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There's a particular domain I want - should I let it expire?

by Matt.Lake
8 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi guys,

There's a particular domain that I would like to get but it is currently registered. There is no website there so it is serving no use to the current owner, and I see that it is set to expire in the coming months. Of course, the current owner may well renew it.

What would you advise to do...

Reach out and see if the owner will sell it before it expires and hopefully get it for a good price? And risk them making me pay more.

Or wait to see if the domain is left to expire and then hopefully get it when it goes to public auction?

(I'm not completely familiar with the process... maybe I can get it when it expires before going to auction)

Basically, would you risk the seller realising that it is valuable to me and potentially making me pay more than I have to, or let it expire and potentially have to outbid others and go through that whole process?

Of course they may be planning on renewing it anyway But as I say, given the circumstances, I can see that it is no longer that valuable to the current owner (it was the name of a small band that no longer exists).

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Matt
#domain #expire
  • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
    It's a tough call.

    If you reach out to them with an offer they may say "Oh, maybe this domain is valuable. I better renew it now."

    Or they may just be happy to get a buyer. It's hard to say.

    But if you're going to wait for it expire I highly recommend learning how that works. Unless it's registered with GoDaddy you'll need to use a service like Snapnames or Namejet to scoop it up when it goes back to the open market. It's a bit different than buying expired domains.

    Here is a good article that may help you out: How To Identify and Buy An Expiring Domain | Niche Snippets | Niche Snippets
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  • Profile picture of the author BenQ
    I would not contact the owner. It's too easy for him to renew cheaply and then bleed you. Sounds like you have contact info for the owner, so he must not have private registration. That's a clue for me that he doesn't care too much. I've purchased a lot of great domains at auction, so I'd probably set a google reminder and wait.

    But then again, who knows. Someone might have a great tactic that includes contacting him. I just don't do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author micksss
    I'd add to your assessment of to contact or not to contact them... checking the waybackmachine to try and get a good idea of how long the domain has been inactive for too.
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  • Profile picture of the author online only
    If you really want it badly, then I would do the best to contact the owner before someone else does it. Simply offer $50 or $100 and start with the re-registration process.
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    • Profile picture of the author Matt.Lake
      Thanks for the responses so far guys.

      Originally Posted by online only View Post

      If you really want it badly, then I would do the best to contact the owner before someone else does it. Simply offer $50 or $100 and start with the re-registration process.
      haha well this is where people's opinions vary (compared to the above posts).

      If I offer $50, then as noted above, they may well realize that it's worth something to me!

      I'm still open to other people's thoughts.

      At this stage I'm inclined to leave it and let it go to auction... I've actually just signed up to snapnames.com and have started becoming familiar with it for an unrelated domain.

      The domain appears to have been inactive since 2010. As I say, it was formerly for a small band that have since split (in 2010).
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      • Profile picture of the author PaulBaker
        Originally Posted by Matt.Lake View Post

        The domain appears to have been inactive since 2010. As I say, it was formerly for a small band that have since split (in 2010).
        There's a good chance it belongs to someone from the band and has sentimental value, musos are strange like that.

        If it's worth it to you I would back-order it at Snapnames and Namejet.

        I would only contact the owner if they renew it.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEODollz
    Do the research, find out how much a comparable site goes for at auction. If that's more then you'd like to pay then I say contact the owner, be nonchalant, just say if he/she is ever interested in selling you might be interested in buying because that was (insert non SEO related, sentimental reason why you'd like the domain) don't do it from your me@seoguy .com addy either. Use the fun yahoo addy. Probably goes without saying that you don't let on that you know he'll be up to renew soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author patco
    A better suggestion is to contact the webmaster and kindly ask him what he would like to do with his domain
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