domain marketing

[chinesewhispers]

As somebody who is still really an observer in this field, the bottom line seems to be that many people are not willing to set a 'what is the minimum amount I want to sell this domain for' price and to sell at it.

I know 'the game', or business as it is to many people is all about speculation, but if people want to sell names, they have to stop with the attitude that a name could be worth £x,xxx so I will hang on to it for that reason.

If people would realistically set their minimum accepted price, add a little to it for bartering purposes, and set to marketing it with that in mind, I feel that there would be many more sales (again, just as an observer). If this attitude was adopted, then the idea keys has suggested would certainly be a winner, especially for people who have many names they often don't have time to market.

I emphasize my lack of experience in this market, but that is my view from just on the edge.

 

[rob]

As somebody who is still really an observer in this field, the bottom line seems to be that many people are not willing to set a 'what is the minimum amount I want to sell this domain for' price and to sell at it.

True... it is very rare you see a name with a price. 'Inviting offers' or 'make an offer' is rife.

 

[charlie]

Sedo tell you that you will sell you domains quicker if you set a price, i stupidly had an offer for financecenter.co.uk for the asking price of £2k thinking that was too easy i tried to haggle them up - no reply

that'll teach me!

 

[rob]

Sedo tell you that you will sell you domains quicker if you set a price, i stupidly had an offer for financecenter.co.uk for the asking price of £2k thinking that was too easy i tried to haggle them up - no reply

that'll teach me!

The other problem with sedo is that its anonymous... as I said last night to a mate, it could be me trying to buy a name or a mega bucks company, so are you missing out or selling at a fair price?

I think the easiest way to avoid this is to set a figure you would be happy at selling at, possibly above current market value, then if someone wants to buy they pay a little over the odds but both parties are satisfied.

 

[chinesewhispers]

I think the easiest way to avoid this is to set a figure you would be happy at selling at, possibly above current market value, then if someone wants to buy they pay a little over the odds but both parties are satisfied.

Pretty much what I said. You would not find this practice in a shop, car garage, estate agents etc. Whereby you withold your asking price until you figure out how much the customer can afford. I think its downright greedy. Everyone must have a profit margin, and if they want a large one, price accordingly on the off-chance that the right customer will come along, at least this would let everyone know where they stand.

Incidentally, before anyone comments, I have names on my site that are listed as 'offers', this is because I am not actively looking to sell the names, but if somebody wants to make an offer, I will consider it. All domains that I am looking to sell, have a price. Others are just there until developed.

We could go on and on, but I think the point has been made regarding pricing names. If you want to sell, and reasonably quickly, price it.

 

[charlie]

I know there are issues with directly approaching companies trying to sell them domains that contain copyright words but with generic domains is it as simple as approaching an appropriate company and saying "do you want it?"

I know it probably doesn't look great but can you play companies off against each other - so when/if you approach a company is it wise to say i have other interested parties who have offered x amount? Is it just unethical to mention the other companies involved?

do you guys who sell normall just send out a mail shot and see what you get back?

any info appreciated
thanks

nice intellectual discussion that about the future of domain-ing but back to today can anyone shed any light on my original query?

thanks

 

[petergskipton]

Here is what i propose to do in the future (when i retire).
I find a good domain. I then buy an option to acquire it at any time in the next year for a fixed amount. I then go and market it like hell to the four or five people who have it trademarked. If one of them offers me more than the "fixed amount" the deal goes through. If a trademark owner goes after the domain owner, he can honestly say he isnt selling it, he hasnt offered it for sale, nothing to do with him etc. If he gets enquiries he can refer through to me.
Maybe...

 

[domaingenius]

Here is what i propose to do in the future (when i retire).
I find a good domain. I then buy an option to acquire it at any time in the next year for a fixed amount. I then go and market it like hell to the four or five people who have it trademarked. If one of them offers me more than the "fixed amount" the deal goes through. If a trademark owner goes after the domain owner, he can honestly say he isnt selling it, he hasnt offered it for sale, nothing to do with him etc. If he gets enquiries he can refer through to me.
Maybe...

That has often crossed my mind in a different form. I was wondering what the position would be if one just cose a name out of the air and started marketing it. The TM holder you appoached may think the domain owner had approached him. What would be the position then I wonder ?.

DG

 

[retired_member6]

That has often crossed my mind in a different form. I was wondering what the position would be if one just cose a name out of the air and started marketing it. The TM holder you appoached may think the domain owner had approached him. What would be the position then I wonder ?.

DG

Simple, they have to prove it.

 

[diablo]

one of the best threads I have read on here.

 

[petergskipton]

The option to buy needs to be there, or the domain owner will deal directly with the buyer and the "marketeer" wouldl get no benefit. I would have approached the domain owner, so he has not "offered" it for sale.

 

[DavidH]

Charlie,

Dealing with your original question, I have sold a number of names by directly approaching companies to see if there was any interest.

My best sale was a few years ago with boatloan.com, a very generic name which was attractive to finance companies.

I googled the term and sent emails to as many finance companies as I could. I also emailed registrants of variants of my name both in the name and the extension to increase the pool of people I was talking to.

A small percentage of them responded and I asked for offers. Once I had the first offer I then basically created an informal auction between the companies that had shown interest. One company was particularly interested as they had the net version of a variant of the name and this dot com name was better.

In the end it came down to two companies interested and I had to decide my bottom line figure that I would let the name go for.

The transaction was handled through escrow.com to the satisfaction of both parties.

I have also had other lesser value transactions handled directly and via Paypal where I have also created competition and urgency to get a higher price for the name with some success.

In the end it comes down to the fact that if you talk to some people, you get some sales; lots of people you get lots of sales; and lots of people every day,you get rich (at least that is the theory - I am not quite there yet!)

DavidH