Whois Protection. Good or Bad For Domaining?

[BrandChimp]

Hi all!

I want to know if its a good or bad thing to use whois protection on domain names that can sell over 4 figures?

Thank You
Xavier

 

[GetNames]

That would be a bad thing. If someone is looking to buy your domain name, why hide the info? Even if you have it for sale on Sedo or other sites, a buyer may not know those sites exist. I can't imagine a situation where having privacy on domain would help you sell it.

 

[BrandChimp]

It comes free with a Trasfer or registration at NameCheap.com. I was enabling it cause it was free. But I know its important to show your information at Buyer eyes. I recived scam calls and emails for domain that wasn't private.

 

[GetNames]

It comes free with a Trasfer or registration at NameCheap.com. I was enabling it cause it was free. But I know its important to show your information at Buyer eyes. I recived scam calls and emails for domain that wasn't private.

It is up to you, deal with the scam calls and emails and hopefully get a real offer, or don't deal with them and potentially lose a real offer.

 

[alien51]

If they really want your domains, they will find a way to contact you even with privacy enabled.

If you put your email contact address on your frontpage website for the domain, that should suffice to start a communication channel.

This is my way of filtering the domainer lowballers and the just-curious types, from serious buyers who will actually put an effort to contact you because they want your domain.

 

[werty]

Either put a landing page with a way for end users to contact you or leave the whois public. Because if you put the whois private and the domain points no where, then your chances of selling are almost 0.

 

[alien51]

Because if you put the whois private and the domain points no where, then your chances of selling are almost 0.

I don't know if there is a whois privacy service that doesn't forward all incoming emails to your real registrant email address.

 

[RazorNF]

Generally the more open you are the better. However there are probably some instances where you may want privacy - I would recommend you get an alternative business address/phone # rather than use your home info.

Keep in mind that your whois data will become indexed on various sites and people will be able to find domains/websites associated with you if they Google you. This may be an issue if you deal in adult or controversial domains.

 

[alien51]

Based on my personal experience, here's a breakdown of the kind of email i get:

FROM WHOIS REGISTRANT EMAIL ADDY:
95% = from Domainers (either manual or bot), sending me solicitations to buy their own domains, or a domain that is about to expire somewhere else because i have a "similar domain".
3% = from Viagra/Cialis/Alyanna/IncreaseYourPenis emails.
2% = from my own Registrar account management stuffs.
0% = from End-users or any authentic domain buyers.


FROM EMAIL ADDY I POSTED ON MY DOMAIN FRONTPAGE:
100% = from End-Users and authentic domain buyers.

 

[BrandChimp]

Good tip. Im using a phone fowarding but I need another adress. Its bit scary that my personal info is available to everyone!

Generally the more open you are the better. However there are probably some instances where you may want privacy - I would recommend you get an alternative business address/phone # rather than use your home info.

Keep in mind that your whois data will become indexed on various sites and people will be able to find domains/websites associated with you if they Google you. This may be an issue if you deal in adult or controversial domains.

---------- Post added at 08:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 PM ----------

I can say the same.

Based on my personal experience, here's a breakdown of the kind of email i get:

FROM WHOIS REGISTRANT EMAIL ADDY:
95% = from Domainers (either manual or bot), sending me solicitations to buy their own domains, or a domain that is about to expire somewhere else because i have a "similar domain".
3% = from Viagra/Cialis/Alyanna/IncreaseYourPenis emails.
2% = from my own Registrar account management stuffs.
0% = from End-users or any authentic domain buyers.


FROM EMAIL ADDY I POSTED ON MY DOMAIN FRONTPAGE:
100% = from End-Users and authentic domain buyers.

---------- Post added at 08:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:18 PM ----------

Thank you all

 

[lock]

I suspect most of the low balling emails to come from users here.

 

[alien51]

Good tip. Im using a phone fowarding but I need another adress. Its bit scary that my personal info is available to everyone!

If it is completely necessary for you to declare an accurate postal address in your Registrant information for the purpose of accepting postal mails sent to you, and you do not want to reveal your real home address, then you may want to pay for a Virtual Office.

You can pay to use a virtual office in Manhattan or Wallstreet or anywhere else. Your skeptic buyer can send postal mail to that address to check you out, and the virtual office will gladly forward all postal mail to your real home address in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.

Google: "Virtual Office".

 

[shafee219]

I have to say, domain protection is good if you are running your domain for personal uses. But, it will be opposite when you manage domains only for buying and selling. Please keep in mind, selling or buying domain names, there should be a clear declaration of the domain history, And that is not possible if whois guard is enabled.

 

[alien51]

Please keep in mind, selling or buying domain names, there should be a clear declaration of the domain history, And that is not possible if whois guard is enabled.

That is only true, if you are the one going on a door-to-door solicitations looking for a buyer.

That is NOT true, if the buyers are the one's coming to your door asking for your selling price.

Not all domains are created equal.

 

[smartblogger]

I feel the main reason to use whois privacy is to protect against spam, and not to hide for illegal purposes.

 

[alien51]

I feel the main reason to use whois privacy is to protect against spam, and not to hide for illegal purposes.

Spam is easy.

What you don't want are stalkers casing your house, and all other undesirables calling your phone number in the middle of the night and saying "You have a hot wife, buddy. I saw her leave your house yesterday".

If you don't want to hide behind whois privacy, use a business address and a business phone number.

 

[srisri24]

If you are owning it and looking for flip, its always better not to go with whois protection

 

[AEProgram]

I suspect most of the low balling emails to come from users here.

lol I suspect most pipe dreaming domain owners to be users here. Regular non domainers are realistic, domainers sit on names for years just to drop the name or to let it go for $7 after bumping the thread with the domain 98 times

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

@ lock lmao how many low ball offers have you made?? I have whois privacy, easy to contact me. On every site I have a contact us page with disposable phone number, domain name email addy, twitter id. No names, no adresses no postal code.

I can slap a website like this together in 15 minutes. Some dumb parked goodaddy page aint gonna get you nothing unless some lowballer knows how to access your whois contact info

http://budfm.com/p382709-contact-us.cfm

My email is down, will be updated shortly

 

[The New Guy]

Just about all my domains have domain privacy. The ones that don't get spam.

"nobody can contact you if you have privacy" is BS. You park your page and your parking service can have a make / contact link. You put it up on your own server and you can add your own contact info.