Section IV: Buying Domain Names | Part 1: Approaching A Seller
Buying Domain Names
At the end of the day, learning how to buy a domain name means nothing if you don’t actually do it. Until now, I’ve discussed how to choose the domain name to buy, where to buy it, and what to do with it once you have it. Don’t forget, however, to learn the nitty-gritty about how to physically go about purchasing the site. There are three main steps to buying a website—approaching the seller, negotiate, and finalizing the sale.
Approaching a Seller
Before you begin, make sure you’ve found the domain names you want. The first step toward buying is then approaching the seller. Remember to always be smart and professional in order to get the best deals. Even if you are a beginner, you don’t have to act like one!
If the domain name you want is unclaimed, you don’t have to deal with a seller at all. This is the best deal you’ll find in many cases. To find an unclaimed name, use a service like www.godaddy.com to search the domain name in which you are interested. If the one you want is chosen already, these sites will also giver you ideas of names that are open. From there, you must simple pay the registration fee and the name is yours. That’s all there is to it!
However, if the domain name you want is currently owned by someone else, you’ll need to approach the seller to ask about the name. If the name is listed in an auction, this step is easy. If fact, you may not have to talk to the domain name’s owner at all. On the other hand, if the domain name is for sale privately or if it is not listed for sale, you’ll have to approach the owner to assert your interest in purchasing the name.
You can use Whois to find the owner of the domain name. This is often the easiest way to contact the owner, because the his or her name, address, and phone number will be as up to date as possible. However, if the website is developed, you can also search there to find the owner’s contact information. Look for the “about” page on the website—the owner might list his or her contact information.
Once you’ve found the owner, your next step is to contact that owner. Realize that not all domain name owners are going to be up to speed on how to sell their domain name, and some may not want to do so. In some cases, the person has had a company build the website for them, so they may not realize exactly what you want to by or why. Don’t accidentally by a business or a website when all you want is a domain name!
Whether the person is a seasoned professional or a beginner, by polite and professional at all times. Indicate your interest with an email, and follow up in about a week with a phone call if you haven’t heard back—the name is set to expire or go to auction soon, call even sooner. In your initial email, name the exact domain name you want, since the owner may have multiple similar domain names.
Avoid being too eager in your initial email. It’s good to let the owner know that you want the site, but if you tell the owner that you really want it and won’t stop until you get it, you may find the price of the domain name rising quickly! Instead of making an offer in the initial email, simply ask if the domain name is for sale and, if so, what the asking price is and what the terms of the sale would be.
Just a side note: When you search for a domain name owner’s contact information on Whois, they might be listed under their company name. Always make sure that you are working with a real person who is really going to sell you the site. Some domain name owners refuse to give out their real names; if this is the case, it is probably in your best interest to move on.
