August 12, 2020

Your Expert Guide On How To Buy and Sell Domain Names

written by

Joe Uddeme

Joe Uddeme

Your Expert Guide On How To Buy and Sell Domain Names

Domain Buying Guides

Name Experts provides premium
domain service to:

MAX
MAX
MAX
Hope Channel
MAX
MAX

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.

Pile of US dollar bills to illustrate blog post about buying and selling domain names

 

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]

Subscribe for More Domain Buying & Selling Advice

Related posts

Default alt text
Most Expensive Domains Ever Sold

If you’d had the foresight to register a domain name like golf.com or hotels.com when the internet first started, you’d have been sitting on a goldmine. Domain name valuation expert and broker Joe Uddeme investigates.   What Are The Most Expensive Domains Ever Sold – An Expert Analysis In the vast landscape of the internet, domain names serve as the digital addresses that guide users to websites. Think of a domain name as the online equivalent of a physical address; it’s how people find you in the vast expanse of the web. Whether you’re a business, a blogger, or an individual, having a memorable and relevant domain name is crucial for establishing your online presence. Domain names are not just about being found; they are about being remembered and trusted by your audience. Domain names sell for a wide range of prices, from just a few dollars to millions, reflecting their value and market demand. A relevant domain name can improve a site’s visibility and attract organic traffic by aligning with users’ search behaviors and preferences in different search engines. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the many factors behind domain name values and explore those that sold for the highest prices. Key Takeaways Serious bidders always assess the potential return on their investment before bidding. The most expensive domain name ever sold for just under $1 billion. Short, memorable names command a higher premium than ever. Domain names can be traded like shares – with fortunes being made (and lost)! What Makes Valuable Domain Names? A domain name’s value is influenced by several key factors. First and foremost, rarity plays a significant role. Just like rare collectibles, domain names that are unique and scarce tend to be more valuable. Demand is another critical factor; a domain name that is highly sought after by businesses or individuals will naturally command a higher price. Revenue potential is also a major consideration. A domain name that is easy to remember and directly relevant to a business or brand can drive significant traffic and, consequently, revenue. Brand recognition and online presence further enhance a domain name’s value, as a well-known name can attract more visitors and establish trust. The concept of an ’empty domain’ highlights that true value lies in memorable and brandable domains rather than random letter combinations. The length and structure of a domain name are also important. Shorter domain names, especially those consisting of a single word or a combination of two words, are generally more valuable. Avoiding hyphens, underscores, and other punctuation can also help maintain a domain name’s value. Market conditions, however, can make seemingly meaningless combinations valuable, as seen with some of the most expensive domain names sold in 2023. Lastly, the domain extension, or top-level domain (TLD), can impact value. The most valuable TLDs are .com, .net, and .org, as they are widely recognized and trusted by users.
Professional looking man (on right) and woman (on left) studying computer as if in conversation about domain names
A Premium Domain Name Makes All the Difference

It’s impossible to overstate the power of a great domain name for a business. Get it right, and an endless flow of online traffic could be yours, as domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains.   The Internet evolves and is shaped by countless businesses, people, non-profits and an array of other entities looking for eyeballs in an ever-changing world. Buying a premium domain name is crucial in today’s clutter. Brands work hard to engrain their product or service in the public psyche and establish market positioning and relevance. Your domain name is part of the deal. Savvy brands understand the importance of creating something catchy and memorable. They need to separate themselves from their competition in ways that remain top-of-mind for their targeted audience. In this post, we’ll look at some of the reasons why companies large and small spend so much time and money acquiring a valuable premium name. And why you should, too. Key takeaways Proof that top brands have instantly recognizable domain names How a great domain name helps leverage your position in any marketplace Questions to ask when searching for a valuable premium domain name   What’s in a name? Let’s start by looking at the top ten brands, according to Wikipedia: Rnk Company Rev($B) FY Employees Mkt. Cap Location Founded 1 Amazon $232.9 2018 647,500 $802.3 Seattle 1994 [1][2] 2 Alphabet Inc. $136.8 2018 98,771 $791.01 Mountain View, CA 1998 [3][4] 3 JD.com $55.7 2017 137,975 $34.84 Beijing 1998 [5][6] 4 Facebook $55.01 2018 25,105 $486.39 Menlo Park, CA 2004 [7][8] 5 Alibaba $39.90 2018 66,421 $432.12 Hangzhou 1999 [9][10] 6 Tencent $36.39 2017 44,796 $434.66 Shenzhen 1998 [11][12] 7 Netflix $15.8 2018 5,400 $153.39 Los Gatos, CA 1997 [13][14] 8 Booking $12.7 2017 22,900 $92.94 Norwalk, CT 1996 [15] 9 Baidu $12.40 2016 45,887 $88.11 Beijing 2000 [16][17] 10 eBay $10.75 2018 14,000 $32.07 San Jose 1995 [18][19]   Each of these companies went out and acquired their core premium domain name – no matter what the cost. They also understood the value of having .com as their global brand. Let’s dig a bit deeper into the strategy of one of the major power-houses listed above. Facebook.com also owns many other valuable pieces of digital, beach-front real estate. Take for example, FB.com which complements the existing digital strategy that was already in place. Facebook has parlayed their web presence by building another piece of digital real estate alongside their own majestic piece of real estate. Another example is Booking.com, with more than $12 billion in revenues. They do a phenomenal job of attracting users with constant ad-driven messaging. They have partnerships with more than 660,000 hotels and provide a valuable service to their clientele.   Why Premium Domains? Let’s continue with the beach-front real estate analogy. For the past thirty years, brands have been swallowing up the short, brandable .com domains. These are the assets that provide the most upside, equity and long-term value to the brands. These assets can hold generic value, such as Booking.com, or be more brandable, such as ebay.com or Baidu – to name a few. Premium domain names have commercial appeal and are typically very memorable. Brands spend huge amounts of money attracting new users and creating brand credibility. Digital strategists – including speculators who buy and sell domains for profit – are competing for a smaller piece of the available premium domain name inventory. Having a great domain name is only half the battle. Success lies in how you develop the brand and create long-term equity for your company. For this reason, companies should always acquire the shortest variation for their brand (Tesla, for example, spent an undisclosed amount on tesla.com so they no longer had to be teslamotors.com). This doesn’t have to be the only strategy. Companies should outline a comprehensive domain name strategy that not only covers their brand but any additional reputation management/brand defense needed to protect their corporate brand positioning. Simply put, premium domain names come with the following instant upside: Brand-dominance and positioning Equity toward a long-term exit strategy Inability to build against – a defensive strategy against your competition Own the real estate before your competitors do! Most successful brands have identified the importance of the premium domain name. They have dedicated digital strategists or digital departments to handle the larger need for digital integration and social media components. Brands should spend wisely and methodically when securing a new brand or piece of beach-front digital real estate.   Get it right the first time with help from a broker Domain name brokerage services like NameExperts help businesses with their domain strategy and are in high demand. Whether or not they work with us, we always advise companies to use the following checklist to make sure they are not leaving money on the table: Conduct Research—who owns the asset and for how long have they had it? Is it being used? Are there active trademarks? What’s the history of the link profile? Variations and Alternatives—brands need to nail it. To do this, sometimes, they need to think outside the box. Find viable alternative assets that define your image and brand. Negotiation is key—do you negotiate for a living? We do. We remove the emotional attachment and red tape to manage both buyers’ and sellers’ expectations. Be Flexible—sometimes you have to give a little to get a little. Don’t be afraid to be flexible and offer ways to benefit the other party in your transaction. Be Honest—honesty and integrity go a long way. Be true to your word and don’t go back on what you say. This is critical for deals to succeed. Ask Questions—hold your broker or expert accountable and ask appropriate questions. Some domain transactions move quickly. A clear line of communication is necessary to save valuable money and time. Due Diligence—dig for more information and market comparisons: it’s all firepower necessary to make the case. Timing—don’t hunt for a CBD-themed/Marijuana-type name when there is mass decriminalization and legalization occurring. The market is just too hot, and pricing will be inflated. Instead, names should be selected “ahead-of-the-curve”. Don’t fall at the first hurdle When buying a premium domain name, it’s important to ask the right questions – it can save the buyer tons of money in the long-run. A common issue relates to trademarks tied to a name/brand. Many companies secure a domain name for commercial use but never take the time to search the trademark database. This quick search can save clients thousands of dollars. Premium domain names make total sense for any emerging brand looking to scale their brand – and shortening the global domain name is still the foundation for successful growth. The top companies around the world continue to focus on the universally popular .com for brand growth. This validates the need for a superb, premium domain name for your company and brand. Get it right the first time and save money in the long run – while adding credibility and equity value while you’re doing it.   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]
Close up of woman typing on laptop keyboard to indicate the importance of doing research when purchasing a domain name
Domain Due Diligence – What to Do Before You Buy

Before getting excited about the domain name you want being available, ask yourself why it is up for grabs – especially if it appears to be a great name. Many domain names on the open market have a hidden past – as NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme explains… Let’s say you just found out you can secure a domain name that matches the name of your new business. Or maybe you’re doing it the other way around and want to start with an available domain name that you’ll build your business around. Now let’s suppose it’s one of those short, snappy modern domain names made up of five letters that don’t mean anything. Now press pause. Before you plan the entire history of your brand around these five letters, it’s advisable to perform some due diligence – just as it is when buying any domain name. When buying a car, it’s helpful to have a trusted mechanic perform an inspection and to review the vehicle’s service history before handing over your cash. A similar thing applies to purchasing domain names. It’s necessary to perform proper due diligence – or you risk wasting money. This article will give you a due diligence checklist to follow to ensure you make a worthy purchase and ensure you don’t buy a domain name with a damaging hidden past. Key Takeaways Spammy “past lives” of your domain name could damage your reputation Discover the tools that help you discover your name’s true past Make sure there are no trademark issues Why You Need To Conduct Due Diligence For Any Potential Acquisition Due diligence means investigating the details of a business or person that you want to enter a commercial transaction with. It’s necessary because it helps you understand the nature of what you want to buy, the risks involved, and anything else that could be a hindrance. Not conducting domain name due diligence before buying can cause trouble. For example, you may buy a domain that has been blacklisted for spam activities and wonder why your website isn’t getting traffic. Or why any email sent from your domain goes to the recipient’s spam folder. You could also buy a stolen domain and be subject to lawsuits accusing you of theft – or one that used to be an adult site. The list of potential risks is endless, so always carry out domain due diligence before any purchase.   Domain Due Diligence Checklist WHOIS WHOIS is a public database containing information about domain name owners. You can run a WHOIS lookup to trace the ownership of a domain name, and it’s advisable to do this for any domain you want to buy a domain name. Check the WHOIS history for at least a year to see if there were any ownership changes. If you notice any, you can contact the prior owner to ensure that they actually transferred the ownership and the domain wasn’t stolen. Domain thieves try to sell domains in a hurry, and this process helps you avoid buying a stolen domain and exposing yourself to legal troubles. Because of Europe’s GDPR data protection laws, you may not be able to see details about a domain’s owner (it’ll appear as redacted). However, access is granted to certain licensed third parties that, in turn, offer that data to people for a fee. DomainIQ and DomainTools are two examples of such parties. Domain History The WHOIS lookup will help you verify that the domain is owned by a legitimate buyer and not a hacker. After that, the next step of the domain name due diligence is to check how the domain was utilized in the past. What type of website was it used for? Is it something that could have gotten it into a blacklist? A good website to check a domain’s history and utilization is the Wayback Machine. This is a digital archive that lets you see how the website for any domain looked in the past. The idea is to ensure that the domain was used for appropriate activities. If it was used for nefarious things like unregulated gambling, domain name scams, or data theft, it’s a signal to stay clear because the domain may have been blacklisted by search engines and email providers. Potential Trademark Issues Ensure that the domain name you want to use is not similar to an established trademark because this can lead to infringement lawsuits and a possible court order to hand over the domain. There was a popular case of an entrepreneur called Mike Rowe, who registered the “MikeRoweSoft.com” domain for his software company. Microsoft, the well-known software company, filed a lawsuit alleging trademark infringement, and Mike Rowe had to hand over ownership of the domain in exchange for an Xbox and some certification training. If the domain name you want to buy is similar to an established trademark, it’s best to avoid it and go for something else. Search Value Another important part of the due diligence checklist is to see how the domain name performs on search engines. If you can’t find valid results when you input the domain name of a search engine, it’s a signal that it may have been blacklisted due to past activity. Check if there are backlinks from nefarious sites pointing to the domain because that represents another red flag. It’s also important to see if a domain has been marked by email blacklists. If so, emails from that domain will likely end up in the recipient’s spam folder instead of the main inbox. Popular email blacklists include Spamhaus, Barracuda, and Proofpoint, and most of them let you run a simple scan to see if a domain is part of the list.   During the Acquisition Process Once you have ticked all the boxes in your acquisition due diligence checklist and decided to proceed with the purchase, there are some essential tips to follow. Tracking Each Step You should create a spreadsheet to track each step of the domain name sale. The spreadsheet should contain sections like “current status”, “date transferred”, and “price”. This will help you stay on top of every detail of the imminent domain acquisition. Setting Up Escrow Escrow refers to a neutral third party that holds the money before it is transferred from the domain buyer to the seller. It’s necessary to use an escrow service to prevent yourself from falling victim to fraud. The escrow service will hold the money that you’ve agreed to pay for the domain and only disburse it if the seller fulfills all the terms of the deal.   What To Keep In Mind For the Transfer Process When you acquire a domain, the buyer will have to transfer it to your registrar for it to officially become yours. A domain must be at least 60 days old to be transferable according to rules defined by ICANN, the governing body for domain registration. The owner will need an authorization code from their registrar to authorize the transfer to your own registrar. Once this is complete, the domain is officially yours. If you need help with domain name due diligence, you can hire a professional domain broker with experience in appraising and investigating domain names. The broker can help you decide if it’s a worthwhile purchase and also negotiate a good price with the owner. Check out our post on domain name negotiation tips for further insight into this exciting and complex world!   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]

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.

Free Consultation

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 premium domains?