What would you do in this situation.
Backstory: I bought an expired .com domain because it is a catchy name (one syllable misspelling of a popular word). I was soon contacted by a company that owns the .net and .org and they explained that they had let it expire by mistake and that they wanted to buy it back. I offered to sell it for $500.00 and they wrote back with the following:
We don't look to highly on capitalist. So we are going to offer you $75 for OUR domain back. anything more is extortion in our eyes. And to put it mildly we will not tolerate it. As much as dot com is a part of our marketing strategy.we can not afforded to pay out $500 as a small company. We will move on to our next plan. This is not a negotiation. writing back telling me you want $100 or $200 will not be accepted ether. $75 is our buy out price.If I don't here from you with in 10 days of this e-mail........We are no longer interested in Dot Com
Thank You for your time
How would you guys handle this? I don't really expect anyone else to offer $500.00, but this guy is totally "low balling" me.
My opinion - don't respond. If the .com extension is that important to them, they'll get back in touch with you. Besides, how do you let a domain expire by mistake?!
>So we are going to offer you $75 for OUR domain back
It's not THEIR domain any more. THEY let the domain expire.
>writing back telling me you want $100 or $200 will not be accepted ether
Maybe you sould write them back and ask for $750.
how about activating the domain, and selling or even just putting banners/links from their competitors on the page...
i expect this would help them to realise the value of the domain to them.
i agree with marshall, don't even bother replying to a message like that, have patience they'll be back.
I would mind them ONLY if they adopted that mispelled word in their marketing campaign and they can prove it: maybe they have that name somewhere in an advertisement layout. In this case they can have some rights. (think about famous brands joking with names, like Swatch or models of car)
If they used that mispelled dominion only to catch net- visitors you will not have legal trouble. Sell it at the price you consider fine.
(cut and paste this)
"In an attempt to point you in the general direction of reality from where you are presently located, I want to explain something to you. What YOU did by allowing your FORMER domain name to expire is basically the equivalant of allowing your home to be sold on the courthouse steps for non-payment of taxes. Your FORMER domain name is GONE.
Coincidently, I have one for sale.
The price is now $750, and your next email better have a much improved tone to it."
I wouldn't give it up out of principle, don't let the guy think he can play hardball with you.
> We will move on to our next plan. This is not a negotiation.
Yeah right!
When negotiating it is imperative to make the other person believe that you have other options, and that the product is not really that important to you... BUT, to actually come right out and literally say it shows a extremely shallow understanding of the fundamentals of negotiation, and the basic rudiments of dealing with people. His suggestions could so easily have been subtly inferred.
> If I don't here from you with in 10 days of this e-mail........We are no longer interested
Again, total bluntness. Does he think he is offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity? His gambit is weak and totally lacking in thought.
There is no place for this guy in the world of business - he is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot :)
<how about activating the domain, and selling or even just putting banners/links from their competitors on the page...
i expect this would help them to realise the value of the domain to them.>
I think rights are all in your hands, you can sell the domain at the price you want, if they're really interested they'll offer you more than 500$
'whatever.com',
there really is nothing they can do other than write nasty letters or pay your price.
-G
Check whois on .org and .net to see who owns thesedomains.
Jon
And then they THREATEN you over it?????
Who do these guys think they are?
If the name genuinely is a vital part of their marketing, and they have the faintest notion of business sense, they will pay pretty much whatever you ask. If not...well, they've already had the name once, and then let it lapse. This is a serious error, and they must expect to pay a penalty for it
As far as I understand the law in this area, if you aren't infringing trademark or anything, as several others have pointed out, its yours now. Do with it as you will. And given the remarkable tone they have taken with you, frankly they deserve whatever you decide to hit them with.
People let their good (and often great) names expire accidentally all the time.
I hate when people write nasty letters and emails rather than picking up the phone and being civilized about things...
As for the people that lost it, I sympathize, but it's not their domain if they let it expire.
It's really too bad.. we would've had a monopoly!! :)
Be strong,
Stick two fingers up to them, design a web site advertising adult magazines and adult pictures(perfectly within their rights )
and then ignore them.
There is nothing they can do.
Let them pay for their arrogance.
Peace out homey - webmasters unite
heeehheeh... EXACTLY... you have absolutely nothing to worry about with them.
Tell them that their traffic is converting nicely:)
Heheheh! I like that one.
<aside>I reckon any judge who was of mind to make you hand over the domain would agree that $500 is a (more than) reasonable amount for your troubles (registration/handover/admin/inconvenience/having to read rude poorly constructed letters).</aside>
I waited a week or so and then sent them a polite email saying that they would need to make an offer closer to my asking price if they really wanted the domain. They wrote me back saying no thanks. I thought about it for a minute and then realized that I would be wasting my time to give it two mintutes of my time...so I stopped thinking about it :)
