A simple way to weed out bad domain name offers.
If you receive a lot of inquiries about purchasing your domain names, then you probably get frustrated about responding only to have the person disappear after the first contact.
There are many ways you can manage this, but I thought I’d pass along a tip a couple large domain owners tell me works. Whenever you receive an inquiry, tell the person to make an offer to you via Network Solutions’ Certified Offer Service.
The first benefit is that the buyer will have to pay $19 to make the offer. You’ll know right away if the buyer is a serious end user or not. An end user should be willing to pay a measly $19 to submit an offer.
The second benefit is Network Solutions will handle the negotiations and escrow. They charge the buyer a 5% fee if the deal goes through. (I should note that Network Solutions “certified offers” aren’t completely certified.)
Now this tactic isn’t for everyone. If you get a lot of domain investors interested in your domains they probably won’t bite. Some smaller buyers will balk at this as well. But even if they do, they’ll probably come back with an explanation that at least shows their level of interest.
An alternative is to send them to Sedo or Afternic to purchase the domain, although you will have to cover the commission. Still, this may be worth it if the broker will work on your behalf. Go Daddy also offers a service similar to Network Solutions, but it is $69.99 plus a 10% buyer premium.
Ramiro Canales says
I recommend Network Solutions Certified Offer Service. It is quick and efficient.
Adam says
Feel free to deflect those people to my inbox Andrew. I’ll take the $19 and the cut NSI takes too. 🙂
MQJ says
Happy New Year Andrew!
Scott Alliy says
Thx
We hope to be using that offer service alot in 2011
🙂
ownU says
Your silence on the Moniker.Snapnames.Oversee
PRIVACY SCANDAL
shows who’s pocket owns you Andrew …
You always protect this unethical company
and go as far as blocking post of truth
about them TO COLLEC YOUR AD MONEY.
ALL MAJOR DOMAINERS KNOW ABOUT YOU AND
YOUR QUESTIONABLE ALLIANCE.
RickCronie says
Cut the guy some slack ownU. It’s new years and he was out whooping it up like only Alleman does. Besides there’s enough drama whore blogs picking up their pitchforks and torches to go around isn’t there
Scott Alliy says
Enough already with the privacy issue
I’ve read three blogs (are there others) saying that they know private information about this privacy issue.
Who else knows what’s not supposed to be known by anyone else in this situation?
Talk about privacy by engaging in all this talk on multiple industry blogs about a situation that frankly belongs handled internally isn’t everyone infringing on the industry’s due privacy and protection?
If we ran a restaurant and someone dropped one or two silk napkins would we alert everyone that might attend the event that they might be the one that gets the dropped and replaced napkin?
No! not if you want the event to survive and get attendees.
Same applies here. The piece has been said. The company has and is addressing the situation.
Now lets as an industry get back to making our event (in this case the domain industry) more and not less attractive to guests.
Shooting yourself in the foot is an accident. Doing it repeatedly and advertising it nationally is insane.
This issue can and should be handled internally and left at that IMO