Should I approach the owner of the "other" domains?

[jalapeno]

<Exiting lurk mode to make my first post... greetings>

I don't want to post the exact domain in question but I'd like some general opinions.

I own a .com domain; someone else owns the .net and the .org, plus a similar (longer) name in .com, .net and .org. For example:

Mine
auctionsmack.com

Theirs
auctionsmack.net
auctionsmack.org
auctionsmacker.com
auctionsmacker.net
auctionsmacker.org

(Note: auctionsmack.com is not the domain in question, it's just used as an example.)

This may seem like a cut-and-dried situation; I have the most desireable name and am not using it. They have the "others" and two are active. So I should contact them and offer to sell my .com, right? The thing is, I haven't sold a domain name before and don't know what kind of price to ask, or whether I should let them make an offer... and I hate haggling. Any suggestions?

I had originally intended to use the domain myself; that's still an option, but it's not in an area I'm all that interested in.

 

[DotComster]

Put up a for sale page, and see what happens. If you don't want to haggle - put a price to.

Developing the domain - do it if you are not a procrastinater. Some people have ideas to develop a domain - but keep it off for years.

 

[jalapeno]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do tend to procrastinate a bit but can whip myself into shape if need be.

 

[tinkerbell]

I think it would be helpful for you to do some "haggeling"--look at it as "negotiating" instead. Im new at it myself, but have had some good success after reading a book or two about it...

 

[bidawinner]

jalapeno, try this..place an ebay auction and then politely inform (email) .net,.org,.US,.Biz and .Info that the .com is now available and on auction at link/ebay/auction

Place a bottom dollar that you would accept for the domain...all you need is one of the others to bite..you bites tends to nake the other envyous..and you may start a very nice little bidding war

 

[Drewbert]

And make it a 3 day auction, so none of them have enough time to file a UDRP and get the name frozen at the registrar level.

 

[darren]

hm.. what if the situation is the other way around..
I got a .net version of the domain and the .com domain was registered by someone at Netsol for 5 years without a site on it..

So, should I approach the person and tell him that I want the domain or should I wait until the name expire on July 2003? I really like the domain ..

 

Darren, 5 years without a website, the former owner usually won't sell it cheap, because he believes it is good one to keep spending renewal fee.
Good Luck!

 

[bigdave]

Originally posted by goh
Darren, 5 years without a website, the former owner usually won't sell it cheap, because he believes it is good one to keep spending renewal fee.
Good Luck!

It might be that the owner bought it for 5 years upfront to take advantage of Netsol's fabulous laugh: ) multi-year discounts.

Is there any way to tell that from the information in whois?

BD

 

[domainduck]

"So I should contact them and offer to sell my .com, right? The thing is, I haven't sold a domain name before and don't know what kind of price to ask, or whether I should let them make an offer... and I hate haggling. Any suggestions?"


Here's a quazy idea for you - Be direct.

Make sure there are no trademarks at the USPTO before contacting 'anybody' about selling your domain names.

Here's the link:
http://tess.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=login&p_lang=english&p_d=trmk

Click on New User Form Search (Basic)

If it's free from trademarks, then send an email to a couple of different contacts within the company and simply ask them if they would be interested in buying said domain name.

How they respond, if they respond should determine your next action.


quack

 

Originally posted by bigdave


It might be that the owner bought it for 5 years upfront to take advantage of Netsol's fabulous laugh: ) multi-year discounts.

Is there any way to tell that from the information in whois?

BD

So that name might not be so great in this case, cause 10 year upfront has more discount than 5 year.