Domain Name Appraisal Question

[scotman]

Hello new around here and I can see how useful this site will be for me. I am starting my own business up soon as I finalize the sale of three of my domain names. I had a set price for $1,500 per domain name. Now my question is how much worth can I put into domain name appraisals? I know some sites are just ridiculous. I think the three domain names I am selling are definitely worth the price. So should I get them appraised or would the money be better spent by listing them under the feature listing at sedo.com? The price of a domain appraisal for just one domain is $80.00 as where the price for having them listed under a featured listing is $40.00.

Now these domain names are really catchy so I already had a few offers but their wanting them appraised. Which at this point I don't have the extra $250.00 to get the three appraised. I'm thinking seeings how these domain names are catchy to just go ahead and get them featured listed and not mess with an appraisal.

I have bought many domain names before without getting appraisals and don't feel like I was jipped one bit after the sale. I think some people are just out to get the lowest price on good domain names. Which I don't blame but at the same time should I waste my time? They don't sound serious about buying them just serious about getting them the cheapest they can.

[buckworks]

Welcome to Webmaster World, Scotman!

already had a few offers but their wanting them appraised

Caution: it's highly probable that those offers are phony, nothing more than bait to get you to pay for an appraisal.

Serious buyers will do their own homework about what they think the domain or site is worth. The perceived value can vary widely depending on what the buyer thinks they might be able to do with it.

[scotman]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I was thinking the same thing that it was a company trying to get an appraisal out of me. He did link a site to me in the email saying he talked with some people on a forum. Now the forum topic seemed legit and everything but when I tried finding the forum homepage it didn't exist. So it threw up a caution flag to me. The topic went into appraisals and listed some appraisal sites to stay clear of and listed others to use. Now I told them I could get an appraisal through sedo.com but they said no they wanted a independent appraisal that wasn't linked to where I sell my domain.

Either way I know it is a good domain name so I will just reply back if they are seriously interested in my domain feel free to make an offer at sedo.com.

Thanks for the help.

[MamaDawg]

He did link a site to me in the email saying he talked with some people on a forum. Now the forum topic seemed legit and everything but when I tried finding the forum homepage it didn't exist.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's definitely the old "domain appraisal scam". The goal is to bait you into buying an pricey appraisal through their service. Once you do, the "buyer" disappears.

If you google a sample of text from their email(s), the purported buyer's name or the name of the appraisal service they recommend you're likely to turn up many more instances of this.

Happily, you didn't fall for it!

[tim222]

There are domain name appraisal firms out there for much less. In the past I've used a service that costs something like $15 and I felt that the results were accurate. If it gives you peace of mind then it's worth it.

[scotman]

Alright I did like you said MamaDawg and sure enough it was a scam targeting sedo.com user. Funny at first I got the email I searched the guys name through google to make sure it was not a scam and came up with no hits.

[scotman]

tim222 no I am staying clear of all appraisals. I don't see how they can appraise a domain fairly but by doing the same amount of work as someone interested in buying domains. The peace of mind I get if my domains are getting plenty of hits then I know it is worth the price I ask for them.