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Prices, Gouging and Haggling for Internet Domains?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the let's-make-a-deal dept.

GregStevensLA asks: "I'm considering paying for a 'premium' domain name for a small web start-up I want to form. The company that currently holds the domain name is offering it for $1500, but they made it clear to me that they expect a counter-offer and are 'willing to make a deal.' I've never done this before, and I have no idea what a reasonable counter-offer is. If I say 'I can't go above $1000' am I being too easy? Should I try to push for lower than that? My understanding is that these prices are hugely inflated anyway (i.e. pure profit going to companies that probably scooped up the domains for free). In some sense, paying anything beyond a registration fee is gouging, in my opinion. I don't want to be conned... on the other hand, this is the reality of business, and I don't want to come across as amateurish. Does anyone have any advice for this new-comer to domain name purchasing?"

5 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Let's get this point out of the way by linvir · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Let's get it out of the way early, because I can feel this wave of antipathy coming...

    Please do your best to find an alternative first. Look into alternatives before succumbing and compensating these worthless parasites for their land grabbing.

  2. Hey Greg by bluelip · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey Greg,

              We spoke eralier about you purchasing a domain name from us. In light of recent interest in the domain, we're now asking $2500.

    Thanks,
    Your Friendly Neighborhood Domain Dealer

    --

    Yep, I never spell check.
    More incorrect spellings can be found he
  3. Find a better name. by nxtw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't give these cybersquatting bastards money. If cybersquatting wasn't so profitable, the cybersquatters wouldn't exist.

  4. Offer the lowest price possible and test them out by Centurix · · Score: 5, Informative

    Really, you cannot trust anyone who spouts about counter offers. Offer them $150, a good offensive play.

    Someone squatted on centurix.com and I asked them how much. $5000 was the reply, so I said $100 is my best offer, if that's not enough then have fun with the domain. They accepted, I had the domain for 2 years and just let it lapse, the same company bought it again after I had it. Good luck to them, my current domain suits us much better.

    --
    Task Mangler
  5. Get a trademark, then UDRP by Animats · · Score: 5, Informative
    One of the more useful things to do in domain disputes is to get a trademark. If you do business or have a product named "Zowie", get a trademark on "Zowie". It's not that hard, it costs a few hundred dollars, and the process is entirely on line. Doesn't matter what category of product the trademark is under, or even if it's on the principal register. You can almost always get registration on the supplemental register, which means you can't keep others from using the name, but they can't keep you from using it either.

    Once you have a trademark on the domain that describes your stuff, you can make a cybersquatting complaint. If the domain owner is just parking the domain, under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy that's considered "use in bad faith". Then you send a letter to the domain owner, threatening a UDRP proceeding.

    (If it's a "private registration", the registrar will now "uncloak" the domain so fast your head will spin, because they don't want to be the party to a UDRP proceeding or lawsuit.)

    At this point, either the other side will offer to sell you the domain for less than a UDRP costs ($1000), or you go forward to a mandatory UDRP proceeding, which is an instant win when you have the trademark.