Would you take this offer?

[venturefile.com]

So I got contacted through my whois email by startup that wants to buy one of my 4 letter .com names. They offered low $x,xxx and I countered with mid $x,xxx. After some back and forth I dropped the price a bit and thought that they would take it.

But they are sticking to their low $x,xxx number and say that they will use the .co instead and that they have already regged it. I am not very inclined to take their offer (even though I would make a very nice ROI).

If they get big then the price for the .com would increase in value of course if they don't I still have a name that is worth low $x,xxx.

What is your course of action when you deal with such end users? What have you done in similar situations?

Thanks!

 

[AEProgram]

cease all communication now!

The only replies from here on out should be your price and how they can pay. You dont make money in this business by being fearful. They contacted you, they also told ya a good bs about using the .co, they should of at least said another .com lol.

I just told soeone last week that said they will use the .net, that the money they will have to spend to remind people its .net and the lack of seriousness the avg person gives to anything but a .com is not worth them not paying for my domain. Its now in escrow (low x,xxx).

And remember, your ROI on each sale must be max as there will be plenty of names you wont sell (I hope you sell all names yo got for tons of money but just being realistic).

 

[The New Guy]

Agree that you should stop communication.

There are a few ways this can play out:
- The company fails and they go out of business
- The company succeeds and they don't want the .com (unlikely, because they'd suffer bleed through to the .com)
- The company succeeds and they want the .com. That's when your price goes up, because time has passed and the initial figures they rejected are null and void.
- Another company comes along and offers you money for the .com. You already have a pricing range set and the .co is in use, so the .com is now more valuable.

Just be sure to protect yourself against a UDRP. If the domain is parked with ads, make sure none go to the new .co site or conflict in any way. Do not email them again with an offer that they can use in a complaint to allege your are dealing in bad faith.

1-4 digit .coms have an inherent value due to demand and scarcity. Your 4 letter .com won't get any less valuable as time goes on (outside of normal fluctuations), so you don't lose much by holding onto it - just the cash you could have had right now.

 

[Nattydomain]

IMO...if the 4 letters makes a word then hold, if it is JUST initals and makes no sense EXCEPT for this one company then sell. If this is your only offer on it and no other company could use it then you could play hardball; but then never get another X,XXX offer on it. So think about who else could use this domain the way it is.....

 

[johname]

My guess is even though you first countered higher, you gave away hints you really want to sell this puppy, Then you did the price drop to confirm. Now they are going to stick to their price unless you ignore them.

You have to judge the letters and the people making the offer and the need you have for the money

 

[DomainVP]

If you need liquidity and you are happy with their offer then sell. If you don't need liquidity and you want to wait them out, that is your best bet.

The difference between low $x,xxx and mid $x,xxx is almost negligible; for them to be bickering about it over a 4L that you have made available just shows that it might not be the right name for them as your buyer.

You deserve the best offer possible.

Kenny Rodgers would say hold em' or walk away.

 

[venturefile.com]

Since it is an ok CVCV.com and I currently don't need it for liquidity I don't think I will take their offer and hopefully they will grow big and then they will need $xx,xxx to buy it

 

[venturefile.com]

So I left them stir and didn't reply to them and just received another email from them that if I could go a bit lower and that they really like the .com

I think that I will let them stir for a few more days and maybe they will just accept the offer. Or do you guys think that I should write something back?

 

[kemjika11]

and hopefully they will grow big and then they will need $xx,xxx to buy it

this is a flawed assumption because some consumers have an assumed range they will pay for a domain irrespective of their net worth. sell for a price you are happy with, not maxing out the pocket of the potential buyer.

 

[Horizonconcepts]

After your last post,I'd say you are firmly in the drivers seat......don't blow it....as Arnie says "they'll be back"
They have realised that your name is what they need.

 

[tomcarl]

Everyone has different business models I guess.

If it was me personally and I was getting a nice ROI, I'd accept the offer at this point. My logic is this: If the offer is fair, and realistically I'm holding out for 1k or less more, it could take weeks, months, years for a similar or higher offer, or an offer might not even come at all. And the most valuable thing in this world is Time. Time = Money. In those months and years I'm holding out for $1k+ more, with the ROI I received on this name... I could have flipped it 1-5 times over by re-investing the total sum received and long-term = made more money.

But I am an aggressive seller, 95% of my sales are from me initiating contact, so this may work for me but not for others.

So, long story short, I'd accept now. Many things can happen within a course of a couple of days (prospect loses interest, finds something else, life happens) I've learned my lessons by leaving fair offers on the table. It hurts a little less when your domain has liquidity though (cvcv)

GL

 

[infosec3]

As Nattydomain and others have said, it all depends on how much you need the money. Now, since your most recent post indicates you do not need liquidity right now, the game you are playing with them is fine. Although there are times at which I refuse to sell for a price I do not consider fair, in most cases my decision is based on whether the the ROI is very confortable, on the quality of the domain, etc.

Have in mind that LLLL are hard to sale, unless they are a word. An offer on the same domain may never come...

 

[forge]

I think that I will let them stir for a few more days and maybe they will just accept the offer. Or do you guys think that I should write something back?

Actually the most critical thing at this point is for you to be decisive. You need to decide now the price at which you're willing to let the domain go, and stick to it even with the risk of losing the sale. Of course you probably would like to get the sale, so it's fine to wait a couple of days but since they've stewed a bit already and hinted at paying a better price (for you), then I'd fix your price and present them with it.

And honestly, of course they want the .com. A 4-letter .co is next to useless. They know that, and therein lies your advantage.

 

[venturefile.com]

Forge, funny because that is exactly what I have done.. Told them to take it or leave it. Escrow has already been started

 

[forge]

Forge, funny because that is exactly what I have done.. Told them to take it or leave it. Escrow has already been started

Great! Glad to hear of your success.

 

[AEProgram]

Forge, funny because that is exactly what I have done.. Told them to take it or leave it. Escrow has already been started

congrats! and if only more would follow this method we would all be better off at least when it comes to domaining.

A while back a well known broker contacts me on behalf of a client about buying a two word .com domain from me (13 char a very nice name but not exactly an EMD).

For some reason the broker explains that the client already owns the .net version and they are ready to start using that right away on all their marketing materials and promotions but if I am willing to sell for $500 they will buy it.

After doing a bit research on that company I counter with $5500 (magic number was 2200 for that domain). Anyway I get back a long email telling me why my domain is worth maybe 50 bucks and I should even check estibot as it shows a 0 valuation. Furthermore it has no exact match searches and a whole host of other reasons why what I have is worthless.

I got a bit upset, yes it is true that the domain has a estibot value of 0 and it has no exact match searches but it was still a very nice name, so nice that they where ready to go with the .net.

Anyway I start replying and writing a long email about domain values etc and then I just close the email, dont save it and decide to wait a week.

A week goes by, no communication from the broker. Anyway I decide to use a different email and hit up the owners of the .net. I tell them I like the domain and wondering their asking price. They reply $4000! Mind you they have 0 on the site and it has no pr no nothing and registered a year prior.

I reply back that the max I will offer is $50! And they instantly reply with a whole host of reasons why its worth 4000 including a list of a few popular internet companies that use the .net extension.

As much as I wanted to email the entire email chat to the broker for legal reasons I didn't. I simply replied to them, just so you know I am the owner of the .com version, nice knowing you.

Within i'd say 30 minutes the broker calls me on the phone, we go back and forth and settle for $4000!

The site has still not been developed and the domain expires in dec 2014, im def. monitoring this one.

 

[DomainVP]

Thank you for sharing that story @AEProgram. That was a pretty smart, and crafty, strategy.

 

[venturefile.com]

Alright, since the escrow money was just released I am pleased to say that I have received twice what I would have gotten if I would have just taken their offer. Very pleased with the final sale because it is about 10x what I paid for it.

Also I have learned a lesson that to close higher amounts you need to be patient. I wasn't in the start with might have cost me an even bigger sale but I am happy with the final sales price so all good here

 

[matrigaldo]

@AEProgram you have my admiration.

 

[DNVantage]

Also I have learned a lesson that to close higher amounts you need to be patient.

@venturefile.com congrats

As much as I wanted to email the entire email chat to the broker for legal reasons I didn't. I simply replied to them, just so you know I am the owner of the .com version, nice knowing you.

Within i'd say 30 minutes the broker calls me on the phone

@AEProgram nice strategy and simply replying to them was elegant way but why would it be legal issue to forward the chat to broker?