Purchasing a domain name

Discussion in 'Domain names / DNS' started by magnet-man, Dec 30, 2006.

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  1. magnet-man

    magnet-man

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about purchasing an existing domain name. The domain I want is up but seems inactive. How to the fee structures work with a domain purchasing agent? Any advice would be welcomed.
     
    magnet-man, Dec 30, 2006
    #1
  2. Takeshi Eto

    Takeshi Eto DiscountASP.NET Staff

    1. You can try contacting the Domain Registrar and see if there are options. After a domain expires, it is not automatically available to the public to register. Expired domains go through a redemption period that can last from 60-120 days before being available to the public. For a short period of time, the original owner can renew the domain. And the Domain Registarar will never tell you exactly when the domain will be available to the public, so as not to aid domain speculators. And recently, many Domain Registrars will place a web page with advertising links on it to generate pay-per-click revenue from expired domains. Some even run their own Domain Name auctions.

    2. You can use a "back ordering" system - like snapnames.com, or such services at other domain registrars. Basically you pay a fee and their system automatically checks every day if the domain is available to the public and, if so, they will automatically register it for you. Of course, when the domain is available to the public, you will be competing with everyone else, so there are no guarantees.

    Different services will charge different fees for "back ordering" so you have to check with the service.

    Eric
    DiscountASP.NET
    http://www.DiscountASP.NET
     
    Takeshi Eto, Dec 30, 2006
    #2
  3. mjp

    mjp

    Eric is right, in the last couple of years it has become increasingly difficult to pick up an expired domain. Every registrar now seems to be in the domain monetization business - which is just a fancy way of saying they want to cash in on your expired domain.


    Tucows/OpenSRS for example, have started placing ad link pages on expired domains. Not on every expired domain though, only some. And they won't say how long the ad pages will remain active. The domains disappear into a kind of no-man's land and there is no telling when they may become available. While the ad page is up on an expired domain, that domain is still retrievable by the original registrant and through Tucows/OpenSRS auctions (which are available in "white label" form to all of their resellers).


    Long story short, the days of checking whois and trying to jump on a deleted domain are over for the most part. Most registrars only delete the really undesirable names, and sit on any domain that has the slightest bit of traffic or resale value.


    The best bet has always been to contact the domain owner while a domain is still active and try to negotiate a sale. Once they get over the initial disappointment that they are not going to get a million dollars for the domain, a deal can usually be struck. ;) I have purchased a couple of domains this way for $100 or less when the owner's initial asking price was several thousand dollars. The longer you can wait, the better your chances are at a good deal.


    mjp
    DiscountASP.NET
    <SUB><SUP>http://DiscountASP.NET
     
    mjp, Jan 4, 2007
    #3
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