.mobi Offer received on BuyBack.mobi, fair price?

[Syrup]

Hi, I've just got an offer through Sedo for BuyBack.mobi for 60 Euros.

Not sure whether this is a fair price, or whether I should counter for more. Or I could send to auction.

Any opinions guys?

Thanks.
Martin.

 

[akcampbell]

Martin, counter offer at 25,000 Euros. Buying back used mobile phones is big business. 99% of disgarded mobile phones have buyback value to a recycler, people change their phone every 1-2 years, and virtually everybody has a mobile phone.

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/archive/5111/phones_4u_buyback_scheme.html

For all you know it could be a company like MPX referred to in the article above making you this offer.

Send the bidder a message via Sedo saying 99% of discarded mobile phones have buyback value to a recycler and ask them why they think the ideal domain for doing business in this multi-billion euro industry is worth 60 Euros.

 

[Syrup]

Blimey! Had not heard of the phone scheme you point out. Have had a look, and can see that there is some value in it. When I registered the domain a while ago I was thinking more about share buybacks within stockmarkets.

The bidder is from France, and MPX's website is a .co.uk so probably not the same.

Thanks for the advice, will give it a try.

Cheers.

 

[dag]

Blimey! Had not heard of the phone scheme you point out. Have had a look, and can see that there is some value in it. When I registered the domain a while ago I was thinking more about share buybacks within stockmarkets.

The bidder is from France, and MPX's website is a .co.uk so probably not the same.

Thanks for the advice, will give it a try.

Cheers.

You'll almost certainly lose the bidder if you counter that high. If you really think there's a chance that it's a business, the highest I would go would be 2,000, but that's even probably pushing it.

 

[Syrup]

Without me countering yet, the bidder has sent another offer, for 70 Euro this time, also saying it the final offer.

Based on advice here plus from the mobility forum (12 replies!) I will have a think about a much increased number and counter. I risk losing the buyer with a much increased number, but I also don't want to just give it away cheaply if it has some potential.

Cheers.

 

[akcampbell]

There are thousands of joke bidders on Sedo, losing their business is no loss. This is a commercial domain and a brilliant fit with .mobi. You should market it direct rather than sell it to another domainer. Send an email to 100 companies who recycle mobile phones and you will get a decent price for it.

 

[Syrup]

Thanks for the info & advice. I've now sent a counter offer, will now wait and see what response I get. Will let you know the result.

Cheers, Martin.

 

[Gottog]

Interested in hearing what happens...

 

[Syrup]

My counter offer was for a significant amount (x,xxx euro), based on advice here plus from another forum. And also after researching further on mobile phone recycling schemes.

I received an offer back for 75 euro, plus a comment asking if I know about any trademarks on 'buyback', and he provided a link to a french site regarding trademarks. I followed his instructions and something does come up but no real info. I've since tried a UK site for trademarks and nothing came up.

Can anyone suggest a good site to use to search (free) on trademarks, and are they typically country-specific?

I declined the latest offer from the buyer.

Cheers.

 

[Hurley4540]

25,000 euros for that?

Na...

 

[akcampbell]

For the US uspto.gov
For the UK patent.gov.uk
For the EU oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/index.en.do

Trademarks are usually country specific but can be region specific (e.g EU), I checked and "buyback" isn't a US, EU or UK trademark. It's a generic word, you wouldn't get a trademark to buy back mobiles for "buyback" in an English speaking country because it's descriptive. Tell the guy you don't plan to use the site in France and it's a generic word so he wouldn't get a trademark in any English speaking country. Honestly, this is worth more than X,XXX Euros to a mobile phone recycler.

 

[Syrup]

In declining the offer within Sedo, the negotiations were terminated, so unable to liaise any more with the bidder. I don't think I would have got any further with him/her. Have looked into the buy back marketplace, and plan on contacting end-users directly to see if there is any interest.