Selling Domains
 

What's your strategy when it comes to selling domains?

I have several domains that I listed on Godaddy auctions tonight. I hesitated about listing them without having had developed them first. All are over a year old and one is more than 3 years old. They all have good keywords in them and should be valuable to someone.

The only domain I have ever sold was through a forum post signature (not this forum - gasp).

If you sell domains do you monetize them first and report that they are earning monthly income?

Do you wait until the domain is of a minimum age?

Do you have a strategy or do you just buy a good domain name and turn around and sell it?

Not sure I want to get into domain selling on a regular basis, just needed to get rid of some good domain names I had sitting around and never got the time to develop them.

Just wondered what strategies other warriors had when it came to selling domains and if maybe there was a way to sell my domains that would bring in more money than listing them on Godaddy or if where I have them is the best way to bring in top dollar for them.

Thanks for any input in advance.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Now your stating domains, but you sound as if domains with websites. Completely different to sell each one.

Re: Selling Domains
 

I've never been able to sell a domain that didn't have an established website with a proven income track record....people just don't care unless you can show that the site has made X dollars in the past...

Re: Selling Domains
 

Indeed. To demand the best prices a domain should be developed, much like real estate commands higher value if developed instead of selling raw land.

Re: Selling Domains
 

I just gave these tips to someone that asked within my WSO thread:

Here are some free tips for selling domains:

- List them on Afternic.com and Sedo.com, the two major domain marketplaces. Those listings permeate through many top registrars such as GoDaddy.
- Additionally, you can get a GoDaddy Auctions account and list domains on auction there.
- The best forums to hit in general for domain selling are DNForum, NamePros, DigitalPoint, WebhostingTalk, AcornDomains and V7N.
- If you focus on a particular niche, see if there are webmaster/affiliate forums in that industry. Example: PokerAffiliateListings Forum has a marketplace for poker domains.
- Indicate the domain is for sale in its whois information (add it to what's already there) assuming you don't use whois privacy.
- If not using the domain, use a "for sale" page with a form where visitors can submit an offer. Many possible buyers, especially end-users, will visit the domain as a means of checking if it's available.
- If focusing on a particular niche, network in communities within that niche and have your domains for sale as an afterthought (the equivalent of participating with relevant posts in a forum and advertising in your sig)

There are other means of selling domains but those would be the most recommended means for most domains. Flippa is popular for selling websites but not so much for selling domains without websites. I wouldn't recommend selling domains from any kind of available domain list on Flippa unless you were essentially doing a group listing of them and taking individual offers/sales.

One last thing to note - you don't always need a website on a domain to sell it. Looking enough through Flippa might make one assume that, but I've almost never had a website associated with domains I've sold, and I've sold thousands of domains over the years for up to $60,000 per.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Are there members who can sell our domains for a commission?

I have 3 I'd like to sell shortly:

persuaded.biz
siestas.org
housed.co

Thanks,

Sven

Re: Selling Domains
 

I've found that unless you have a really rare or really short domain - especially .com its rather tough to sell. Most people that would buy a domain are in the same situation as us. They already have more domains than they know what too do with. Most IMers come up with some great idea, then buy a domain but never see it all the way through.

Re: Selling Domains
 

If they are truly valuable commercial terms, stick em on sedo.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Hi,
I have sold quite a few domains so far. My domains are usually 2 word domains and the words have a high volume google search, and also the words in the domain have AdWords advertising when yo type them in the search engine.
You can sell them on Sedo, it shows you how many hits your domain is getting per month or you can contact someone directly, someone who has a business and your domain name relates to it, thats how I sold y most valuable domains.
The age is not that importat as much as key words in your domain, e.g if creditcards.com was avalible now and was created 2 hours ago, it would be super valuable regradless of the age.
Thanks

Re: Selling Domains
 

jerzykaz,

Glad you mentioned keywords in the domain name being more valuable than age. I need to research again because my domains are 1 - 3 years old but I believe they contain valuable keywords. Since someone else posted the domain names here on the thread I guess it is OK for me to do so too LOL.

CandySnackSpice.com

DogFoodSecretsreview.org

Laptop-Money.com

MyCashBlogs.com

OrganicGardensGreen.com

Preservative-Free-Food.com

Re: Selling Domains
 

Thanks for the advice on Sedo and all other comments everyone! I'll be sure to check it out.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Ditto to everything Steve said (Domainate) in post #5, but I'd add these tips.

- When listing on Sedo, you'll immediately get a lot more attention if you list a buy price. A lot of potential buyers hate getting into the negotiation game. I wouldn't do this for a domain I considered much more valuable than most, but for the average domain name, listing a reasonable price gets the action.

- Listing your domains for sale on domaining forums like NamePros or dnforum is good for quickly selling domains, but they must be priced for resellers. Meaning, a dime on the dollar. Again, unless it is an unusually stellar domain.

- The quickest, most effective approach is still researching potential buyers by checking to see who is using the keywords in their Adwords campaigns. Search the keywords in quotes, and research each advertiser to see if their website/business would benefit from your domain, to get organic traffic. Do whatever it takes to get the email address of the decision-maker. Otherwise you're spinning your wheels. Email the decision-maker (on a personal level) and point out the benefits of owning your domain name.

Re: Selling Domains
 

If you have a brandable domain, I recommend BrandBucket or Nemeas. You can get at least $1,000 for it.

If the domain isn't brandable, then it's only value is any residual traffic it may have. The market is so full of fraud (making up fake residual traffic) that most people will doubt any kind of traffic proof you might have.

So, it is usually best to just keep it and monetize that traffic yourself.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Hi Laura.... Its not the NAME of domain which sells (exceptions are always there) BUT in general its the PR + Traffic + Market + Revenue = Sells.... If you can take some pain by setting up websites, do some IM and get some regular traffic then you can even sell 3 month old domains on pretty decent prices..... With all legitimate evidence (Buyers will ask for it) to the given factors you will get pretty decent bids...

Best of Luck ....

Re: Selling Domains
 

All solid advice by Gene!

Re: Selling Domains
 

Niche, Traffic, Audience, Earnings, Keywords etc etc :)

Re: Selling Domains
 

Do you have an email list?

I've had luck selling to people on my list (in the niche the domain is about).

For example, if my domain is about horse training, I would email the list and tell them I want to sell the horse training domain and receive multiple offers.

I've actually had better luck selling to people interested in the niche (and on my list) then selling to actual internet marketers.

Re: Selling Domains
 

I like locally targeted Geo domains because they are easy to sell to offline clients for a good price and they can be brand new.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Ryan,

Great, thanks that is a good strategy. I will have to cultivate a list of responsive domain buyers :)

Re: Selling Domains
 

Just buy a local geo-targeted domain (location + business type, find targeted offline clients on Google map and contact them via phone or email. This is one of the basics though, but I think Sedo is much easier for you sell as many domains you want.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Does anyone know how much it costs to put a domain up for sale on Sedo? I was able to find the upsells for listing your domain, just wondering if there is a starting base fee just to list it. And is it worth it to get the extras?

Since others posted their domains - the one I have for sale cheap is: 3DVisionGlasses.com

Re: Selling Domains
 

There is no upfront cost to list all your domains at Sedo. You only pay a fee if the domain sells.

See: Price List*-*Sedo.com

Re: Selling Domains
 

I have sold a few domains on Sedo, but I went crazy and listed about 100 domains there and haven't sold anything since. It is a very easy-to-use site though, and you can bulk add domains.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Thought I would revisit this thread and let you all know that I decided to develop those domains so they all have content on them now. Once they have a good income stream going I will then do my best to sell them.

Thanks for all the strategy discussion, I appreciate it.

Re: Selling Domains
 

I am too looking to get into selling domain, but I'm not sure when yet. I like the large sum of cash i can get from selling a website, but I also like residual income.

Re: Selling Domains
 

The numbers of names listed on sedo or afternic is off putting. And Sedo takes $50 so you have to have a name worth..$100 to make it worth your time.

Good names will always sell and will always be in demand. If they can see the whois on a really good name you will be contacted.

short targeted its a fine business, but just like internet marketing...it takes work knowledge, a plan and perhaps a bit of luck

Re: Selling Domains
 

I buy it, get it developed for DIRT CHEAP, wait a while, then issue press releases hyping up the word. Remember, the real value of domains is the CONCEPT behind the domain name. For example, if renewable tilapia gas (I just made that up) became popular, domains based on that concept shoot up in demand. The key is to goose up media attention to the concept.

Re: Selling Domains
 

Any advice on .xxx?

As in vidgina.xxx

Re: Selling Domains
 

If you plan to unload it onto adult webmasters, I suspect your chances are slim. .xxx is not very popular with them. If you want to play the adult domain game try the hunting moon service. Great adult domains inventory plus they seem to have a track record of selling domains that appreciate in value

Re: Selling Domains
 

Wonderful!

Thanks for the advice :) I just thought it was such a catchy play on words I bought it!

Re: Selling Domains
 

Thank you so much DOMAINATE,for you information full description.

It is not a matter of shame that I am a novice here,wanna know the meaning of WSO.
You talked all about the selling criteria,but not the age of the site.But at the main thread I have read about the the age of the site by JOUFULWRAPES.Is not important?
Once again thanks for mentioning DIGITALPOINT because I am a member of it.
Now I feel confident.
I have no confusion also agree with them who suggested SEDO .
Thanks for everything.