What should I do?

[allanh]

The story is that I picked up a domain name of a non-profit organisation which gets quite good traffic last week.

They dropped the domain and forgot to renew it.

Now they are contacting me, asking me to hand the domain back.

Should I hand the name back to them?
Is it unethical to "sell" the name back to them, considering it's their fault for not renewing it properly? Or should I offer to "rent" the name to them?

thanks for any advice

 

[MicroGuy]

You could probably save yourself some grief by handing it back over to them. They should compensate you for your time however. IMO.

 

[allanh]

what kind of grief can they hand me? They don't have trademark over the domain name, afaik

 

[MicroGuy]

Without knowing the domain name, it would be impossible to advise you further.

 

[allanh]

ilchess (dot) org

 

[MicroGuy]

You could probably get aways with keeping it without too much grief. Looks like you have them "in check" at the moment.

 

[Michelle]

What kind of site did it have on it before do you know?

 

[Luvdomainz]

if it's not trade marked, there's no grief they can give you. Registrars give plenty of time to renew,with advance notice and auto renews. So, in my opinion, they want it now coz you have it! it happens!

 

[allanh]

next question, how much should I charge them to get it back?

or should I just "rent" it back to them?

What kind of site did it have on it before do you know?

It was a chess organisation for state of Illnois

 

[GF]

next question, how much should I charge them to get it back?

or should I just "rent" it back to them?



It was a chess organisation for state of Illnois

Chess? I thought it might be for handicapped kids or something.

Since it's not for kids, and for chess people instead, sell it to them and charge a nice price. They forgot to renew the domain. Tough cookies. :imho:

- GF (free market capitalist)

 

[Michelle]

I would probably feel really guilty and give it back asking for my expenses

 

[goodkarmaco]

You only need to ask yourself what is the name worth. Thats what you ask for it, nothing less.

 

[Michelle]

Do you have any development plans for it yourself if so keep it. If your intentions is only to re-sell, better to sell it back to them as you know it will be used this way. Its a name imo that fits them and their purpose. Would you find many other buyers for it?

 

[weblord]

see if they will agree on a nice price if not trademarked.

 

[pcp]

see if they will agree on a nice price if not trademarked.

Agreed. And maybe change the parking page to an adult one increase the "urgency"?

 

[footodors]

depends how nice they are.
If snotty, get a grand for it.
chess folks have money.

 

[MicroGuy]

You could try telling them, look my time is worth X per hour. Right now I have X many hours in this domain. I'll let you have the domain back for X. If they say no, tell them they are welcome to make an offer at Sedo (or Afternic) in the future if they change their mind.

 

[Coopey]

You could try telling them, look my time is worth X per hour. Right now I have X many hours in this domain. I'll let you have the domain back for X. If they say no, tell them they are welcome to make an offer at Sedo (or Afternic) in the future if they change their mind.

:tu:
I agree with Greg.
You've incurred expense, at the very least get all your costs back (including time spent).

 

[allanh]

thanks for the advice so far. I am still considering my options.

 

[gladdy]

I will ask a renewal fee + some bonus amount, to handle all the current situation!