discuss Why hasn’t anyone found a way to sell to businesses?

[uglydork]

You would think after all these years that one of the huge brokerage companies would have developed the secret sauce.
How do you get companies and businesses to go to a single point website to buy domain names?
Yes, outbound works but it’s fractured- nobody has taken over a B2B clearing house to sell domains. We don’t have a dominant go to website for business to browse names for sale.
I think about it all the time but I am a little fish - I don’t have the resources to pull it off

I build a clearinghouse site to list names for businesses - it is well known like a Google or Apple - we pay to list our names on that site. Seems like a simple idea but our community has too many sites (undeveloped,Uniregistry,brockets,flippa,sedo,Afternic) they need to be aggregated into one monster site that is well publicized.

Damn I should be rich!

 

[Kate]

Why would we need a single marketplace ? That would effectively be a monopoly, and detrimental to us.
However, you can list your names on all the major platforms and you have maximum exposure.

End users will visit the domain name they are interested in, and take it from there.
Just make it easy for them to buy.
How many are going to visit Sedo and browse millions of listings ? They usually know what they want already, or have a shortlist of candidates.

In terms of clearing house, there is MLS and the registrar channels. Aftermarket domains are already commoditized.
But you have to put BINs on your domains.

 

[Spex]

But you have to put BINs on your domains.

I think that's the key, a 'make offer' on something that is still unknown to most (the value of a domain) is risky. Everything else in business has a BIN or at least an asking price. Domains shouldn't be any different.

Would you buy an un-priced car? An un-priced house?

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I may well have not thought about this deeply enough, but the idea that a company should pay more for a domain name if they are large and/or profitable seems wrong to me. I mean when companies buy technology or paper or real estate for that matter, they pay (at most) the going rate. Why should they pay more for a domain than some other company?

It seems to me if I am selling a domain name I set a price based on what it is worth in my opinion, my costs associated with it and my whole portfolio, and what amount is enough to make bothering with the sale worthwhile for me.

My simplified thinking.

Bob

 

[Lord Antares]

Why do domainers think that businesses can't wait to buy a domain name and tell their moms and dads?

The fact is, no one other than domainers cares about domain names. If they really want a name, they will find you. Worst case scenario, they will find something on brandbucket.

I sometimes see domainers mocking someone that they didn't want to pay $50,000 for a domain name as if they were selling them a cancer cure. It's sad.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

If they could get buy-in from other players, was not blockchain based DAN project spearheaded by Undeveloped a way to have a single window to all available domain names, and a more efficient and verifiable way to move ownership? Perhaps I misunderstand it.

https://blog.undeveloped.com/domain...coming-innovative-thriving-again-a751d2e17ae9

I agree with @Kate that we don't want monopoly of a single company, but a system that multiple companies used so each had access to the full catalog of available domain names would be great.

I agree with @uglydork that the current system, even with some big players like Afternic, Sedo MLS and Undeveloped, and a host of smaller ones, is inefficient for organization and business owners to seek a domain name and easily purchase it.

Bob

 

[branding]

How do you get companies and businesses to go to a single point website to buy domain names?

You won't. Will never happen unless Google goes evil

There's simply no added value for the enduser. Its basic business logic. Would you go to a single car dealer when you want to buy a car? Do you check just one broker when you're buying a house? No you wouldn't. You'd come across something you like, check who's selling it and close the deal.

The great thing about having multiple marketplaces is that it keeps the Industry somewhat healthy as well. The competition forces them to keep innovative. Granted, some think it's still 1998 but thank god we're not stuck with the likes of netsol and afternic and have places like undeveloped.

 

[MapleDots]

A business wants to purchase incognito, the hired broker will claim poor student status when purchasing the domain. They will purchase a 150k domain for 15k and the person selling has no idea until the domain goes live. I see it again and again, including a sale to facebook which was discussed on the forum here. Everyone was ..... good sale, way to go. I was like huh!! seriously??? to facebook at that price??? Crap I would have slapped my head a few times had I sold it to facebook on the cheap like that.

We had a recent case in Canada and the last thing these billion dollar corporations want to do is go to a website and tell anyone they are looking. In most cases they are just like the rest of us, they want it on the cheap and one never really knows the company that is interested.

This has been a sticking point of mine for years and I always say if you know the end user you have more power over the negotiations.

So in my opinion the op's suggestion is pointless (so sorry, your opinion is always appreciated), a business knows exactly what domain they want and when they are ready to buy they sure as hell are not going to announce it. They are going on the sly to get it as cheap as possible. It is our responsibility as the domain owner to assure we know the end user. You make contact with me and I am very direct about it, no end user, no sale. It starts at the very first contact and ends with a bill of sale specifically outlining this. First contact form if you want an example is here: https://mapledots.ca/contact/

 

[golan]

I may well have not thought about this deeply enough, but the idea that a company should pay more for a domain name if they are large and/or profitable seems wrong to me. I mean when companies buy technology or paper or real estate for that matter, they pay (at most) the going rate. Why should they pay more for a domain than some other company?

It seems to me if I am selling a domain name I set a price based on what it is worth in my opinion, my costs associated with it and my whole portfolio, and what amount is enough to make bothering with the sale worthwhile for me.

My simplified thinking.

Bob

I agree with you, Bob. To me this practice smells somehow socialistic. Rich must pay more. I hate it.

While from business point of view it all may well make sense, from ethic point of view it smells little bit nasty. WTF.

 

[TCK]

Seems like a simple idea but our community has too many sites (undeveloped,Uniregistry,brockets,flippa,sedo,Afternic) they need to be aggregated into one monster site that is well publicized.

The problem with mainstream marketplaces that you mention is that there is TOO MUCH JUNK. Aggregating them would just exacerbate the problem to a new extreme.

Let's say you are selling real estate and have a site. How many listings of Florida swamp land would you like to go through before you just give up.

The problem our community has is that there are TOO FEW sites with mostly quality domains.

 

[biggie]

How do you get companies and businesses to go to a single point website to buy domain names?

Hi

at one time, whois was the one of the main sources for people to find domain owners.
and back in the day, netsol was the place where companies went to register their domain names

but with privacy, spam and now the new whois rules it kinda killed some of that off.

used to be - when you got a phone call or email about your domain name, somebody was interested in buying it!
now, you're scared to answer the phone and your email is full of trash.
cuz somebody is trying to sell you a domain or sell you website design or hosting.

but as @Kate alluded to, having a single point, would create a monopoly.
once that happens, then they could add unique restrictions, requirements, fees and limitations.
not to mention the possibility of government regulations being imposed.

such a place could possibly discriminate, indiscriminately, simply because they are the single source.

but that, of course, would lead to what we have now
a variety of choices, for both buyers and sellers

to me, it's not the place it's listed.... it's the domain, that's of interest.

imo...

 

[Bob Hawkes]

If they put their mind to it Google could readily develop a product that would be pretty useful to potential end users (arguable whether net positive for domain investors).

You go to site and enter a domain name. It returns...

• All the places, if any, the domain name is for sale and prices.
• Unregistered links to registrars with current pricing for that domain if unregistered.
• A host of Google analytics data re term.
• How popular the term is in terms of search results.
• Trends from ngram, searches, Google trends, etc
• If registered what from Whois is available.
• Google's own take on a domain appraisal tool with value for this domain.
• The history of use of the domain as well as any negative past use.
• If name has sold or been in use related news stories archive.
• Links to main global TM search sites.
• Sales data if they could license it.
• Etc

Of course as in many things with Google itself both a registrar and a registry they would have some potential conflicts of interest.

Just early morning musing....

Bob

 

[MapleDots]

Got a link? Somehow I missed that.

No, I don't want to drag that member or his sale into this. The last thing I want to do is make anyone feel bad. I mentioned it just to make a point and causing anyone to second guess a sale is not my intention.

Keep in mind that my post was made for my policy of only selling to end users, it will be different for other members and everyone will have different policies and procedures for their own business.

 

[Brands.International]

People are playing lot of games when they contact you, you can never know really who is your buyer.

I recently sold one of my names. Buyer was contacting me under some name, which I googled, etc, and I got some idea about who the buyer is. All parts of puzzle fitted perfectly into one picture. At least this is what I thought....

We negotiated, we made a deal, so I opened escrow.com account and submitted buyer's details there as well (name, surname, email, phone)..and ...voila...buyer was not able to get through identity verification process by escrow, so in order to continue with our transaction, they had to admitt their true identity ...and it was someone completely else comparing to what was previously presented to me....initially it seemed like very average person, after reveal that was a succesfull person very well known in certain circles...

So...it was pretty embarassing to buyer, as I think they were not aware they will have to verify their indentity in later stage

 

[EZPZYO]

 

[branding]

No, I don't want to drag that member or his sale into this. The last thing I want to do is make anyone feel bad. I mentioned it just to make a point and causing anyone to second guess a sale is not my intention.

Keep in mind that my post was made for my policy of only selling to end users, it will be different for other members and everyone will have different policies and procedures for their own business.

No problem. I can respect that. Back on topic

 

[Recons.Com]

Got a link? Somehow I missed that.

the name was kid/messenger/com, if I am not mistaken.

 

[Recons.Com]

Just don't trash the guys sale please.

It relates to this topic because it shows that in cases when you are dealing with big corporations they already know the domain they want and they send a broker to get it for them. They will very seldom identify themselves when negotiating the sale.

@uglydork 's suggestion could be useful but it would become another bogged down site with thousands of domains and I can't see a business owner going through them to find a suitable name. In most cases the business owner/company will think of a suitable name and try to get the matching address. If not they will think of some variations and check availability. They won't go to a website to look at thousands of domains that have no meaning to them.

You are confusing me with someone else. I don't trash anyone's sale.

And I am fine putting bin on my prices, so couldn't care less if FB bought my names for $2K, if that was the price.

 

[branding]

You are confusing me with someone else. I don't trash anyone's sale.

And I am fine putting bin on my prices, so couldn't care less if FB bought my names for $2K, if that was the price.

Im sure it was just a general request, not a direct referral to you as a person.

 

[MapleDots]

I may well have not thought about this deeply enough, but the idea that a company should pay more for a domain name if they are large and/or profitable seems wrong to me. I mean when companies buy technology or paper or real estate for that matter, they pay (at most) the going rate. Why should they pay more for a domain than some other company?

It seems to me if I am selling a domain name I set a price based on what it is worth in my opinion, my costs associated with it and my whole portfolio, and what amount is enough to make bothering with the sale worthwhile for me.

My simplified thinking.

Bob

Trust me if facebook comes knocking and I know its them I am adding a few hundred k to the price.

As a general rule (if you follow Rick Schwartz) a good domain name is worth a small percentage of the business value. Domains should, and do, sell for more to larger more profitable companies. Anyone that turns that away did not follow some of the bigger sales like daimler.com. It was priced for a large corporation and the owner was very smart. He could have sold it a number of times but he knew who the end user was going to be. His planning and patience paid off big time.

 

[MapleDots]

I agree with you, Bob. To me this practice smells somehow socialistic. Rich must pay more. I hate it.

While from business point of view it all may well make sense, from ethic point of view it smells little bit nasty. WTF.

HeHe.... and those corporations have great ethics and they smell like roses. They never take advantage of their clients and they make sure all your information is protected at all times. They would never sell your information without your knowledge and they will contact you on the up and up when negotiating for a domain name.

 

[ultradog]

It seems that for the type of name you're selling you would want to gain narrower access, not broader.

 

[garptrader]

The vast majority of people view domain names as they would a logo or hosting account. How much would you be willing to pay for that? Yet in my work I have seen businesses pay without hesitation five -figure invoices for web development, SEO and marketing services, five figures monthly for AdWords campaigns, regular five -figure invoices for attorneys (six figures for a larger business), hotel, airfare, meals for dozens of corporate managers to attend an off-site meeting, six figures for maintenance on a corporate jet and five figures for the fuel bill, five figure bonuses to execs, five figure invoices for misc IT services, etc. Then you come across invoices for some of the domains they have registered or filings related to domains they consider business assets and go ????? What the #%@&! we're they thinking when they registered that?

 

[Joe N]

Would a company purchase a domain with a similar name for the purpose of brand protection? You could approach said company inquire about interest level. Just a thought.

You need to be careful here. If the domain that you're offering to the company is confusingly similar to their existing brand, then you could be in some legal trouble.

 

[Sheogorath]

Well, there is dofo.com which checks if the domain is listed on any marketplace(Sedo, Afternic etc.) and then gives the option to go and buy the domain.
I'm not affiliated with them.
I found about it and I think it is useful