debate Outbound a specific company .io to upgrade their domain to .com

[TopBrandsForSale]

Hi, a few months ago I bought a .com of a company that I think it's solid and successful, running their website on the same domain (.io). The auction has been very competitive and I ended up paying way more than I was initially thinking. This was my mistake, probably because I know the company personally and I thought it was worth it more than really is.

Anyway, that's the short story.

It's a 1 word (made up) 8 letters domain.

I put it on DAN.COM 2/3 months ago but no sales.

Then I submitted it to SH and BB:

SquadHelp priced it 3.995$
BrandBucket 10,995$

I didn't choose yet what to do.

The company is a UK company and on Trademarkia there isn't any notice of a TM on that brand.

Do you think it's a better strategy to reach the company first and offer them a 20% discount on the BB price?

I can reach them via outbound email with my 4 steps emails:
1) Domain X might be interesting for you
2) Benefits of buying a .com domain
3) More Benefits
4) Last call

I would show them the price quotation from BB and tell them that I'm offering the domain directly before listing it on that marketplace as a courtesy. If they don't buy it, it will go on sale on BB.

Please share your thoguhts.

Thanks

P.

 

[PatrickV]

If you happy with few thousands for the .io do it. Most of the time they start with .io and later buy the .com domain (if they have raised money). Good luck anyway.

 

[cooljub]

Tread very carefully here. If it's a made up word, and they've been trading on it, they probably have trademark rights to it anyway, even without it being registered.

A trademark does not have to be registered to be effective.

I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole.

 

[atulghorpade]

Good luck.

 

[karmaco]

Make sure you check international trademarks https://www.wipo.int/reference/en/branddb/

I agree with the above to tread carefully on contact. You all but admitted you bought this domain to target a specific company. The best is if they come to you. They aren’t going to care who priced it you or BB and it’s possible they are content with their io because why didn’t they get the com before?

Also trying “schooling” people on domains backfires more than not. It’s insulting and might work on xxx domains but five figures its just if they are willing to pay it. Also you don’t have to justify your price which I feel “schooling” people is intended to do.

 

[TopBrandsForSale]

Why doesn't have to be a trademark on it?

Btw they are a company based in UK, I own the .com

 

[karmaco]

Why doesn't have to be a trademark on it?

Btw they are a company based in UK, I own the .com

It doesn’t matter where they are based if they have trademark rights.

 

[cooljub]

Why doesn't have to be a trademark on it?

Doing trade with a name or 'mark' is enough in most cases to establish rights in that particular field. Registering the mark adds weight, but it's not strictly necessary.
This, accompanied by the fact that you bought the name with the intention of selling it to them, puts you on a sticky wicket in my opinion.