Looking for suggestions on domain purchase
 

Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to approach this?

I found a mainstream domain I wanted. Both the singular and plural versions of the domain were parked at Sedo. I offered very low $XXX for each one (different owners).

I struck a deal with the owner of the singular version for low $XXX. I think it was a terrific deal.

The next day, I heard back from the owner of the plural version. He countered at mid $XXXX.

I'd rather have the plural, and definitely would like to have it now that I have the singular. But I'm not going to pay $XXXX, even though if you had asked me last week, I would have valued each of them around $1K.

What I'd like to do now is to get the plural guy to realize that I'm not going to pay a lot, now that I have a version of the domain I want --- and that he might as well sell his domain for $XXX since he's not going to sell it anywhere else (he's held it, undeveloped, for almost ten years).

But I'm afraid that knowing I'm going to develop the singular version, will make him hold onto the plural hoping its worth will increase.

Any suggestions? Domain people, how would you react? Any thought are appreciated :winkwink:

If it's a must-have domain, I'd say try countering with say $1500 and see how that goes. Since the buyer is starting with a mid-4 figure number, $1500 to $2500 may get the deal done.

What is the potential cost of not owning the plural? ... use that as a guide in determining the maximum you're willing to pay.

On a related topic, has the singular version sale completed? Or still in progress?

It's possible the seller of the plural may see the singular is sold and chose to wait it out; mark up it to stratospheric price. Hence, it may be better to agree on a purchase price, even if it's well above what you budgeted, to get a deal done fast.

Where things get a bit tricky is that one, or even both, of the sellers could renege and not follow through - it's a big problem with Sedo...

If you haven't already, deeply research the sellers (who are and where are they located, what other domains do they own, are they members of domain forums, do they actively buy/sell, etc) and the history of both domains - knowledge can be power; be the extra motivation for a seller thinking about reneging to follow-through on a sale.

Ron

Ron, thanks for the input. Will sleep on it but your thoughts really help.
The sale hasn't completed yet - but we negotiated through several levels so I don't think the seller is going to reneg. I paid for the domain on Christmas Eve; waiting for this week for the sale to complete.

Make another email/account and send in a low ball offer and break his big money spirits.

Offer $$$ + Develop a site for him. Many domainers do not have the skills but do have the inventory of names that are begging for a webmaster.

This is only the second offer he's gotten since he's had the domain with Sedo (can't remember how long, but a long, long time) - somehow I think two lowball offers showing up within a week might smell a bit fishy to him.

Ordinarily a good idea - but since I'll be developing the singular version of the domain for *me* (it's going to be my own personal blog), I want the plural for me, too :winkwink:

Bad strategy in my opinion. Even though the offer comes in as a lowball, it is still interpreted as interest in the domain. If enough people are making offers, even lowball ones, I think the seller a lot of the time feels like the interest is there, they just have to wait for the right buyer.

Domainers know that all they have to get is the one right buyer on 1 out of 100 domains to make a profit. I partnered on developing a project a couple years back now with a buddy. He sent me out looking for a domain that would fit our project appropriately. I found one, which I considered way way overpriced at $3500. He liked the domain, didn't think twice. No negotiation, no fuck all. Just dropped the money and off we went with it.

Lots of people submitting lowballs offers just makes it seem like the domain has value and everyone is trying to grab it cheap, which just perpetuates the waiting game for that on buyer who sees the same potential (or what is interpreted as potential) and can afford to pay an outrageous price without thinking twice.

I guess it could work, but I've actually tried doing just this a few times before, and it has never gone as planned. It's actually seemed to be counterproductive in my experience.

Neglected to fully answer Ron's question about the potential cost of letting it go.

As I mentioned, this will be my personal blog. If it just sits there and generates yawns, then there's no reason to even worry about it. If it becomes the second coming of Shit My Dad Says, then I'll be kicking myself for years if I don't have the plural version of the domain as well as the singular. (No, this domain doesn't have "shit" in it - so I'm not worried about having a domain name with "shits" in it :1orglaugh )

I liked "poos"

You people are complete idiots. If he wants xxxx then he wont sell it to you for xxx just because you're a broke fool, fuck off faggot.

when selling domains if im asking xxxx and they offer xxx, i tell them to go fuck themselves.

Me too - that, or I don't even bother answering. That's why I wonder why he even replied to me in the first place with a counter offer, and whether there's some room to game him.

either pay him exact he's asking or make a contract for some revenue sharing, if he's interested.

did you try to counter halfway between your number and his?

If you need affordable high quality original content for this project, email [email protected] to hook up. I can also get you backlinks :)

Domainers for the most part are the used car salesman of online business. If they're asking high $x,xxx, they probably will sell for mid $x,xxx or even lower. Just look at how quickly prices can drop in sales threads around here. For $15k to $7500 in a week. A .com is worth $8, everything beyond that is speculation and what you can get someone to spend. Nothing wrong with sending someone a $xxx offer on a $x,xxx asking price.... Faggot...

depends on the domain

tell him he's fat stupid and smells like ass.

break his will.

give him a final offer and a deadline, if he is not interested then stop stressing yourself and move on

The last time this worked for me...

I would try to get him to negotiate, even though I usually pay top dollar just to close a deal quick...one time I told a guy I was starting a non profit with the domain to generate funds for a good cause and he did cut me a good deal.

If you really want it buy it, but you can search for an alternative that might not even be registered yet.

there is always an alternative just takes a lot of effort to find it

:2 cents::thumbsup