question My Fault you let your domain expire?!

[maksimfa]

So I generally buy domains for my own portfolio to develop, or geo domains to resell to local businesses.
Recently I have been buying some established domains at GoDaddy closeout auctions to use for my PBN, or to sell if someone wants.

This morning I wake up and I see I have a phone call and a missed message from someone. I do a Google search for the phone number and see one of the results was for a domain name I picked up for $5 plus reg fee on GD auctions.
I log in to email and see on @toughdomains I have a lowball $50 offer for that name. I responded to the offer saying...

"Hey XX, Thanks for your email and call, and txt. Just signed on to email and before giving you a buzz back and saw your email offer of $50 Will have to pass on that. As you know it is an awesome 11 year old domain and very much brandable. I am open to getting it back to you but you ave to make us a serious offer. I'm sorry you let your domain expire."

I go about my day and after a few calls, I free up and call the number back.

And wow.... he was pissed.

On one hand he was mad that I was "one of those" that stole his domain and now holding it for ransom, etc. On the other hand he needs it back immediately.

I told him sorry but you had 45 days to renew it. He then threatened legal action, and trademarks, etc. I was just getting pissed off at that point. lol.

I told him look, If GoDaddy screwed up billing, have them call me. If there is a trademark issue (which there was none filed), go through UDRP, it will cost you more.

He then offered $100. I responded no. Domain is worth far more to me... even just to park.

Was ready to hang up but then just said, look, make your offer. He responded with $250 + another domain. I rejected that as well. Countered with a mid $XXX offer and accepted.

On one hand I could of been a dick and hung on to my $2,500 asking, and he would of paid... but looks like smaller individual. Still made a sizeable flip in the short amount of time.... About 2 weeks from $13.50 to mid $XXX.

But I have to say... dealing with pissed off people like that, I think I just want to work on geo names. lol.

He should be lucky it was not picked up by HugeDomains or others with no heart. lol.

So I assume every expired domain investor has to deal with pissed off people?

 

[WeSell-Domains]

You have a good heart. After have been accused of "Stealing" a domain name, my price went UP not down.

 

[MapleDots]

I would have quoted 5k.... that is, and always will be, my magic number because that is what I paid for my first small business domain. I tried to negotiate but the guy stuck to his guns and I ponied up the cash. It made me see how profitable domaining could be.

Now I tell clients that a proper domain is a lifetime worth of advertising and by comparisons you can only buy a few newspaper ads for that money.

The value is there.... it just has to be explained.

 

[Recons.Com]

Perhaps you are right and I am not tainted yet.

Any time he argued I should of raised the price? lol.

You did the right thing. He is probably small business owner that is not savvy and missed on the name only to realize when it was too late. Paying even mid $xxx could be quite painful for him, possibly struggling with bills, employee salaries etc.

I am sure you'll get rewarded in some other way for the good you did, by not trying to maximize your pay.

 

[toughdomains]

congratulations on the sale stewie...if he made the offer through our system you can also see his ip address and location which usually helps me negotiate. this is exactly why I like expired names better than hand reg...if you want to make the sale public on namebio we can post it there...they are accepting our confirmed sales now for any user who wishes to disclose it.

 

[Pierre Barnard]

Been through 2 similar situation in the past month. Heard all about how unethical I am, an I hijacked the domain etc etc...When that happens I know the domain is worth alot and if they continue after I calmly respond to them with a fair selling price, I just increase the price.

Both times I was threatened with law suits, etc, just stick to your guns and say "BRING IT".

But yeah, South Africa is still a bit NEW to the domaining game in general...

 

[canswift]

There's something I do would immediately with one of these types of "offers". I would go to Archive.org and check the history of the domain and make sure that the person I'm dealing with is telling the truth about how this was "their" domain etc.

The other thing I never understand is that if this was indeed a vital business domain, how come no-one noticed for 40+ days that there was no website and no email coming through?! Once GoDaddy takes temporary re-possession as part of the expired / closeout process, then all that is knocked out.

 

[Kate]

Just to be clear, we are not buying domain names because somebody forgot to renew them. We are buying the domain names for their built-in value. It's not like the former owner is being targeted personally.

 

[maksimfa]

You have a good heart. After have been accused of "Stealing" a domain name, my price went UP not down.

Perhaps you are right and I am not tainted yet.

Any time he argued I should of raised the price? lol.

 

[maksimfa]

Been through 2 similar situation in the past month. Heard all about how unethical I am, an I hijacked the domain etc etc...When that happens I know the domain is worth alot and if they continue after I calmly respond to them with a fair selling price, I just increase the price.

Both times I was threatened with law suits, etc, just stick to your guns and say "BRING IT".

But yeah, South Africa is still a bit NEW to the domaining game in general...

I can certainly understand people getting pissed... I do wonder how they would react if they were dealing with a big corporate entity who did not care one bit.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[toughdomains]

There's something I do would immediately with one of these types of "offers". I would go to Archive.org and check the history of the domain and make sure that the person I'm dealing with is telling the truth about how this was "their" domain etc.

The other thing I never understand is that if this was indeed a vital business domain, how come no-one noticed for 40+ days that there was no website and no email coming through?! Once GoDaddy takes temporary re-possession as part of the expired / closeout process, then all that is knocked out.

agreed I like http://www.screenshots.com/ registrars typically charge you a redemption fee of $200 to get the name after the grace period....I guess most owners hope that they will just renew it for $10 after it expires...
I had someone offer me 99 cents for their expired name because it got it as a promo offer on godaddy and didnt think they should pay more than that to get it back....long live domaining!

another guy replied with this

"I have the .co.uk for many years so will keep using that.

it was just that my other companies all have.com so simply thought it would look neaten if they all had the same so its not a crucial requirement"

Well his name "looks neaten" in my portfolio esp for the $50 he offered me.

 

[MapleDots]

another guy replied with this

"I have the .co.uk for many years so will keep using that.

Feign interest and maybe you will come down in price

Classic negotiation tactic.

 

[DomainVP]

$2,500 asking

You were generous from the start. Glad you worked something out that works for you.

 

[likeslikes]

Have I got a story for you all . . .

The other day I was checking out GD expired/closeout domains. I placed a bid, but actually lost the domain. I was able to find out who the domain originally belonged to. So I contacted that business, and its nuts what happened. The father had gone into the hospital for about 6 weeks. The son was running the business, and had no idea the website was down and had expired. I told him I would sell it back to them, but with all the fees I had accrued I would need 15k. He offered 6k. I told him 10k was my final and last offer. He accepted. Ofcourse I didnt have the domain yet. I had to negotiate with this guy in the northeast. He was kind of a jerk, and when I played the you are a thief card he caved in, and I got the domain for 500. Then I flipped it for 10k. What a week . . .


I keed I keed!

LOL you're a mad man!

 

[kandyan]

Clearly English is not your first language . . . what I wrote was a joke. @maksimfa knows and understands this

You're VERY RIGHT.. Engilsh is not my first language..

I thought it must be a joke.. (Keed keed...)

Couldn't help my self responding to it..

Please accept my Apologies..

 

[Want2learn]

Its all good! I just wanted to make sure you understood it was a joke

 

[johname]

It's not your fault the previous owner didn't pay the renewal. But it is your fault the domain didn't expire so to be sitting there to be freshly re-regged by the old owner. This is what previous owners believe, and they are too skeptical to believe the mean domaimer telling them differently. When they tell you to "get a real job" There no sale from that point lol. Congratz on the sale.

 

[Kate]

A bankruptcy does not void a TM. The TM is an asset like any other, so it can can survive the failed company (or be auctioned/sold). Failed corporations are often reborn in a trimmed down form or split into several leaner entities. The assets don't just vanish.
Just because a domain expires by accident (or not), doesn't mean the holder has relinquished all rights.

 

[Want2learn]

https://www.uspto.gov/trademark

 

[toughdomains]

there are two views list view and matrix. Its in the matrix view in offers.

 

[maksimfa]

there are two views list view and matrix. Its in the matrix view in offers.

Heh, learn something new. Neat feature but dang you guys need better documentation. =)

 

[maksimfa]

You were generous from the start. Glad you worked something out that works for you.

What would you ask?

I figured since it was a small business, did not want to screw them over too bad. Unlike a large corporation, at a certain point small biz will just get a new domain.

I settled for less than I could of, I am sure. But I don't feel too bad about it and glad I got the first expired sell back to user under belt.

 

[DomainVP]

What would you ask?

I figured since it was a small business, did not want to screw them over too bad. Unlike a large corporation, at a certain point small biz will just get a new domain.

Small business can still mean millions.

I don't know the domain or the buyer so I can't tell you exactly what my game plan would be.

I've had similar situations where it was a quick flip for $1500 - $3400. I think your opening price quote was right on the head where this person should have come in at. I've also quotes the moon and got dust.

Regardless, you both came to a price you were happy with and that is all that ever matters. Congratulations!

 

[likeslikes]

I had a similar scenario with a domain name that included my own name in it (mynamedesign.com) The guy said it was trademarked, which it obviously wasn't haha. I think the whole time he was yelling at me he didn't realize it was my name too, and I had bought it to develop for myself.

 

[maksimfa]

The thing is, if the name is not trademarked... what legal rights do they actually have to it? Especially if you can potentially develop it yourself. End of the day, we don't "own" our domains... go ahead and try not paying the renewal. lol. At best we only have the "right to use" our domains.