Any Domain name experts out there? I want a domain name that is available tomorrow at 5 pm.

[mahina]

Been waiting for two years. There are 9 bids on it on NameJet.

Is there any way to find out who the bidders are? I'd love to know if it is one person or several.

Are there sniper equivalents of powersnipe for ebay, but for domain names?

Thanks for any DUer's advice. I appreciate it, in advance.

[targetpractice]

1. It's probable that the owner will renew.

They get first dibs.

Your bids will only come into play if the owner declines to renew.

[mahina]

2. So odd, they never did anything with the domain the entire time

they've had it. I called the owner once and inquired, thinking I could spend 200-300$ on it. He wanted a thousand.

It's just sat parked for so many years, and I want it! I have the perfect use for it. No better domain exists for what I want to do.

Having the onos for something you can't have is tough!

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. Offer hiim $500 right now

I think he'll take it before he has to pay for another year of a name he's not using. And if it's that important to you, maybe you could go closer to his price. Sounds like it should be worth it to you.

Anyway, my point is, the sniping is done before the domain expires. You could be that sniper. Or not. If you're hoping to get it for free, that's fine, but it's a gamble. The question comes to, which is worth more to you? The cash or the name?

[anigbrowl]

5. Um...retaining it for a year will cost about $25

It's not expensive to keep a domain parked. I'd pay the the amount the person's asking for, or at least offer $750. $1000 seems pretty cheap for a 'just right' name.

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. Yeah, and it's a bother to go through all the hassle with the credit cards and stuff

I know of what I speak because I speak for myself. I let quite a few domains expire because I simply could not be bothered to renew them. Here's how I see it, and only how I see it, not as if I'm God or anything, but from my perspective, my thinking goes like this...

If I sell it, do I want to get $500 or $485 if I renewed it? It's not much incentive, but the point is that this is a time of decision for the domain owner, to renew or not. And I can hardly be bothered to go through the billing process for some of my domains. So for me, and only me, an offer at this point looks very attractive and I'm already in the mode of wondering if this domain is worth renewing.

If they fail to renew, by accident, they can still get it back during the waiting period. it will sit for weeks held up while the owner has the option to reinstate. Meanwhile, many people are waiting, scanning these soon-to-be available domains and then, well, let's just say it's easier for the buyer if he buys it first, and it's guaranteed. The other option is risky. And if the domain owner renews, the offer can be negotiated 'cos no one's getting it without that.

[anigbrowl]

13. I dunno, mine just does it automatically

I have a couple of domains I don't use for anything but which are potentially saleable. I think the two of them together cost me $35 a year, which is just debited from my account. They're both OK domain names, if someone offers me $500 within the next 15 years I'll have made a profit.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. Yeah, and it's a bother to go through all the hassle with the credit cards and stuff

I know of what I speak because I speak for myself. I let quite a few domains expire because I simply could not be bothered to renew them. Here's how I see it, and only how I see it, not as if I'm God or anything, but from my perspective, my thinking goes like this...

First Possibility: Selling

From the current owner's POV, I'm thinking... If I sell it, do I want to get $500 or $485 if I renewed it? It's not much incentive, but the point is that this is a time of decision for the domain owner, to renew or not. And I can hardly be bothered to go through the billing process for some of my domains. So for me, and only me, an offer at this point looks very attractive and I'm already in the mode of wondering if this domain is worth the cost, albeit small, but it's part of a bigger picture of mounting annual costs.

Second Possibility: Dropping

If the current owners fail to renew, by accident or whatever, they can still get it back during the waiting period. it will sit for weeks held up while the owner has the option to reinstate. Meanwhile, many people are waiting, scanning these soon-to-be available domains and then, well, let's just say it's risky.

Last possibility: Renewing

If the domain owner renews, the offer would have to be negotiated, but again, as the domain owner, I'm thinking I would want to make money off the domain, and it hasn't done anything for me for a long time, and I need the cash, so there's got to be a financial meeting point in an effective negotiation.


Oh Yeah, One More: NOT BUYING

The simplest and cheapest solution for the buyer. And resulting in status quo.


That's how I see it myself. Your mileage may vary.

[mahina]

6. I was thinking that's where it would go,

but now there are nine bids! I wonder if it's one bidder, or several.

The high bid hasn't changed from the original 200.

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. Make an independent buy out offer

Privately. There's no law that says you have to work with an auction company, or that you cannot make an offer. I say make one now if you want the domain. Get the dns records and contact them directly. All these posts in an auction could be his sock puppets or relatives, or simply speculators.

[anigbrowl]

4. Just pay the $1000

if your idea has any merit, you can surely find someone to invest a few bucks in it, even if it's non-profit. In fact, probably easier if it's a non-profit.

[mahina]

7. He's since upped it to 5K

I already have one brick and mortar biz with a website, a good one, and I know not to realistically expect that much return.

Plus no more kala!

[Cronus Protagonist]

12. Make him an offer of your best offer - take it or leave it, with a one month deadline.

Be straight up about its value to you. You might get it. A lot of these things fall through and he may be left holding it after the auction, attached to a bad payer.

[targetpractice]

16. That's really terrible advice.

Like you said... The owner is absolutely gonna renew it for 25 bucks now that he knows someone wants it... Otherwise he'd forfeit any profit from the 9 bidders over to a registrar.

This isn't the 1990's... Nobody's paying $1K for domain names unless you are trying to secure your family surname or something.

If your business idea absolutely depends upon a particular domain name, then I suggest you revisit your business plan.


@mahina Since you've contacted the owner... Just let him know you are honestly interested, and want an opportunity to buy it before someone else does... Plan to wait a while because I would predict that he's renewed it, and now got at least another year to sell it. If anything, you may have helped take the pressure off yourself... depending upon who the other bidders are. I really think by calling him.. you bought yourself some time... I'll bet if you look at WHOIS today you will se that the owner renewed.

On edit: HA! I thought I was arguing on your behalf... I was surprised to re-read the thread and realize I'm not. ;-)

[mahina]

17. I thought so too, and still do, thanks!

The backorder auction ended at 750., but that only gets me the right to enter another auction, I have since learned...
Meanwhile, I secured the .info version for .99 and will launch that.
Thanks for taking the time to respond, and thanks for the sound advice.
aloha!

[targetpractice]

15. By calling, you kinda guaranteed that he will renew...

I'd relax a bit, because he won't let it go now that he knows there is a market for the name.

You've probably got another year of him squatting on it.

If you left your contact info, he'll probably get back in touch with you if the other bidders don't reach out to him like you did.

[bridgit]

10. can do!

http://www.ipower.com/product/domainRegistration.bml :thumbsup:

[Control-Z]

14. There are people

in the business of buying domain names for the purpose of selling them for profit. If you do a search on the owner of the domain you are trying to buy you may find that it is a business, with ownership of hundreds or thousands of names. Ownership can cost as little as $10.00 per year, so it's a small gamble to hold onto a name for a year or two, even if the name is insignificant. It doesn't matter. If somebody once owned it, they'll buy it.

Your best bet is to alter the name you want a bit, or choose a .net, or .org, etc., until the name you really want becomes available. Unless it is an exceptional name, they will probably sell it for a lot less after a few years.

Someone bought my husband's name (first and last) a while back. So I bought a .net after almost a year of waiting. The .com became available for an unreasonably high price within a few months. I waited and was able to buy it for $100.00 within a year. When I dropped the .net, that immediately went up for sale, same people, same high price. They may still be sitting on it, but I doubt it. Husband's name is unusual.