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Domain summit 2024

Buying Back A Domain I Sold In Auction

RingLeader

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Last summer out of the blue someone bought a domain for far more than I figured it was worth. I was almost let it expire on the previous renewal so was happy with my good fortune. The guy who bought it was in a non-internet related construction business and from what I could tell he had lots of money.

Anyway, he bought the domain from me. He paid via a normal wire (no escrow) and was in a huge hurry to get it. I transferred the domain to him and then the work began. It took about a month for me to help him figure out how to get the domain in his account under his name as he was completely clueless.

Always curious as to what he was going to do with the domain I checked it every once in a while. Page remained 404. He should have renewed a few days ago so I checked the whois. The whois, still has some of my info in it. Once the domain transferred to his account he should have entered his info but I am sure he has no idea how.

I wouldn't mind having the domain back and have been thinking of bidding on it if it goes to auction. I suspect if I got it, it might take this guy a long while to figure out he lost it and he might not be happy I bought it back and maybe accuse me of never properly transferring it to him.

I am concerned if I got the domain in auction, this guy, who is loaded and probably never bought or sold a domain might demand I give him the domain back and start some unwinnable lawsuit that would still cost me money to defend.

I am not a domainer so I don't know the domain business in depth. My question to the experienced domainers, if you sold a domain that some numbskull paid good money for and then just let it expire, would you try to get it back in Auction? Is it worth the potential headaches? What is my risk if anything besides bad karma? I don't think I could ever resell it for what he paid, but I am thinking I still could make a few dollars one day down the road.
 
Domain summit 2024

Castion

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If you were to do so, you could then contact and let him know what happened then return it for a nominal fee. It seems like he is clueless to how domains work.

I would probably feel bad if I bought it and then tried to resell it to him for a large amount again, but really that is down to your own conscience. Nothing illegal about it.
 

Biggie

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I suspect if I got it, it might take this guy a long while to figure out he lost it and he might not be happy I bought it back and maybe accuse me of never properly transferring it to him.

Hi

if that is your conscience,
then maybe contact him and let him know the domain is expired or expiring and see if he can/wants to renew it, if he still can.

if he is not interested in renewing the name, then you can inform him of the drop process and that you'd be interested in acquiring the domain, if he no longer wants it.

this way, you can be upfront with the buyer and clear your conscience at same time.

imo...
 

DNPanther

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Although not illegal, I would suggest to contact the buyer and inform him regarding this before you decide to buy it back.
 

RingLeader

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I am surprised by the honor among domainers. I think I will buy it and sit on it, if he comes calling, I'll sell it back to him at what I paid. (I won't bid very high).
 

Biggie

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I would suggest to contact the buyer and inform him regarding this before you decide to buy it back.

I am surprised by the honor among domainers. I think I will buy it and sit on it,

surprised?

many of us, will "do the right thing" by nature, just because.

because.... what goes around, comes around.

imo...
 
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Agreed. You tend to find the people who do well in the industry are people who honour their word and act ethically (even if sometimes we take a hit due to our own mistakes). I have seen far too many people ruin their reputation for the sake of a few hundred dollars and then quickly nobody wants to deal with them. However in this situation I think you are not bound to any particular ethos. If it was me I'd drop him a line and let him know (not that you're interested in the domain) that you noticed his domain had expired. If it then went to auction I'd bid on it with a clear conscience because at auction *someone* is going to buy it - ie he had the chance and would still be in the same boat. On a similar note many times I have contacted owners of uk domains that we'd love to have to let them know their domains are approaching drop. Sometimes they let them go - other times they renew them. I think it's a common courtesy amongst domainers.
 

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