Negotiating/Buying a Domain from a private seller

[mark2222]

Hello,

I am new to this site and want to thank you in advance for taking the time to read my post. I'm a young first time entrepreneur looking to start a business and of course the name I want is taken. It's an LLL.com, so I know it is valuable. At the moment, its owned by a private seller, and has a website (that doesn't function) put up in about 2004-2005. (He has a different domain with the same content as the LLL I want). What do you think the best way to negotiate this is? I don't know if he wants to get rid of it, but at the present, he is doing nothing with it and has owned it since 1996. I would appreciate some advice on how to try to get him to sell and sell for either a good price, or a rent to own scheme. Thank you.

Additional info: The domain is not a word in any language, but is very marketable/brand able (at least in my eyes).

 

[silentg]

1. check the http://whois.sc/lll.com and see if it is listed for sale.
Or go on directly to http://sedo.com / http://afternic.com and search for the domain. If it's on sale there then you can make offer.

2. If it's not on sale then check how much similar names have sold for on:
http://dnsaleprice.com (search for 3 letter .com) Get the average price and make the offer. E-mail the owner with a initial offer around $4,500.

3. If the domain doesn't have x,y,q,z in it then the seller would be expecting $xx,xxx offers.

Note:
a) Don't offer below $4500 because you'll be ignored.
b) Some owners won't even sell at all. In that case you'll have to find a different domain.

Don't do:
Don't try to file a TM on the name and go after the domain. You'll lose the UDRP / WIPO case and the owner can sue you for domain reverse hijacking attempt.

 

[nielsencl]

never mind

 

[jcourtenay]

Also, I would get an independent valuation before buying any domain name.

 

[Domainace]

If it's a pronounceable name, better have 5 figures ready.
He won't let it go cheap under any circumstances, but he might be open to a rent to own proposal.

He makes money in the end, whether you buy or not. Best case, he gets a good price. Worst case, he gets some traffic and some rental fees from you. And you avoid paying a bunch of cash up front that you will likely need for your business.

If you do make a rent-to-own proposal, be ready to present yourself so that he won't think he's wasting his time. You'll have to explain your business and sell him on it (and on you). If you can talk by phone, you would be way ahead.

Before approaching, go over all the LLL sales you can find (dnjournal, dnsaleprice, namebio...) to try to peg a price.

 

[Kate]

All LLL.com holders have been spammed to death by domainers (I lost count of those $200 offers lol). So it's very unlikely the current holder has no idea of pricing.

Anyway, I would ask for a price first, then try to negotiate down based on comparable sales etc. But since you are the one asking, he obviously has the upper hand.
Good luck.