience' what it is like to sell if for double or more. Because there is NO difference between a $1 and a $1,000,000 domain sale, except a mental game and a few zeros. The entire process is the same:

1) You use a marketplace or your own site to list the domain or you contact potential buyers.
2) You get an offer or a BIN
3) You get payment via paypal, Bitcoin, etc
4) You login and push the domain to the buyer.
5) You smile.

You have yet to experience this process, and the more you do the better you will get. But if you wanna do things the hard way, thats OK most people are stubborn and they don't want to start at the bottom of the ladder, they wanna run and jump on the ladder, but most fall off. Experience goes a long way.

Now that's what I can implement. Thanks for the idea mate, appreciate it.

Agreed I have yet to experience the sale process but that should not mean that I must start from any point---anypoint. For that to achieve, one should have goals.

And my friend, what you are calling my stubbornness is what I call a strategic plan. I have been learning about domaining since 2009 and have lost $$$ in garbage domains. But it was till last year in August, when I seriously turned to domaining (learning and domain buying part.)

I would also call it irrelevant where you mentioned something about 'long jump' and 'ladder' part. Because it's not about jumping here and there aimlessly, it's about having a long term plan.

I will give an example of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. He was approached by Bill Gates in 2007 (if I can remember it right) and Bill offered $5 Billion to acquire Facebook. Facebook was not financially developed that time and $5 Billion was a HUGE amount of money. Anyone could have taken the ladder and move on. But Mike didn't. Because he had plans to develop and move on with Facebook taking the site to the next level. Now as we speak, only Mark's fortune is worth more than $34 Billion. I guess if he should've climbed the ladder in 2007, he would be cursing himself today; lol.

I would again emphasize on the fact that just because I have set my goals backed by stats and knowledge I have gained so far (and an learning along the way) doesn't mean I will never achieve them or am not willing to start small. I have already mentioned my definition of starting small. It can vary from people to people; right!

Just to be more clear here (again) , I am not looking to earn some quick bucks through domaining as I have mentioned in my previous posts that I have long term goals with this business and I will not jump to any offer I receive for my domains, unless it's logically acceptable. That is why I would say it again that I can wait and see the results.

Good day,

 

[Name Trader]

@pablohc86 - You are always going to be at a distinct disadvantage selling non .com domains. Only people who cannot afford the .com may buy a non .com domain. But most of the buyers will go for an inferior .com. I think your best bet for sales is via the For Sale link on the parking page. Send that enquiry preferably to a generic Domain For Sale page which you are hosting. You can do your marketing to potential end users and send them to that For Sale page. But I think it's always going to be a struggle, with non .com domains. IMHO.

 

[dollarfield]

Building a website and selling domains does not work in short run because of traffic and credibility issue. Many website owners including me do must of the selling here in Namepros and places like Flippa, Sedo and Godaddy. If you are looking for a quick flip Forums are the best.
Setting a realistic price is also important for making faster sales. I hope you will succeed very soon.

 

[cocaseco]

Before you try anything i think you need to decide who your target is. If it is other domainers, then this forum is a great place. If on the other hand you only want end users, and hence top dollar, you would not post it here. End user sales will almost always take longer than selling to another domainer, who himself needs to flip it at a profit. So are you a wholesaler or a retailer?

 

[cocaseco]

Talk about having faith....I'm neither a dentist nor a limo driver, yet I could still build a website around these topics.

 

[NameFit]

I believe what @sdsinc means is that 'if the name is good enough for your own business, then only it is good enough for someone else' - that is my understanding.

All the names that I have, which are in several thousands, the sole basis of registering a name is that I have a business thought behind it - otherwise I won't be registering it. Think like a businessman and before registering, ask yourself this question - would you yourself run a business under that name. Whether you actually run a business or not, does not matter. Given the opportunities, would you run the business - that is the question.

 

[Enfant]

Wow. That is rude and ignorant of you mate. Not only have you not taken the time to read my post carefully and try to understand it, but you are also treating me like I have said something totally illogical here.

Your "wow" will not make wow anyone here. Saying "rude" and "ignorant" - that's already being personal with me.

I didn't say anything bad or personal to you. The truth hurts, but lies hurt more! Ignorant? I have spend one hour of my time instead of registering and selling domains I took my time to read your topic, to understand you and trying to help you. As for the "rude" - it is out of my vocabulary, sir.

no matter if it's a website or domain buying/selling.

That MATTERS! You just don't want to learn! Again and again you keep repeating the same thing.

Business is general word. You can't compare the selling of jewelry to selling cars. And in real estate: if you sell land - it's totally different of selling raw land to condominiums, raw land and "land with improvements". No comparison of selling just a domain or Facebook site! Please, read topics of Eric here on how to sell domains with developed sites on them. And learn some patience before to call someone "ignorant".

how businesses should have plans before they are actually started and during the process

You are not in position to teach with bold letters what other "should have" to do. If you are that great in domaining then why to come to the forum and start this topic? Instead of spending your uncontrollable emotions here you could just go to opencart and create your marketplace. There is one guy here at the forum who offers free marketplace site specially for domainers, how come you didn't approach him during all these wasted years of your "planning"?

As far as knowing the basics of domaining, I don't want to argue about that, because I have been studying domaining since 2009 and believe me I know every 'type' of domainers, who talk big and know less to nothing when it comes to domaining. So, no comments on that. (No offense meant to anyone.) That is why I am learning things from here and there and bringing it down to a workable plan.

As you have brought it up, I have been engaged in this community more than you can think. Wanna know how? Check your post count and mine, then check the duration of your signup and mine on this forum. See the difference!

Professional domaining = post count & signup = no comments!

 

[900Worldwide]

Thanks for dropping by mate.

That's just another random comment my friend, to list domains on marketplaces, ebay, flippa, buy upgrades.

BTW, have you ever listed a domain and bought an upgrade from Flippa? How was your experience on Flippat? What type of domain was it? Was it sold for your expected price?

Paying someone for the advice isn't bad, but as long as you know who you are paying and taking advice from! Ain't that right mate?

Thanks and keep em coming.

I sell domains on go daddy a few times a month for above an excepted price... I sale on flippa as well.. The thing about Flippa you need quality domains.
If your domains are priced right and have value they'll pretty much sell themselves..

Advice is good but nothing beats hands on experience.