discuss “I don’t buy from domainers on principle”

[equity78]

To buy, or not to buy, that is the question. So the headline here comes from an email a reader sent me about an exchange they had with an end user. The reader sent a targeted email to just one person, asking them if they would be interested in the domain name they had for sale. The prospect replied, "Sorry Robert, I don't buy from domainers on principle." David. When they asked me what I … [Read more...]

 

[secretagentdad]

People dislike domainers because they view them as non value adding middlemen off an artificially scarce property right.

The counter argument is that by investing they are providing segmented price discovery for word opportunities.

I would argue that domainers as a whole are a form of market magic brewery. Meaning that top performers in the market may well act as oracles in some word market sectors.

The problem is tuning in usable domain market signals and tuning out broker noise.

 

[Keith]

No one asked you to care, you said they weren't an end user, they were a proper end user. My main point was refuting your quote of "An end user will buy from anyone" I have dealt with people who have proved that statement false. While I don't agree with their attitude, it does exist for some.

You’ve dealt with people that don’t like the asking price. Has nothing to do with who’s selling.

If a domainer was asking $1 for a domain they wanted, they’d buy in an instant.

 

[equity78]

You’ve dealt with people that don’t like the asking price. Has nothing to do with who’s selling.

No simply not true, but I appreciate you telling me what I know. In one case the asking price was $500, the price was of no concern. The firm's policy was not to deal with squatters. The name was not a tm by any stretch and I pointed out they should learn the meaning of "squatter"

 

[Keith]

No simply not true, but I appreciate you telling me what I know. In one case the asking price was $500, the price was of no concern. The firm's policy was not to deal with squatters. The name was not a tm by any stretch and I pointed out they should learn the meaning of "squatter"

They are not real buyers. Real buyers will do what it takes to get a deal done if it’s in their best interest. The people you referenced would take the domain in a heartbeat from a “domainer” if it was $10

 

[xynames]

I think it’s more important to analyze why a potential buyer would say such a thing versus coming in with an arms crossed Take it or Leave it attitude.

Which was the point of my post above - that there are ways to deal with potential buyers that make it clear that you’re a re-seller but also that you’re not a bloodsucker. The details on how I do that - after reading all the hard nosed comments here putting down the end user who said “I don’t buy from domainers on principle” - make it clear that such sales tactics such details are lost to many of us.

Yes we’re all just trying to sell but there’s a right and wrong way to approach a buyer. Any buyer who says that he won’t buy from you on principle hasn’t been made to feel that you’re looking out for his interests as well as your own. In life - and in business - we must learn how to get people to do what we want them to do not because we told them to do it, but because it is in their best interests to do it. The true art of the deal is in getting the other guy to feel that he’s doing it as much for himself as for you.

 

[equity78]

People dislike domainers because they view them as non value adding middlemen off an artificially scare property right.

The counter argument is that by investing they are providing segmented price discovery for word opportunities.

I would argue that domainers as a whole are a form of market magic brewery. Meaning that top performers in the market may well act as oracles in some word market sectors.

The problem is tuning in usable domain market signals and tuning out broker noise.

Somehow I don't think companies see it that way even if most domainers would agree. When you read domain name discussions from people outside the industry it's truly interesting, sometimes hysterical.

 

[MapleDots]

There is a professional way of handling inquiries...

Client email: Hey Man, how much you asking for domainx.com?

MapleDots: I'm sorry, to open dialogue you must use our contact form at www.mapledots.ca/contact

Once they see that form they are either a real client responding or a deadbeat that decides to leave well enough alone.

You can say so much with a proper contact form that you really don't have to say much at all.

In the end I don't care who is buying or selling as long as I can profit from the transaction. We all need to leave our personal feelings out of it and analyze each transaction on it's own merits.

 

[equity78]

@secretagentdad Here is a perfect example of what those outside of the domain bubble think of domainers. You read the comments and look at the alternatives suggested.

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2011/08/domain-squatting-parasites-not-interested-in-haggling-apparently/

 

[xynames]

What does any of this have to do with squatting? Such allegations or sentiments have to do with certain domains only, at XYNames we’ve bought and sold thousands of domains can’t recall being accused of cyber squatting.

Are you saying that an end user accuses a domainer of squatting just because the domainer owns a domain the end user wants? Again, haven’t experienced that sentiment.

Closest would be an end user thinking that the price should be low because I haven’t developed the domain and some simple education calms that sort of thinking.

 

[secretagentdad]

@secretagentdad Here is a perfect example of what those outside of the domain bubble think of domainers. You read the comments and look at the alternatives suggested.

https://www.jwz.org/blog/2011/08/domain-squatting-parasites-not-interested-in-haggling-apparently/

hehehe
People are haters. That's a pretty salty thread.

 

[Jv1999]

I don't buy domains from domainers but I buy premium domains all the time from uniregistr. Because uni is not run by a domainer at all. Not at all.

And buying those premium priced domains on uni or GD is much better than SUPPORTING the domainer industry by buying a domain from one of those sneaky honchos

 

[karmaco]

Anybody not willing to pay the price to a domainer can sift through the garbage available to hand register. Their choice. With all good names taken by people using it or domainers I wish them good luck.

This whole topic is in part why I don’t outbound. It has predominantly small profits and perpetuates the squatter stereotype. There are other ways to promote a domain. I give a pass to geo specific as outbound might be the only way to go with those.

Anybody who says in 2019 they won’t buy from a domainer is the holder of some real crap name.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

hehehe
People are haters. That's a pretty salty thread.

Indeed. I had to stop reading after a while but as those posts were mostly 8 years old, the sentiment still exists out there.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

........Are you saying that an end user accuses a domainer of squatting just because the domainer owns a domain the end user wants?......

Oh yea - definitely for that simple reason: you got there before they did. As if there could never be more than one person with the same idea on the entire planet and that their idea would remain untouched for eternity until they felt like pursuing it. I've encountered some real nasty folks out there. I may be paranoid but I think some make offers just to get me "on the horn" so they can verbally assault me with their opinion of domainers.

 

[karmaco]

Oh yea - definitely for that simple reason: you got there before they did. As if there could never be more than one person with the same idea on the entire planet and that their idea would remain untouched for eternity until they felt like pursuing it. I've encountered some real nasty folks out there. I may be paranoid but I think some make offers just to get me "on the horn" so they can verbally assault me with their opinion of domainers.

This reminds me of a verbal assault I got by email regarding a canna name. He called me every name in the book without even knowing my price He was just pissed his brilliant idea was thought of first. I told him to up his dose and never contact me again.

 

[Innoverge]

The basic mindset behind those investors unwilling to buy from other domainers, is not liking the possibility of being on the receiving end of their own game i.e. being flipped to, at a higher price than the original investment.

But for expiring auctions, the perception might be different, since no one in particular(domain investor) is auctioning these domains off and these are considered prospective/valuable investments falling out of the sky, which if you don't grab, someone else will.
Of course in the above scenario the registrars are waived off as neutral parties, even though they directly profit from these expired auctions.

While there is nothing principled about not buying from domainers, an expert investor is one who can look beyond any bias or prejudice, and sees every domain for what it is, through the lens of its investment potential.

 

[mAd MaX]

Buying domain at auction gives Free Publicity/Promotions to the domain and its competitive sale value.

 

[Abdullah Abdullah]

I love to buy from domainers. They understand the business and are more likely to just sell for a small profit.

Now, what I don’t do - SELL to domainers. They always want rock bottom prices which I don’t do!

So what is the difference? Are you saying that you offer great prices to buy from domainers? If no, I then believe you would want rock bottom prices too when you want to buy from the domainers.

 

[OmarVG]

I don't buy from domainers on principle.

One person opinión does NOT mean anything!! He replied that email full of frustration, envy and impotent that he dont own the domain name he always wanted! ahahahahahahahaha!!

 

[Keith]

So what is the difference? Are you saying that you offer great prices to buy from domainers? If no, I then believe you would want rock bottom prices too when you want to buy from the domainers.

I mean what I said. Domainers want to buy on the cheap and I don’t sell cheap. Therefore I don’t sell to domainers.

On the flip side, I’m happy to buy from domainers because, in many cases, they sell cheap.

 

[Abdullah Abdullah]

I mean what I said. Domainers want to buy on the cheap and I don’t sell cheap. Therefore I don’t sell to domainers.

On the flip side, I’m happy to buy from domainers because, in many cases, they sell cheap.

Fair enough Keith for answering

 

[Brian L.]

So I assume the "I don't buy from domainers" also "don't by from homeowners" when shopping for a house. Both just a bunch of scammers with the audacity to sell something they own. It's a slippery slope, before you know it, people will want money for all kinds of products and services.

 

[DomainGuy86]

If I, as a domainer, have to pay a premium for a premium domain...why would any business person assume I'm going to shoot myself in the foot and unload it without a profit?

That's called business. I would retort to anyone eschewing deals with domainers a simple "Domains are contracts. I happen to own the contract you are seeking. If you want to assume ownership you have to buy out the contract."

If they continue to assail you with the moral or ethical ambiguities of the domain business, then cap it off with a "If you conducted your business like that you'd be insolvent within the year. Surely you know that."

That's how business works. If they don't like it, too damn bad--some milk and cookies may be in order.

 

[EmpireNames.com]

the person who said i dont buy from domainers offer him name like travel.com in 10k usd and see if he buy or dont...

 

[frank-germany]

what a BS discussion

when a name is good
what's the point of
who was the previous owner?