written by
Joe Uddeme
How to Buy a Domain Name
Negotiating a Domain Price
How to Choose a Domain Name
How to Value a Domain Name
What is a Premium Domain Name & Why You Should Buy One
Domain Names for Startups
How to Buy a Domain Name Owned by Someone Else
How to Buy a .com Domain Name
Things to Watch Out for When Buying a Domain
Domain Name Investing
Buy & Selling Domains
Best Domains to Buy
A great domain name usually has a price tag to match – it’s why we call them ‘premium’ domains. In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains where to find high-value names that can help your business grow.
Premium domains are the best type of domains because they are memorable and tend to draw a lot of organic traffic.
They are short, catchy, and quickly feel familiar – with a high potential to become popular web addresses. They also present great branding opportunities for up-and-coming businesses.
The best places to find premium domains for your business include:
In this post, we’ll look at each of these and discuss their pros and cons.
Key Takeaways:
Buying a premium domain name isn’t as easy as buying your average everyday domain name. They’re premium, meaning there’s high demand for them. You’d need to adhere to specific procedures to maximize your chances of securing a premium domain.
The best places to find a premium domain name for sale include:
Domain name registrars are the first place to search for premium domain names. After deciding on the domain name you want, you can consult any registrar to see if the name is available and purchase it if it is. There are hundreds of domain registrars, so you have a broad range of choices.
There are dedicated online marketplaces connecting domain name sellers with potential buyers.
If you want a premium domain name that has already been registered by someone else, chances are it’s available in one of these marketplaces.
In this area, it’s crucial to have good negotiation skills so that you can get the best possible deal.
If you think you aren’t up to the task, you can enlist the services of a specialized domain name broker to help you negotiate a deal.
There are many online forums where webmasters and domain name owners discuss various topics and the latest events relating to their work.
Occasionally, you can find a premium domain name for sale from a participant in these forums. Some forums even have dedicated sections for users to list domain names for sale.
Many registrars host auctions for domain names expiring on their platform, giving potential buyers a good opportunity to get their hands on useful domains.
Periodically, you can find a valuable domain name on these auction sites and acquire them. But, note that you’ll be bidding against other moneyed buyers, and the competition can be tough.
Here are some examples of reputed platforms where you can acquire premium domains;
Name Experts is a domain name broker specializing in premium domains. It has a select number of premium domain names listed for sale. Here are a few of the types of premium domains offered for sale:
Domains like Trucker.com, Greece.com and Max.com are the type of premium domains sold by Name Experts, which currently lists proud.com and eight.com as available.
If you have a specific domain name in mind that’s already registered, you can enlist Name Experts’ experienced brokers to help you track down the owner and negotiate a possible deal.
Name Experts has considerable experience in brokering premium domain sales for third-parties, so you’ll be in safe hands. Since inception, the business has brokered over $150 million in domain name sales.
One of the main advantages of using a domain broker like Name Experts is that you can protect your anonymity while purchasing a premium domain.
If the seller knows your identity, they may assume you have deep pockets and hike the prices, but going through a domain broker prevents that from happening.
In case you’re not able to get the domain name you want, a domain broker can also give you great advice on finding an alternative one.
GoDaddy is one of the world’s largest domain registrars, serving millions of customers. You can search for any domain name on the platform to see if it’s available and register it straight away if it is.
Alongside typical domain registration, GoDaddy also holds auctions for domain names expiring on its platform, and you can bid for them.
Millions of customers use GoDaddy, so you’ll be in good company if you choose it. But, over the years, many people have accused the platform of domain name front-running, which entails registering a domain name after one of its users searches for it for the purpose of flipping it for profit. GoDaddy has continued to deny such practice, but the accusation lingers.
To err on the safe side, you should check for availability on other domain registrars before heading to GoDaddy to register a domain.
GoDaddy’s domain prices are pretty reasonable, and the platform gives significant discounts to new buyers.
One downside of GoDaddy is that it offers many extra services outside domain registration and tends to upsell them. As a result, a beginner may find it difficult to navigate the platform.
Sedo is a dedicated domain name marketplace and one of the most popular in its space, with over 18 million registered users.
It allows domain name owners to list their domains for sale and prospective buyers to get in touch with them. If there’s a premium domain name for sale, chances are it’s listed on Sedo.
When you head to the Sedo website, there’s a search bar where you can input any keyword and generate a list of premium domain names for sale matching that keyword.
To demonstrate, we searched for “laptops” and got the results displayed in the below image;
You can see the domains laptops.info, computers.org, and notebooks.org readily listed for sale with a “buy now” button next to them.
These are domains that their owners have listed with a set price. You can also see others, like laptops.com and lapto.ps, which their owners have listed without a set price and are entertaining offers.
Sedo also hosts auctions for some domain names listed on its platform. These auctions present reliable opportunities to get your hands on premium domains without strenuous effort.
Network Solutions is a well-known domain registrar with over 7 million domains registered on its platform. It offers over 500 domain name extensions, including popular ones like .com, .org, .net, and .info.
Alongside typical domain registration, Network Solutions also offers premium domain names for sale on its platform.
There’s a marketplace on the platform where domain owners list their domains and seek potential buyers. You can get in touch with these owners and negotiate a deal.
Likewise, Network Solutions holds auctions for expiring domain names. You can place back-orders to give you the chance to acquire these domains once they become available for sale.
Network Solutions also offers domain brokerage services. For a fee, the company’s representatives can make offers for domain names you want.
There’s no guarantee that you’ll get the domain name this way, but there’s no harm in trying.
Domain.com is a typical example of a premium domain name bringing great value to a business. The URL generates a lot of organic traffic for this domain name registrar, which is valuable considering the intense competition in the industry.
On Domain.com, you can find premium domains at competitive prices. There’s a search bar where you can insert your keyword and get a corresponding list of premium domain names for sale.
Our investigation indicates that Domain.com has a large inventory of premium domains available for immediate purchase.
If a domain name you want has already been taken, you can use Domain.com’s WHOIS lookup tool to check for the owner’s contact details.
The details should be available if the owner hasn’t enabled domain privacy protection. If you find the details, you can get in touch with them directly or enlist the services of a domain name broker to help you negotiate a deal.
The downside of Domain.com is that it has no domain name marketplace connecting owners and potential buyers.
Namecheap stays true to its name – in that its domain names are pretty affordable.
It’s a proven place for finding a list of premium domain names for sale associated with a specific keyword for reasonable prices.
You can use the Namecheap search bar to search for available domain names. Likewise, there’s a dedicated marketplace where you can buy listed domains instantly or participate in auctions.
Getting a premium domain can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days or even months. It ultimately depends on availability. If a premium domain name is listed at a set price, you can acquire it immediately. Otherwise, direct negotiations can take a long time, depending on the owner’s responsiveness.
Yes, they expire just like any other domain. That’s why you can find some expiring ones on the auction block. It’s essential to ensure your domain name doesn’t expire by placing it on automatic renewal. Check out our guide about what to do if you lose your domain name.
There is no single definition for this, though most domain name brokers consider a premium domain name to be one listed for a significant five-figure sum or higher. Some premium domain names can fetch millions, such as cars.com, which sold for almost a billion dollars. If you are interested in high-value domain names, take a look at our analysis of the most expensive domain names ever sold.
Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. If you’d like help with buying or selling a domain name, contact us at: [email protected]
Securing the perfect domain is crucial for setting your business apart—and that’s where domain name brokers come in. In this expert review, domain industry specialist Joe Uddeme highlights 10 of the best domain name brokerage services and explains their pros and cons.
One of the most common questions we are asked is, ‘Can I own my domain name forever?’ While the simple answer is ‘no’, Name Experts director Joe Uddeme explains a reliable workaround... While it’s not possible to buy a domain name forever in the classical sense, there are ways to ensure long-term control over your domain. Website registration typically involves leasing a domain name for a specific period, usually between one to ten years. However, some registrars offer lifetime domain registration options or auto-renewal features that can help you maintain ownership for an extended period to buy a domain name. By opting for these services, you can avoid the hassle of frequent renewals and ensure that your domain name remains yours for as long as you need it. This approach provides peace of mind and stability for your online presence, allowing you to focus on building and growing your website without worrying about losing your domain. It’s an especially important consideration when you want to buy a premium domain name. Key Takeaways Understand the truth about “ownership” of a domain name Know your rights and responsibilities as a domain name owner Learn about settings and protocols that can help protect you
In this article, we look at the ins and outs of buying and selling a domain name for your business. Here’s NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme to walk you through the process. Are you new to the industry and need to know how to buy and sell domain names? You’re most likely looking for the best places you can buy domains, where to sell your domains, how to transfer names to your buyer, how much you can sell your names for, and more. At Name Experts, we help corporations and individuals around the world buy and sell domain name assets. It’s what we’ve been doing for more than 15 years, and we have brokered deals worth more than $150m. So you can trust the information in this post. If you need more help, get in touch. We’ll help you navigate the waters – and even help you choose a great domain name for your business at the best price. Here’s our complete guide to buying and selling domain names – updated for 2025. Key Takeaways Buying domain names – everything you need to know Selling domain names – everything you need to know How a domain name broker can be your ‘secret weapon’ when buying or selling Buying domain names Buying the right domain name for your brand can be a pretty big undertaking. New TLDs like .online or .law are part of more than 1,500 alternative top level domains that can sometimes confuse your customers. How can you know what the right choice is to help your business grow? Or maybe you’re buying domains to turn around and sell them. Whatever you need a new domain name for, having a broker on your side to help you with how to buy and sell domain names and get the domain purchase over the finish line. Especially when it comes to the negotiation process, you’ll want to have an experienced broker who knows what your purpose is for the domain name so that they can plan the proper strategy. We also encourage you to use an accredited, third-party escrow provider. We use Escrow.com as the preferred method for domain purchase transactions because it identifies all the parties involved to ensure proper transfer and a smooth transaction experience. The broker you choose should be able to work with the escrow provider and help you complete the entire domain purchase process. Escrow Process to Buy a Domain Name Here are the general steps outlined below: Buyer and seller agree to terms Buyer selects a payment method Escrow secures buyer’s payment Escrow will prompt the seller to transfer The transfer will occur either by account transfer or authorization code Seller confirms shipment of merchandise Buyer confirms receipt of a domain name in the account Buyer marks the transaction complete Domain Purchase and choosing the right broker Your domain broker should be open to communicating with you throughout this entire process and make sure the timeline is being met – as well as meeting all other expectations. At Name Experts, we will make sure that we will get you the domain you want or find an appropriate alternative if the one you want truly isn’t available. Most reputable brokers will charge a fee for any successful acquisition and should be upfront with you about that fee. They’ll also help you with successfully transferring domains so that everything is out of your hands when all is said and done. Selling Domain Names Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned domain investor with dozens of assets or someone who just has one domain name to sell, it’s always a good idea to hire a professional who knows what they are doing. Domain experts make it their mission to maximize your sales potential and work on your behalf. This means letting you know if you’re sitting on a goldmine when it comes to domains or buying assets that are only worth a few pennies – they’ll help you figure out the value of your domain. The first step of the selling process is to establish the right expectation for your domains. Sellers should identify their needs and realistically price their assets in a way that will make people want to buy them. We’ll help you identify your goals and get to the bottom of why you’re really selling. Typically, there are different types of pricing models that we use to sell your domain name, but it all depends on intent. They include retail sellers, market seller, and liquidation seller. At Name Experts, we have experience negotiating and marketing your name assets successfully. We have the knowledge to help you nail down a strategy to make sure the right people are seeing your domain names. If you’re in the market to sell, we will help you with all of our services. Value your Domain Name Your domain name, and really anyone’s domain name, is only worth as much as a buyer is willing to pay. There are different factors to consider, though. For example, single word .com assets sell for a higher price than longer names. At Name Experts, we will evaluate your assets and take comparisons of other names that recently sold in the market. We’ll make sure you have a realistic expectation of what your domain is worth. Marketing Especially if you’re new in this industry, you’ll want someone experienced putting your name in front of the right people. We use a combination of email, phone, and press releases to ensure global exposure. This also includes reaching out to our industry-wide relationships to help you find the perfect buyer. Negotiation Don’t leave money on the table. Let Name Experts negotiate on your behalf and help you maximize your profit. Transfer Service This part of the process makes sure that the buyer lives up to his end of the deal. We handle all transfers through Escrow.com, a licensed and audited escrow service ideal for domain names. We’ll make sure that your domain name ends up at the right registrar. Let Name Experts Help You At the end of the day, you need someone you can trust to help you navigate these waters. A professional domain brokerage service can make all the difference. They will outline both the buying and selling process for you and make sure both sides understand the goal of the transaction. They’ll also help you take the guesswork out of the process, as well as represent your interests. As experienced brokers with an industry-wide reputation, let us help you with all the phases of how to buy and sell domain names. When you work with an experienced professional like us, you’ll see that they will also have all the relevant contracts and paperwork to help you secure the name that you want or sell it for a fair price. We’ll make sure that every step of the way is completely transparent and we always keep your best interest in mind. We don’t want to compromise your identity or your confidentiality, and we work hard to earn the trust of our clients with consistent performance and open communication. When you’re ready to get started or just want more information on the buying or selling process, reach out to us today! We’d love to prove to you why we’re the experts. About the author Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Contact him at: [email protected]
Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.
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