How to respond to a speculative Domain Offer

[digitalquill]

Hi all

I have an online portfolio of domains like many people here.

Many of these I am not actively selling but are there open to offers and from time to time offers do come in for the domains.

Most of those offers are not even worth responding to, however, some are, or look to be serious offers.

My question is how to best respond to those offers?

I have recently had an offer that I am very prepared to accept for a domain name, however, the only thing I have for the person is their email address. I have researched the address and found out who it is, but it got me thinking what should be the best first contact step?

Introduce yourself?
Get their contact details?
Just send out your paypal address and hope to find a payment is made?

Thanks for any thoughts

 

[fish]

Hi all

I have an online portfolio of domains like many people here.

Many of these I am not actively selling but are there open to offers and from time to time offers do come in for the domains.

Most of those offers are not even worth responding to, however, some are, or look to be serious offers.

My question is how to best respond to those offers?

I have recently had an offer that I am very prepared to accept for a domain name, however, the only thing I have for the person is their email address. I have researched the address and found out who it is, but it got me thinking what should be the best first contact step?

Introduce yourself?
Get their contact details?
Just send out your paypal address and hope to find a payment is made?

Thanks for any thoughts

If you were in America some would say get yourself a lawyer.
Just go ahead and seal the deal

 

[getmein]

Assuming you are happy to transact, why not use a third party like sedo escrow or escrow.com to handle the payment. You can work something out between you as far as the escrow fees are concerned. It provides assurance for both you and the buyer.

 

[m4c]

I concur - have used escrow.com to buy a couple of names - works well and the small % that is the fee is well worth the piece of mind.

 

[4ndy]

Hi

You never know who is making the offer.

I have paid up to £28,000 for domains.

I made an offer on this site for a domain a few days ago and went in low, the seller replied as if I did not know what I was talking about and used words such as LOL and the like.

I was prepared to go to a much biger price on the domain but the sellers attitude put me off so I did not even reply.

My advice would be to reply to all offers and in a nice way, of course you could always put a guide price to stop the silly offers but some sellers won't even do that and then complain when they get the silly offers, mmmm.

4ndy

 

[lethal0r]

i'd just do it quickly no need to chat or write a long email.

i get so many queries where someone will ask if a sites for sale then not even bother to put in an offer, or even bother to pay if a price is agreed.

 

[HariSeldon]

i'd just do it quickly no need to chat or write a long email.

i get so many queries where someone will ask if a sites for sale then not even bother to put in an offer, or even bother to pay if a price is agreed.

I agree, there are a lot of timewasters out there so just reply positively and quickly and then see what happens.

What I would recommend is that you set a deadline so that both you and the potential buyer know where they stand, something like "we are pleased to accept on the basis that this transaction is concluded within seven days." This also gives you a valid reason to send a courtesy reminder say 2 days before the deadline expires.

 

[Edwin]

Why not accept and get them to sign a simple invoice/sales contract that includes terms of payment (e.g. "Payment must be made in full within 7 days or this transaction will be void.") That way you have something to go on to help "encourage" them to close the deal.

 

[disruptive]

I find a reply with a ball park figures or stating that the domain is currently on sale for £x, or for offers in region of £x, works well.

I would say, always include a clear asking price and try to set the agenda and attempt not to make it look like you plucked the figures from the air. So if they offer a very low offer, state with certainty that you are asking for a realistic amount.

I find it helps if possible to conduct business over the fone. So another tactic is to ask for a tel number instead of replying with a price. For that you can gauge how serious the other party is - many cheeky lowball offers will never reply. Your aim to to qualify that they want the name, not if they are like kids in a sweet shop who will buy anything if cheap enough.

Good luck!

 

[digitalquill]

Hi
Thanks for all the feedback very useful, giving a deadline for the offer is a great idea then one knows when the offer is dead.

I wanted to keep clear of Sedo as things seem to take an age with them, but escrow is a good idea.

Thanks again