The best place to sell a directory

Any recommendations?

[dataguy]

I've never sold a directory before, can anyone recommend a good place to sell? The sites on ebay seem to be junk, but that's the only place I can think of.

Thanks!

[McMohan]

Try a "buy links" search on google. Due to TOS, I can't give the specific URL, but from there you should be able to go forward.

Best Wishes

[dataguy]

McMohan, are you suggesting that a business that sells links would also buy a web site that has a lot of good PR links? I never thought of that, but by search 'buy links' I still can't find any sites that look like they would buy web sites outright. I'll keep looking.

[Webwork]

Put it up at the major domain forums: DNForum, DomainState, etc.

Buyers will be interested in traffic source data and traffic stats.

PageRank won't impress anyone.

$ out for PPC versus $ in for listings, etc. have some bearing. More if you're the mother of all paid listings directories.

[McMohan]

Put it up at the major domain forums: DNForum, DomainState, etc

IMHO, I would go to those places if I am looking to buy sites, not sell. Seen many good sites sold for peanuts, literally.

Dataguy, your answer lies in the first result itself. A complete section for site auction.

[Webwork]

1. Sites sell for peanuts only when the seller takes peanuts, and that's usually what sites selling for peanuts are worth.

2. Ebay? Yech! Yes, there are sales that pass through the bay but reports of busted sales at Ebay are aplenty. Besides, anyone who knows the business and has money to spend at Ebay is already scanning the major domain forums.

3. IF you have traffic - and that's what a website sale is about (unless you have exceptional software to sell with the deal OR a loyal community, which may not last if you sell) - then your market will be traffic purchasers.

4. Directory scripts about. SEO abounds. Directories abound. It gets down to unique factors.

5. Exceptional IBLs that aren't "paid for" text links? That's a selling point but likely something you'll only find with a particular niche directory with other favorable factors.

Try every approach: Forums, Ebay, "for sale" sign on the directory, etc. In the forums you might reach out, politely, to traffic buyers (people buying traffic domains). A directory is not a traffic domain but if there's quality IBLs that account for traffic, etc. . . . I repeat myself . .

[dataguy]

Good advice, Webwork.

The site was custom designed by myself, so it is pretty unique. I have it posted for sale on DNForum, but the serious buyers seem to want to copy my programming and sell copies of my design, which I can't allow. There are other unique factors as well, and plenty of solid backlinks. It used to be impressive to say that Google has 50,000 pages of this directory indexed, but now that Google shows 190,000 pages indexed, it just doesn't mean the same thing (especially since the site only contains about 30,000 pages).

Since I don't want to sell to someone who will make copies of the site design, eBay might be the best thing since IMO many ebay buyers wouldn't know enough to make copies... but then again...

[Webwork]

I'd be more concerned about an Ebay buyer than a private buyer, but maybe it will work . . .

I don't see someone buying the site and not buying the script.

I don't see how you do this sale and retain control of the script without quality controls for the buyer. Assurances from someone buying it with a home address of Elbonia are problematic at best.

[dataguy]

Where I posted it for sale I stated that I would require that the new owner fax me a signed statement that the scripts used on the directory would not be used on any site other than the one being sold. Outside of that I'd have to trust the person, but at least I might have some legal recourse. Is there a better way? I don't know. I first offered to convert the site to static pages and sell it that way, since then the scripts wouldn't need to be included, but the only serious buyers wanted it to be driven by the database, not static.