Ask HN: What is the most you've paid for a domain name?

exgfs - and there was me wondering what filesystem it was.

That hurts! Personally, I have lost a lot of money selling things quickly, or if I'm not feeling that great. I remember selling something on craigslist, and while walking through my carport, the buyer asked me what I wanted for the '63 karmen ghia. I was tired--I didn't like the dude--and just wanted to finish the deal. I told him I need to think about it, but I would take $200. I walked upstairs and said WTF is wrong with me? I had to block the dude from emailing me. As someone who buys stuff, I've noticed young people sometimes vastly undervalue their stuff, while a lot of older people overvalue.

How did you find out he sold it for $100K?

Ouch. :(

Doesn't that feel great? I had that happen. I was in negotiations with someone that fell through and then the next YEAR they decided to not renew and let it lapse.

Fred Wilson's blog post, but more specifically the top comment is gold. There is a template in there which may work for you: http://avc.com/2011/04/finding-and-buying-a-domain-name/

Subject Line: Whatever.com ($2,500?)

Hi,

I see you are the owner of Whatever.com. I'm in the process of trying to find a domain name for a client I am building a web site for and think your name could be a good fit. I am contacting different domain owners as we have it in the budget to buy a cool name and Whatever.com is on the list we came up with.

Would you be interested in selling it for $2,500?

Let me know and I can have the funds wired to you next day or PayPal'd to you. Just let me know your PayPal address.

Thanks for your time.

-YOUR NAME

I think that you have two decent options:

1) Have a friend send an e-mail asking if it's for sale. If they respond with a reasonable price, buy it.

2) Assuming the owner/squatter is remotely intelligent, they'll do their diligence and realize that the .NET is being actively used. In that case, you'll have to decide how bad you want it and/or if you would ever consider re-branding. You could try the: "This is the best offer you're ever going to get, so take it or leave it." But the owner could always call your bluff, and just hold onto the name knowing that it's getting ever more valuable to you as you grow.

I'd try option 1, wait a few months (depending on what they say), and then try some blend of option 2.

Here's an email exchange I had with someone who bought a domain from me:

    Buyer
    Hi there,
    Is the domain-name.com domain for sale?
    Cheers

    Jotux
    I have future plans for the domain but I'd considering selling it. Make me an offer.

    Buyer
    Hi Joe
    How about $500?
    Cheers
    
    Jotux
    That works for me. You can paypal or dwolla money to me, I'll give you the auth code to transfer the domain.

Never hurts to just ask.

If it's not already listed for sale somewhere for ~$50, it's very unlikely you're going to get it for a relatively low figure.

Once someone gets contacted about their domain, their estimation of the domain's worth automatically jumps. So if they're thinking it's not all that valuable, your contact will make them think it's worth something. Even a layperson will think it's worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

I did the same thing (sent an email to the WHOIS) to a name I wanted. The guy responded and we went back and forth a bit. He had just registered the name a few months prior from godaddy and had just paid the $12 or whatever. He however thought the value had skyrocketed since he bought it and wanted a lot more. I just found another domain that hadn't been registered and bought it.

Use the To: field of your request to your advantage. Send him an email along with 20 other webmaster@domains asking all of them if their domains are for sale and for how much. You can even throw in a line that you're looking for a quick deal and whoever can respond with a reasonable price, say $50 or so, will get the buy.

Dailysnap.com is a pretty great name. You should definitely find something to use it on again during this era of selfies.

What did you do with those domains?

Nice. How much direct typo traffic do you get from ww.com?

Wait a second.... You had $15,000 to drop on a domain in HIGH SCHOOL!? That's crazy, and incredible. Ha

How much did you sell Texts.com for, and when did you sell it? Assuming you've sold it.

They must be feeling stupid now that SSDs are becoming commonplace. :)

as are squatters.

Any more clues? :)

Anything other than dictionary words on the new gTLDs is not going to be worth much

Not a very good domain name to be honest. I doubt you will be able to sell it at all.