Dealing with an unrealistic domain name owner

[south]

My business is based on this principle; otherwise I might as well run a non-profit !

You said it right there. Years ago, when I was a salesman working for a glass company, I went into a potential customer's office and saw a sign on the wall that I still remember to this day: "If you're not making a profit, you've got a hobby"

 

[DNBA]

or about two mid-size car's tanks of gas

that wouldn't even cover 1 for me ; (

 

[Theo]

You have to drop that SUV

 

[Raider]

I play the waiting game too Acro, I quote the price once and it's the last time I contact them until they contact me... But their are domainers more motivated than we are, many are deperate for cash and will take what they can get.

I remember offering a domainer $300 a dot org, It was a catchy domain and very brandable, He was asking $2500 which was outrageous, I chose to forget about it and deleted his email, then he wrote me back saying he's open to offers, I told him $300 is all I'm willing to do.. This went on for 2 weeks until he dropped it to $500.. I refused again and told him $300 is all I'm willing to pay... Never heard from him again.

 

[Jacksplat]

if they want 30k for a 400$ domain, just move on. There's too many good ones still to be got and so little time in the day to waste on what may be a pointless venture. Make your final offer plus a bit, let them know this is your budget and would make the transaction as simple and quick as possible.

I think the best I've done at knocking down the initial price was last week. starting price was just above 10k, got them down to 5700$. Considering the bin pricing, I thought it fortunate to get it down 40% within a few days of talks. I have seen the rediculously highball expectations of sellers but when it's as radical as the situation you mention I don't waste my time at all.

Good luck and let us know what you do and the final result.

Jack

 

[jasdon11]

The more interest you show in the domain, the more your telling the owner you really want it... I would tell him that you can only afford to pay $400, make up a hardship story, If he responds back and says no, Reply back and say if you change your mind, please let me know... Keep that window open, and be nice and polite. Then sit back and wait, It takes time for some sellers to come down to reality.

I hate that - anyone that brings up their 'bad luck' during a business negotiation deserves a whole heap more of it IMO. Trying to get a bargain by making me feel bad? So I get less money and guilt?? No way....

I wouldn't budge an inch if someone tried that. Negotiate; give me a reason that I should sell for less and you might get it - be a worm, and you won't!

*************

A few weeks back I contacted the owner of a name - a LLLL one word .us - this name was just past renewal date. The name's worth maybe $2k, I offered him low $xxx and told him I expect to resell it for low $xxxx. My reason for telling him this was that even if he didn't want to sell it, he may want me to sell it for him on commission. I also said that either way, he should renew it as there is value in it. Could I have been more helpful? No. Even though we had swapped previous emails, he didn't bother to reply to my offer email (though he read it), and I didn't hear from him again. It dropped and now has a new owner. Sometimes there is nothing you can do to get a name - people are strange. Luckily, there are lots more names!

 

[Focus]

Sometimes I get a reply back that is WAY LESS than I expected to pay which has happened to me several times..you might suprise yourself if you ASK FOR A PRICE instead of opening with an offer. Domain value many times are all relative, esp. if they are not parking it or actively involved in domaining! Just the other day I bought a generic traffic name worth mid $x,xxx for low $xxx via email and simply accepted the sellers asking price!
It goes both ways, always two sides to the coin people. Think positive! k:

 

[katherine]

you can ask them to get an appraisal from a ligit company. or show them comps that prove them wrong for asking a high price. but i do get annoyed when people offer me $20 for a domain name that has way more value. i got offered $80 for a 2 letter domain. lol

Appraisals are a double-edged sword. Actually most domain holders are not domainers and know jack shit about the market. They think they have the best names in the world and their unrealistic expectations stem from their emotional ties with their domains
Some people are a pain to deal with, just because they have a crap appraisal from their registrar (godaddy k that says their name is worth between $57,100 and $88,300 (gotta love the accuracy) they think anything less is a personal insult. As a result they turn down legitimate offers and hold waiting for the 'right' offer that will most likely never materialize.

From experience I also think the psychological aspect is paramount. Some people just don't want to get involved in low-value transactions as a matter of pride.

 

[Fatbat]

Hah, talk about unrealistic. I'm after a relatively obscure domain (a Spanish sports term) that is probably worth 25-50k. The guy who owns it is asking for at least $10,000,000.00 (yes, that's TEN MILLION dollars). I'm not trying to low ball him or hit him with a sob story, I'll pay the money if he comes down to earth.

As it stands, he thinks his domain is worth more than any other domain has ever sold for, which is absurd.

 

[Raider]

I hate that - anyone that brings up their 'bad luck' during a business negotiation deserves a whole heap more of it IMO. Trying to get a bargain by making me feel bad? So I get less money and guilt?? No way....

I hate it too, but sometimes it can be effective... Domainers do it all the time, hiding behind gmail addresses and pretending to be somebody their not, crying the blues how they need your domain.. I remember one domainer did that to me, he told me he was a struggling art student, After some research I found out that he was a domainer, who made a few speeches at TRAFFIC conventions.

Apprarently it's worked for him.

 

[HBK216]

As usual it is just fine for domainers to price their name at whatever suits them. When someone does the same, then we see anger, frustration, or annoyance. What makes you any different from them? Who is anyone to say what a domain is really worth to someone who really wants it?

Quoting sales charts or past history does nothing for me as a seller. If I'm unrealistic in your eyes, fine move on & find a domain available that meets your budget. If it is good for one, it should be good for all instead of depending on if it benefits you or not.

 

[elitedomains]

I would say that sums it up perfectly-

We are all unrealistic domain owners

The real answer is if th seller is not motivated, you are probably wasting your time and they are waiting out an offer that may never come.

-=DCG=-

 

[turner67]

Using your example. Say it's near 400 bucks, did you offer 500-600?

 

[burgerman]

Thanks for all your answers! They're very helpful.

 

[intellect]

You said it right there. Years ago, when I was a salesman working for a glass company, I went into a potential customer's office and saw a sign on the wall that I still remember to this day: "If you're not making a profit, you've got a hobby"

Cool sign. I like quotes that make me laugh and sum up a truth at the same time.

 

[MAllie]

I think hardship stories to get a domain are just another form of scamming. Perhaps where someone has been ill or remiss and allowed a domain to lapse it is excusable for them to explain this, but to try to wheedle a domain out of someone with a hard-luck story is unethical. How does the guy know you won't sell for ten times that amount next week? How do you even know that yourself until the right offer comes along, when the domain that was so precious to you suddenly looks eminently dispensable?

 

[Theo]

Brother, can you spare a domain?

 

[allroundguy]

I am 58. Since 1993, I have seen tons of unrealistic talking about domains. It seems that domainers, both amateurs and pros, have forgotten all the basics of Economy and Trading Principles. Many people are speaking about value, fair value, markets, fair market value, etc. while not knowing the real meaning of it. I keep finding posts from jealous people telling how unfair it is to get thousands of dollars for a domain that was registered for $8.95. In fact, they say no more or less that successful people stink, but they all wanna be even more successful.
The Domain Industry is similar to the Gold Rushes: A number of people stroke well, while many other made up a living by selling digging materials etc. Most others got nowhere, because they didn't know or didn't believe what the others did. I don't post when I sold, because it is nobody's business. So I have no trader rating on this forum. IMHO that is just as good as those with a high trader number from buying for $3 one day and reselling it for $1 the day after (double sale). The Appraisal Industry is only good for appraisers: Some domain auction webs make a living from free domain listing followed by down-pricing the domains in their appraisals, based upon shimmy metrics. Please, let buyers pay what they want! It is the principle of supply and demand. Who cannot afford an Alpha-Romeo, Ford, or even a bicycle, should be happy to not be lame ... and walk to his/her destination (or destiny?). I made it from a few domains, without help but from my credit card. Don't let people tell You that it is not fair to make the profit that Your buyers are so kind to let You have. Tell them to read ICANN.org, IANA.org, W3C.org, WIPrg etc. instead of believing the crap by some self-proclaimed experts here and there. Buying and selling large amounts of $2 domains to people who can't resell it points only on the expertise of selling that kind of domains to that kind of people. No more - No less.
Freedom First ...

 

[MAllie]

More power to those who can sell a domain for thousands of dollars, so long as they use fair means to do so. Some people did strike better than others in the gold rushes, but that was just luck and being in the right place. Others tried to con simple people out of their claims by telling them that they had found only fool's gold. Yet others did no digging themselves but waited till the gold had been found and tried to steal it. Wherever there is money to be made there is a diverse range of human nature to be seen.

IMO, people should sell for what suits them, if they can get it. If they can't they'll obviously have to settle for less or hold onto the name. But this doesn't affect anyone else, does it? If you want the domain you have to pay the price. That seems very simple to me.

 

[allroundguy]

How can we make everybody on this web read what is being said here?
Perhaps this is the most realistic topic here on DNforum ...