The domain I've selected is currently owned and privately registered. Per the domain, the name "may be for sale". The site offers a field to enter a bid amount, however the bid amount has a minumum offer set at $10,000 US which is significantly over what I consider a fair price for the site. Similar domains sell on auction sites for $500.
I have sent two email via the hosting company's site to the domain owner suggesting that I am interested in purchasing their domain name. I've provided my name. my phone number and my private email address (not a free email address) and say that I am interested in purchasing the domain and ask that the owner contact me. I have not provided a offer.
Not surprisingly (based on what I've read in a few of the posts) I have not received a response. So here are my questions:
1. Are my emails really reaching this owner? Since the domain is privately registered there is no way that I know of to contact the owner except through the hosting site.
2. Is there a way to determine the owner of a privately registered site?
3. How can I determine the true value of the site so that I can make a valid offer -- if this is what I need to do in order to get a response? Obviously the site is worth what the owner will sell it for, but also only what someone is willing to pay for it. If I can't acquire this site for what I consider a reasonable price, I have other names I can use if this one doesn't work out. Of course, I really do prefer the one that I don't own. (at $8 a pop, a person can afford to buy a few back-up names)
Thanks in advance,
JLK
Look at it from the domain owner's point of view. Why should they spend valuable time communicating with someone who isn't a serious buyer?
Think hard about the values here, because a domain that's exactly right for your business can give a significant boost to your marketing, and even for the resale value of the business if you ever decide to sell it.
Have you previously looked up this domain and it showed up as available? If so, it's possible someone monitored this and grabbed it in the hope you really want it.
Wait a week or so and try to register it. Don't just look it up, buy it.
... I have not received a response.
1. Are my emails really reaching this owner?
I would guess that they are. Usually there is information about what type(s) of correspondence are forwarded to registrants who have "privacy controls" on their domain name registrations. You can usually find out by looking on the Registrar's site where they offer the service. (Some privacy services simply create a new email address every nnn days -- others will only forward Registered or Express mail to the registrant.)
I have sent two email[s]... to the domain owner suggesting that I am interested in purchasing their domain name. I've provided my name. my phone number and my private email address (not a free email address) and say that I am interested in purchasing the domain and ask that the owner contact me. I have not provided a offer.
I receive several emails per month, somewhat identical in form to what you are sending.
I routinely delete all such "inquiries".
The difference here, of course, is that your inquiry is genuine. One solution may be to try to differentiate your email from anything resembling the above emails -- beginning with the subject line.
Per the domain, the name "may be for sale". The site offers a field to enter a bid amount, however the bid amount has a minumum offer set at $10,000 US which is significantly over what I consider a fair price for the site. Similar domains sell on auction sites for $500.
You didn't mention if the domain is currently receiving PPC (pay-per-click) advertising, or if it is just parked. If the domain name registrant is receiving ad revenue from the domain, it may be worth significantly more than one might think from comparing it to auction site sales.
I would take the two pieces of information: "may be for sale", and "minimum $10,000" to mean "I don't wanna sell this domain ... but, if someone wants to pay me $10,000 for it, I'll sell it".
Then again, it could be some kid who also has 50 lame domain name auctions on eBay with minimum bids of $5,000,000 each. ;-)
[edited by: Laker at 4:36 pm (utc) on Oct. 22, 2007]
Do want to clarify a bit of information. I am a serious buyer - just not at the minumum bid price, so I was seeking information on how to communicate with a seller when this is the case. The site does have click-through options available, but per it's own analysis, traffic is less than 20 visits per month, most of which is probably me looking to see if the minimum bid price has gone down. :) The site has been owned by this owner for less than 2 years and has never been commercialized.
So I guess that my next step will be to send a final email with the price that I am willing to pay and hope that I get a response. As I mentioned earlier, I do have other options, this name was simply the one that I liked the best. Frankly, don't see a huge demand from folks looking to buy this name, as, again, it is two words that really have no meaning (ex. sillysarah.com), hence my confusion as to why the owner would set a minimum bid price so high and not respond to my inquiries.
But as I'm learning here, the price is what the owner will sell it at, regardless of its value, and there is no way better way to contact a private owner other than through the hosting site.
Again, thank you for all of your help.
JLK
