10 Steps to Successfully Negotiating a Premium Domain Purchase

written by

Joe Uddeme

Joe Uddeme

10 Steps to Successfully Negotiating a Premium Domain Purchase

Even the best domains can be snapped up at an attractive price if you follow the rules and get the timing right. In this blog post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme shares the top strategies domain brokers employ when securing high-value names for their clients.

Does this sound familiar? You came up with the perfect name for your website, but there’s one major problem—someone else already owns the domain.

The bad news is you’ll have to convince them to sell it to you. The good news? You have options for negotiating and purchasing a premium domain.

Yes, even one that doesn’t appear to be available.

In this blog post, we’ll break down the 10 steps to successfully negotiating a premium domain purchase so you’ll know what to expect.

But before we jump in, the first thing we strongly recommend is hiring an experienced domain name broker. Domain name brokers can help you seamlessly navigate the premium domain purchase process by acting as an intermediary and providing expert advice.

Even better, they will handle all of the steps below for you, ensuring an efficient and effective premium domain negotiation process.

Key takeaways

  • Research is a key part of the negotiation process
  • Make sure your preferred name isn’t already trademarked
  • Always get a professional valuation
  • Start with a reasonable offer
  • Think laterally when it comes to financing the deal

Looking for a domain name but it isn’t available?

Tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll explain how we can help.

Name Experts has helped clients secure more than 200 premium domain names in deals totaling more than $150 million. Many of these domains weren’t for sale when we first reached out to their owners.

Part One—Before the Negotiation Begins

Years of experience in domain brokerage have taught us it pays to do your due diligence before making your first move. There’s a bunch of things to cross off the list before a buyer shows their hand, and these five pointers will get you off on the right foot.

1. Research the premium domain’s history

Close-up image of a person at a laptop, symbolising the importance of research when sourcing a premium domain name with help from a broker.

Domains are valuable, so your domain broker will start by doing a deep-dive into the domain to gather as much information as possible ahead of the negotiation phase. Among the things we’ll investigate are:

  • Previous Domain History: Using tools like Wayback Machine, you can view the website’s past content, which can help you avoid domains associated with spam and negative SEO practices.
  • Key Traffic Patterns: We’ll dig into the domain’s history to understand its previous use, traffic patterns, and any potential issues.
  • SEO Performance History: Tools like Ahrefs will help assess the domain’s SEO performance, including its backlink profile and organic traffic data related to a website. This is important because a domain with a solid SEO foundation could bring value beyond its name, while a domain with penalties or poor history might hurt your website ranking.

2. Confirm whether or not the premium domain name you want to buy is listed for sale

Next up is performing a domain lookup using tools like WHOIS to check whether the domain names are available for purchase.

It’s possible it’s already up for negotiation, or may have already been sold before. But if it’s registered, you can use a browser to check its expiration status for insight around whether it could be up for negotiation soon.

3. See if there are any trademark issues

Before purchasing the domain, you need to confirm there aren’t any trademark issues. Ask your broker to conduct a trademark search to avoid legal conflicts.

Domain names that infringe on existing trademarks can cause costly legal issues, so checking databases like USPTO.gov is a key step to avoid additional exposure.

4. Use a domain valuation tool

The first step to securing a favorable premium domain acquisition price is understanding its market value. A great place to start is a domain marketplace.

In addition, valuation tools like Estibot assess the worth based on factors like the extension (.com, .net), keyword relevance, and previous sales of similar domain names.

5. Consider monitoring the domain for a while

A pair of hands with a clock face projected onto them, signifying the importance of taking your time when sourcing a premium domain name.

If you have a bit of time, it could be worth monitoring your premium domain name for a while to get the most favorable price.

For example, domains often get listed on auction sites from either a sale or registration lapse (you can’t actually buy a domain name forever), providing a prime opportunity for you to acquire it at a favorable price.

 

Part Two—Premium Domain Negotiation Time

You’ve selected a domain broker. Done your domain name due diligence. Now it’s time to kick off negotiations for a premium domain name acquisition. Steps 6-10 will walk you through how to optimize the entire negotiation process for the most favorable outcome.

6. Start negotiations with a reasonable initial offer

The first step in negotiation is to have an initial offer you feel both comfortable and confident about.

The offer should be reasonable and based on comparable domain sales. It also shouldn’t be your maximum offer—as you’ll want to leave room for negotiations. Your broker will then make contact with the seller or selling agent and present this initial offer.

Pro tip: never low-ball the seller. You only have one chance to get it right. Ask, “What is this asset worth to me?” and “Am I open to an alternative if my budget falls short?” You need to be clear on whether or not this is a must-have domain name for your project.

7. Be prepared for a counter-offer whenever you want to buy a premium domain name

It’s rare for a premium domain owner to accept the first offer presented. They know what they have is valuable to you, so they will likely counter your offer with a higher target sale price.

Be prepared to negotiate and remain flexible. It’s common for negotiations to go back and forth several times before reaching a final agreement.

Pro tip: persistence pays off. The greatest number of contacts with a seller to secure a premium domain name for a NameExperts.com client is 110!

8. Think outside the box

If you’re struggling to come to an agreement, think outside the box and present some ways to sweeten the deal while saving you money.

  • Installment payments: Offering to pay the total amount over time may make a higher price more palatable to both parties.
  • Lease-to-own: This allows you to use the domains while making smaller payments and eventually taking ownership with a larger ‘balloon payment’ at the end.
  • Equity or partnership: In some cases, offering equity in your business or a partnership might appeal to the domain owner selling the domain name.

9. Be patient

Domain contact negotiations can take time, so it’s important to remain patient and professional throughout the process.

Avoid pushing too hard and always remain interested/available during the active negotiation. You don’t want to upset the seller or selling agent. Keep communication respectful and open to maintain goodwill with the contact.

If you are buying through a domain marketplace, make sure to align with your representative when trying to buy domains. Domain marketplaces are excellent resources for inbound leads. Places such as SEDO or Afternic provide a market for parties interested in buying a domain by searching available inventory by keyword and TLD.

10. Get the deal closed with an escrow service

If all goes well, you’ll hear back from the premium domain seller that they’ve accepted your offer. That’s great news, but there’s a little more work to do to finalize the deal.

Once your price and terms are agreed upon, your domain expert drafts a formal purchase agreement.

Here’s an important tip—use an escrow service for the following reasons:

  • Security: The escrow service ensures that the buyer’s funds are only released once the domain is successfully transferred from the selling agent, protecting both parties.
  • Transparency: All steps of the process are tracked. Both parties have clear visibility into the status of the transaction and deal, leading to the best price.
  • Dispute Resolution: In the event of a dispute, the escrow service can mediate and help resolve issues, offering a neutral third-party service. This can save you money and be a game changer.

When using an escrow service, the funds are typically placed in escrow until the domain migration is completed and verified, at which point the payment is released to the seller.

After the domain has been confirmed, you officially gain ownership of the domain, concluding the acquisition procurement for your site.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully made a premium domain purchase!

A dog shaking hands with a human, symbolizing that a domain name negotiation has been completed with help from a domain broker.

Premium domain acquisitions can be tricky, which is why having an expert by your side to navigate the process is crucial for success.

Name Experts founder Joe Uddeme has over 15 years of experience helping clients successfully acquire premium domains and is ready to help you do the same, just as he did for Monday.com and entrepreneur Mark Cuban.

 

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. If you’d like help with buying or selling a domain name, contact us at: [email protected]

 

Subscribe for More Domain Buying & Selling Advice

Related posts

Close up of a man in white shirt at a laptop (only arms seen), as if he is searching for info about domain names
What Is A Domain Name and Why Do I Need One?

Domain names are one of the foundations of every global brand – they’re your calling card online. In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains how they work and how to secure the right one for your business.   You probably know more domain names than phone numbers these days. Think of all the news sites you know the address of – plus Amazon, Apple and all those big brands whose website URLs you can guess because nine times out of ten, it is their brand name + .com. While the world of domain names is easy and familiar at face value, behind the scenes, there’s a lot more going on. If you’re getting ready to buy a premium domain name – one costing in the thousands that will be memorable and potentially valuable for a business in the long term – you need to have a solid grasp of what you’re getting into. To stop you from confusing domain names with websites or even website hosting services, this post is a great place to start. Key Takeaways What is a domain name How does a domain name work How to choose the right name for your business Securing a name that will keep your business on track   What Is A Domain Name? To put it simply, a domain name is the address of your website. It is the phrase or word that you will type into your URL bar of your browser to find your website. For example, our website is https://nameexperts.com/ You can purchase domain names through a domain registrar, through a hosting provider, or let a domain name broker help you. What is the DNS? You can’t really answer the question, “What is a domain name?” without addressing DNS. Domain names are part of a large network called the Domain Name System (DNS) and it is managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The ICANN is a non-profit organization responsible for management and maintenance of the DNS, as well as regulating domain registrars. How Does the DNS Work? When you type a domain name into your browser, your computer will check if you’ve previously looked at that domain. If not, then your browser will contact the local DNS server to pull it up. Your local DNS server breaks down the domain name into sections. We’ll use our name again as an example. There are three parts to nameexperts.com – www., nameexperts, and .com. The .com is known as a top level domain (TLD) and the local DNS server will search for this section first, and then serves to find all the details of your domain name and send that information back to the browser you’re using. There are obviously a lot more technical steps to it, but that’s the basics of how the DNS works. Let’s talk more about what you really need to know – what types of domain name extensions are available.   Different Types of Domain Name Extensions All domain names are made up of a website name (nameexperts), and a top level domain (.com). Though the extensions can vary, we think it is useful to know the differences between the types of top-level domains available so that when it’s time to choose your domain name, you choose the right one. The two types we are going to talk about today are Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) and Sponsored Top-Level Domains (sTLDs). Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) Normally, the best course of action is to choose a reputable TLD like .com, .net, or .org. But because these are so popular, there are millions of domain names that have been registered to date. So the name you want might be taken (read our post: “How to buy a domain owned by someone else”) – or it may be hard to find a name that works. Here are some of the most generic TLDs: .com (commercial) .info (information) .org (organizational) .net (network) .biz (business) Sponsored Top-Level Domains (rTLDs) In addition to gTLDs, there are also some top level domains that are sponsored by organizations or agencies for very specific and often exclusive use. Here are some examples you’ll recognize: .gov (used by the US government) .edu (used by educational institutions) .int (used by international organizations) .mil (limited to US military entities only) Subdomains We thought we should also mention subdomains. A subdomain is also known as a third level domain and is an extra part of a domain name. They are viewed as separate websites by the search engines, so creating subdomains can help improve your site’s SEO. Specifically, a good time to use a subdomain is for a blog. It might look like https://blog.nameexperts.com.   How To Choose The Right Domain Name Now that we’ve answered what is a domain name, we want to help you choose a strong domain name that accurately reflects your business. Ideally, you want to be easy for your target market to remember and be something that is timeless. Your domain name broker can help you find the perfect domain name and get you started with the process that goes along with it. Begin by doing some research on keywords that are relevant for your business. Whether it’s the name of your business or another keyword that relates to your business and you want to rank for it, this type of domain name will help improve your site’s SEO (search engine optimization). Another tip is to keep your domain short and memorable. You want it to stand out but be easy to remember – try to keep it to three words or less. You also want to make sure you avoid numbers and hyphens. People won’t remember where they go and they might mistype. Which leads us into another tip for choosing your domain name, make sure it is easy to spell. Shy away from words with multiple spelling variations or one that might be difficult to pronounce. Think long term. You want a domain name that supports the growth of your business and will last for years to come. Changing your domain name later can really hurt your business.   Working With A Domain Name Broker – The Easy Solution Getting your domain name right is crucial for your business or organization. It can help define your brand and form a lasting impression on your audience. Do your research, and then if you’re serious about securing a seemingly unavailable name, reach out to a domain broker. We can help you buy and register a name – even if it belongs to someone else. We can also advise on strong alternative names for your business. NameExperts.com has a selection of highly commercial names available for sale at any time. At the time of writing, these included eight.com, proud.com, fate.com and nickel.com.   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 us at: [email protected]  

Image of outerspace with small icons of people connected by faint lines to denote interconnectivity in the domain name world
How to Buy Business Names for your Startup Success

When you have the perfect name for your new business, it’s imperative you can secure the right domain name to match – ideally not for the reported $11m Elon Musk paid for Tesla.com. Domain name expert Joe Uddeme shares his tips. Need to buy business domain names for your startup? In this article, we’ll explore where to buy them, the steps to secure the ideal name, and why a good business name can make all the difference for a startup with big ambitions. In many instances, the domain name for a startup business name you have settled on just won’t be available. Or at least at face value, that appears to be the case. However, dealing with a domain name broker can make a world of difference. We’re here to make the impossible possible!   Key Takeaways A strong business name enhances brand identity, recognition, and customer loyalty, playing a crucial role in a startup’s success. Legal protection through trademark registration safeguards a business name, preventing infringement and ensuring exclusive rights. Choosing a unique, memorable business name that reflects company values and accommodates future growth is vital for long-term success.   Why Buying a Business Name Matters

Man and woman in casual setting look at a laptop, as if investigating best places to buy a premium domain name
Best Places To Find a Premium Domain for Sale

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: Name Experts GoDaddy Sedo Network Solutions Domain.com Namecheap In this post, we’ll look at each of these and discuss their pros and cons. Key Takeaways: The steps to take when buying a premium domain Brokers and marketplaces for premium domain names Discover some FAQs about premium domain names

Why Work with Name Experts

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.

Some of our most
successful stealth acquisition and sales

Aid.com

Fit.com

Mine.com

GLD.com

Jeff.com

Fora.com

Nori.com

Secure.com

Guitar.com

F*ck.com

Radian.com

MetaData.com

Prize.com

Link.com

Loop.com

Programs.com

Claim.com

Quince.com

Hook.com

QXO.com

NQ.com

Rest.com

Humani.com

Max.com

Need help buying or selling your premium domain?