Telepathy...really?

[Keith]

I'm sorry but not a chance I'll ever pay $19 in order to negotiate on a domain. This is a clear money grab. You get bombarded with emails? Set up an automated system to field offers and go from there. This is the kind of shit that gives the domain industry a black eye!

 

[james haw]

Its greed pure and simple and any business who does this deserve to have their domain names rot in cyber space with no money or offers.

A business needs to make and maximise profits, so what's wrong with charging for a service? How is $19 "greedy"? And why do you think they deserve such harsh punishment? They've done nothing wrong.

They don't have a monopoly on the market, it's just a website with a service who charge for it.
These gripes are fine with mandatory things like petrol/gas, mortgage rates, etc, but it's not an issue for an online service which can only be used if you have tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend anyway. So then $19 is acceptable. If they removed the $19 fee, would you suddenly use the service?

Being a business owner myself, when you’re a business, customers and potential customers are your everything, even the window shoppers just coming around for a nosey, be respectful and that goes a long way and they may come back some other time and buy.

They are not being disrespectful to anyone. All businesses have different protocols, and individual needs dictate different specific approaches to manage the business. Maybe they get 100 or more spam and lowball offers every week. I wouldn't want to deal with all that when I only have 5 and 6 figure premium names to sell, would you?

Also, "window shopping"? You think they should spend time or money trying to accommodate people who are just window shopping? Bearing in mind in context of the discussion, "Window shopping" is sending lowball offers (as the $19 is all about not being able to send offers, nothing else).

Are you against members only clubs? Because you should be entitled to enter and use the facilities?

Saying to a potential customer ‘to even talk to me/us costs x amount’ is having a superiority complex and the need to feel above someone and I personally wouldn’t do business with any person or company like that.

"Superiority complex", "need to feel above someone"? Why, how, have you turned a business' basic payment charge for a service into something entirely emotional? You said yourself you run a business, do you provide your services for free?

 

[LucidDomains]

You are comparing apples with oranges.

Think of it another way, if you owned Cars.com and every day you got 1000 email inquires.

You by yourself couldn't cope the all the inquiries and 99% of these are lowball offers and timewasters. So what do you do? You hire someone, perhaps a clerical admin to weed through a 1000 emails a day. But that person comes at a cost of $19 an hour.

Would you do it so you can spend time with your family, wife and kids? Perhaps you're running another business or have a day job?

 

[LucidDomains]

" Okay so no punishment for wasting your time, so let me make you a $30K offer for 3 of those domains above.

What the hell I buy the portfolio off you for 2 M ? "

or

" I own several similar domains, let me string along the owners of several similar domains and find out what their prices are like "

Stuff like this does happen everyday. Some timewasters consider it research. Is it unethical, sure, but does it still happen? Definitely.

Anyway, it just my opinion, we can all agree to disagree if you like. I don't see anything wrong with filtering your domain portfolio in this way, especially if you have a portfolio in high demand.

 

[LucidDomains]

What a ridiculous thing to say, boo-freakin-hoo. That's what business is, dealing with customers, interacting with customers/making customers feel welcome whether you make a sale or not. People are always trying to get the best deals possible, that's life. You/i and everyone here does it when buying domains and so does everyone else when it comes to life in general.

But let me get this right, when the shoe is on the other foot and it comes to SELLING domains, things change, it's all me, me, me, i don't want anyone haggling me, i can't cope, i don't have time to say no, here's an idea lets charge people to send enquiries further improve my bank balance, because the world revolves around me right?

What happens if a person sends a lowball offer with every intention of spending big, I've done that before in business, why? Because that is business, if a person doesn't like that side, they shouldn't be in business, simple as.

Wow your last several posts have been incredibly douchy. Who the hell are you to tell anyone how to run their own business. You have no idea (and I probably don't I either) how it is like to run an ultra premium portfolio like what they have. So respectfully, until you do, you are talking out of your arse.

 

[wormfood]

They could set up the offer page that says the minimum offer is 20k or something. Then put a note below it saying they get a lot of offers and if you want to show that yours is more legitimate than the others (or just "if you want a faster response"), you can pay the 20 dollar fee.

 

[james haw]

What a ridiculous thing to say, boo-freakin-hoo. That's what business is, dealing with customers, interacting with customers/making customers feel welcome whether you make a sale or not.

You are absolutely 100% correct. However, is that all you think business is, or is it other things as well? It's not black and white! And business is also not spending hours a day weeding out $500 idiotic offers for super premium domain names which will easily sell for high 5 and 6 figure sums.

If you sell 5 and 6 figure sum domain names, your time is much more precious than to be dealing with idiots, lowballers, domain noobs, and spammers!

So in the exact same vein you portrayed, I say back to you: Business is also making money, profit, and boo-freakin-hoo you'd have to pay $19 to be a member of the big leagues on that one site out of hundreds of millions out there. You know how to solve this news worthy rip off of the millennium that is a whole $19? Don't pay it....

 

[LucidDomains]

What? I'm just saying it how it is. It doesn't matter what line of work we are talking about, every industry should have the same principles regarding customer service and a company taking money off people to look around or to 'talk' is 'douchey' if you ask me.

So if you were to get 1000 offers a week from lowballs, spammers and timewasters for your latest reg VirtuallyReality, you would be happy to spend 12 hours a day going through each one, instead of spending time with you family, friends and/or other business ventures?

At some point, you will think to yourself - You know what I can outsource this.

 

[LucidDomains]

Ok what about if someone offers you $5K for it, and you speak to them back and forth for a couple of days. Then at some point you get the impression that they are not actually interested in the domain, but just stringing you along for information. Now imagine that happens to you 100 times week with your entire portfolio of ultra premium domains. Can you understand why someone else might consider implementing a filtering system such as this?

There is no right or wrong answer to be honest. " I'm just trying to free your mind, Neo. "

Till anyone actually owns an ultra premium portfolio, no one really knows how it really is.

 

[3sixty]

This is a service fee. It serves two purposes, to weed out time wasters and to cover operating costs (renewals, etc).

I have experienced it in other industries such as Real Estate. 90% of the time it will serve its purpose, of course there will be 10% who will object to this practice and Telepathy may lose a sale. But this is the percentages you play at in business and I am sure they have the experience to weigh up both sides.

For example I once did inquire into a house rental and the agency asked for a 3 figure service fee just to show me. I asked that if I took the house they would refund this fee and they said no. It didn't fit my values having owned an agency before so I promptly left and found a place myself after direct. But then again I am one of the 10% and they did not need my business.

Just food for thought, it does not have a clear right or wrong in my opinion.

 

[offersity]

But you didn't. And, like you, most people will not pay that fee unless they really want that name (in other words, they are end users). If you desperately need a name for your company and are willing to go 6 figures or more, $19 is completely inconsequential. And nobody is going tell their boss/investors that they are going with secondbestdomain.com because they object to paying $19 in principle.

Equally, I can't see anyone saying "I'll never buy another million dollar domain from them again because they ripped me off with that $19 fee." To many people, we are all squatters anyway. In this case, telepathy.com is telling a buyer right at the start "you have to play by our rules." That's an immense psychological advantage to start a negotiation that way. Might be worth risking the sacrifice of a possible serious buyer for that advantage.

exactly... it is very simple really, if $19 bothers you, you definitely don't want the name that bad.

Principles don't always have to win... it's how life is...

 

[cillx]

just in case i have T E L I P A T H I . C O M and you don't need to pay anything to know it's price! :D

 

[LucidDomains]

Absolute Insanity... $19 ... they can suck on my big left toe, I will let them do that for $5. If they want the big RIGHT toe then thats $20.

@TheFifty9Sound - Yep I know the 80/20 principle all too well BUT applying it in this context is down right greedy and unjustifiable.

"Greedy and unjustifiable", I bet most end users think that about what we do in general.

Do you sell your domains for reg. fee? No, You try and get the most money you can. That's how this business works.

 

[LucidDomains]

No mate that is not how business works.

If we had to put things in perspective: Then what you are saying is that when you walk into a restaurant. When you request the menu before you even eat they should charge you $5 just to look at the menu. - That's getting the most money you can from the customers... do you think that would work in a real life situation?.... Not a chance...

A customer walks into the Ford showroom and the agent shows them the cars.

Customer: where the ultra premium cars e.g. the ones that are above $500K.

Agent: we have those too but in a different building, viewing are by appointment only and there is a fee of $19.

Customer: $19? Are you kidding me? I'm not paying $19 to view your $500,000 cars.

Agent: we get 1000s of people per months asking to see the cars, 99% of those people never actually want to buy the car. Also there is an upkeep for the agent, and cleaning for the car.

Customer has two choices:

Customer: I am very interested and more than happy to pay $19, thank you for your time and best regards to the cleaners.

OR

Customer: I'm not paying $19 to see the $500,000 car. Goodbye.


Which option do you choose?

Some of you guys are comparing domains like sdfsj23423.com to domains like sdd.com. Not all domains are created equal.

 

[LucidDomains]

No mate that is not how business works.

If we had to put things in perspective: Then what you are saying is that when you walk into a restaurant. When you request the menu before you even eat they should charge you $5 just to look at the menu. - That's getting the most money you can from the customers... do you think that would work in a real life situation?.... Not a chance...

If you want a reserve a table at a fancy restaurant. You call up and they it's $19 charge to reserve the table. Do you pay the $19 and take your partner to the fancy restaurant that they always wanted to go to or do you say no way and take them to MacDonald's instead?

The choice is yours.

 

[Keith]

If you want a reserve a table at a fancy restaurant. You call up and they it's $19 charge to reserve the table. Do you pay the $19 and take your partner to the fancy restaurant that they always wanted to go to or do you say no way and take them to MacDonald's instead?

The choice is yours.

You get something with this scenario.

What if you called and they said pay $19 and then we'll tell you if any tables are available? You pay and then they say, sorry there are no tables tonight but thanks for the $19!

 

[deez007]

If that's the only way into the restaurant that my partner really wants to go for valentines day so then be it. My partner and her happiness are worth it. They have set the rules for their business and I have to follow it.

Totally understandable mate, if it was me though and my GF wanted to still got here I would tell her to rather go with her friends because on principle I would not support a business like that. Knowing my GF she would tell them to take a hike as well. Its not at all about being cheap...just that I wont accept getting ripped off. I would gladly give that $19 to someone standing outside the restaurant who might have looked like they could do with a bite to eat but I would not give that $19 to the restaurant that is making $xxxx's per day

 

[Keith]

@OP/Keith, I think this thread is evidence their $19 fee works, weeded out the offers they would not accept/time wasting. You have actually been a prime example of why there is a $19 fee and how it works.

My offer was serious and in no way a waste of time. It's not a 6 figure domain now or ever and I was prepared to offer 5. That said, I'll never pay a dime for the privilege to enter a negotiation.

Nat's grandkids will be dusting off many of his domains with the current approach and attitude.

 

[TheLegendaryJP]

On the flip side he may make $100k by waiting, if he can afford to wait, why not. Works both ways Keith not everyone has the same business plan. Your mentality is different when you can literally afford time, some times it pays and some times it doesn't as you mention above but it must be working!

 

[Keith]

On the flip side he may make $100k by waiting, if he can afford to wait, why not. Works both ways Keith not everyone has the same business plan. Your mentality is different when you can literally afford time, some times it pays and some times it doesn't as you mention above but it must be working!

I'm with you, he can clearly afford to wait. That's a blessing and a curse. Sometimes you need to know when to take the money and run...

 

[TheLegendaryJP]

That is the risk!

 

[Michael]

I'm with you, he can clearly afford to wait. That's a blessing and a curse. Sometimes you need to know when to take the money and run...

Surprisingly, this is not the first time a potential buyer advises a seller that he should accept the offer. Your unbiased advice is appreciated, but I think Nat does a pretty good job of extracting value from his portfolio.

I still haven't received a PM from you with the domain and offer amount so I can pass it along to Nat for you... here's your chance to have your offer heard and not have to fork over any money. Or you can email me at msumner@telep_thy.com (replace "_" with "a" obviously) if you prefer.

 

[Michael]

A. I haven't advised anyone to accept an offer.

So when you said "take the money and run" you didn't mean to take an offer, you meant to steal the money?

B. Thanks for saying you'll pass along my inquiry but someone offered days ago. I don't negotiate via third parties.

In case you couldn't tell from my @telepathy.com email address, and that I said I work for Nat at Telepathy, I'm not a third party.

At this point it is clear that you don't have a serious offer and you're just blustering and wasting time. It was clear when you made this thread. And it was clear when you weren't confident enough in your offer to pay $19 to make it happen to begin with. The system worked again.

Best of luck to you in your domain search.

 

[promo]

I recently negotiated with Nat on one of his LLL.COMs .. I had no trouble getting a hold of him personally and he took time from his busy schedule to talk to me via Skype.

Although we did not reach an agreement (mainly because my bidders just was not willing to go where they needed to go), Nat was a consummate professional that took the time to detail and explain his value proposition to my buyers.

By far the most professional seller I have had the luck of working with. Although I wont detail how I got a hold of him, its pretty easy to figure out and if you have a decent offer you can expect a professional and timely response.

If you cant afford 19$ to forward your offer or cant figure out how to get a hold of a decision maker using other means. Then you really dont want it enough.

 

[ivey]

I don't like the practice of charging a fee for an inquiry but after using domainnamesales.com for a while I got a tone of inquiries that didn't pan out. That's a waste of time and a lot were buyers who weren't serious. Buyers who think every domain is worth $10 because you can register a hand ref for that. The $19 idea would weed out these time wasters, and only bring buyers who are set on pursuing a specific name. This is even better if the price was refunded if a deal was t reach.. But that's optional. It gives the buyer control because they know the seller really wants that name. I'm trying to think of a real world example? I know some places have memberships you pay for to get a discount or to buy their products. Looking for better example?

I don't think it's greed 100%, if they do have a top portfolio then no doubt they get a ton of waste emails and there is nothing as time wasting and frustrating as spam inquiries. This policy sucks but it relieves them. It's allows them to only negotiate with people who are serious.

It's sucks if they are no refunds though, but the buyer knows what they are paying for and makes the choice.. The selling makes good money for renewals even on failed sales. They are paying for their renewals with this. Great sneaky strategy. You have to have a serious main name to pull this off. Like Telepathy, market, virtual, Rain, etc... Don't try it with wrong intentions or with names like domainerspalace.com

 

[DomainAgents]

We offer owners both options if they list in our marketplace, either have the buyer buy a credit to make an offer or let them make an offer for free. The paid option does a good job of filtering out spam and buyers who aren't serious about following through. It's a good option if you have really top tier names and more buyers are willing to pay than you might think.