How to buy a domain name from someone who's registered it?

[misohoni]

I really really like a domain name, it's not being used at all - so perhaps I have a good chance in buying it from the person that owns it.

How do I go about it and how do I contact them?

The steps are that if I buy it, how will they transfer it to me and what's the safest way of paying and receiving it (someone should design a site for this!).

Also, as for ownership - who exactly "owns" the domain?

thanks

[anthonycea]

Run a Whois, all the information should be there, make a offer, if he accepts the offer, use www.escrow.com to transfer the money and domain.

[Weirfire]

I hate it when that happens! :mad:

People should only be allowed to buy a domain if they are going to put a legitimate site on.

1 thing they could do is ban someone from renewing a domain after 2 years unless they have displayed a legitimate site. It's impossible to monitor I know but there must be some way of resolving situations like this?

[anthonycea]

Then all you would have to do is create a landing page and those are already common.

[misohoni]

Well perhaps one solution is to not sell domain names seperately, but to to web hosts - so you only get a name if you are having a site.

How do I find out a person's email? The WhoIS doesn't show this info - can I just do a webmaster@domain.com and it will be automatically forwarded to the owner?

How do I get the domain transfered to me?

[T0PS3O]

You can do a transfer request with the current registrar. They'll contact the person who registered it. If he fails to answer in 5 days and the domain isn't locked, it's yours.

[anthonycea]

Never heard that before TOPS, I don't think it is that easy.

[misohoni]

Wow can I do that?

Do you mean if the domain ownership has expired, but it's still in the possession of the owner?

The domain name that I like still has 1 year to go...damn

You can do a transfer request with the current registrar. They'll contact the person who registered it. If he fails to answer in 5 days and the domain isn't locked, it's yours.

[anthonycea]

Tops is right, this is that notice I just pulled from GoDaddy.

Lock your domains like Top said. That is a bullshit rule.

******************************************
Important Notice Regarding your Domain(s)
******************************************

Dear Valued Go Daddy Customer,

On November 12, 2004, ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers, put in place its new transfer policy for all accredited
domain name service providers.

The previous ICANN policy allowed us to deny requests to transfer your
domain names to another registrar unless you explicitly confirmed to us
your intent to transfer. The new ICANN policy removes that protection.
When we receive a request to transfer your domain name to a new
registrar, we will still attempt to contact you to confirm that you authorized
the request. However, if you do not respond, or are not able to respond
within 5 days, your domain name WILL be transferred.

Rest assured, IT IS UNLIKELY that this will happen. Your domains have
NOT been transferred.

Nonetheless, with this change in mind, we are recommending that all Go
Daddy domain customers visit GoDaddy.com and "lock" their domain
name(s). Locking your domain(s) is free and prevents unauthorized changes to
contacts and name servers. Most importantly, it prevents the domain
name from being transferred to another registrar without your knowledge.
You may lock or unlock your domain at any time by revisiting your
account. It takes only a minute, and it WILL protect your domains.

To login and lock your domains, click here:
http://www.godaddy.com/lock/?isc=gdficgdin

If you have multiple domains, we've made it easy: Just click the blue,
"Lock All Domains" button, and the click "OK" to confirm.

After your changes have been submitted, there will be a short duration
while your request is pending update. During this period, details of
the domain(s) will be temporarily unavailable.

If you have any questions please email us at support@supportwebsite.com
or call our customer support line at (480) 505-8899.

Again, this email is simply a notification of a change in ICANN policy.
Your domains have NOT been transferred, and IT IS UNLIKELY that they
will be. Locking your domains will assure that they won't.

To review the new ICANN transfer policy, please visit:
http://www.icann.org/transfers/policy-12jul04.htm

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,
GoDaddy.com Domain Support

[T0PS3O]

I know. It's quite an industry stirr-up that rule. It's all over the web. See:

http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3434741 - http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum25/2206.htm - http://icann.org/transfers/index.html and many other sources for more details.

[Weirfire]

I'm with 123reg and they've locked everyones domains automatically hehe.

You can login and unlock it if you want. It's a pointless rule but I suppose it will free up a significant number of domains from people who have bought thousands of domains just in case someone might buy 1.

[anthonycea]

The biggest game in domains is buying expired domains, now the domain name brokers will steal names also.

This just generates more money for domain name brokers.

Everyone must simply lock their names.

[misohoni]

So how do I go about it? Is there a place I can go to on the Icann Site?

It's a bit cheeky isn't it? If someone goes on holiday for a while or an email sent to your web host who registers the name doesn't respond - then you lose the domain.

Does the domain automatically go in then public domain or go to the first person who registers their interest in the name?

Isn't it more paper work? Surely if I did this to each top level domain - cnn.com, bbc.co.uk etc., I'd get lucky with one of them?

[anthonycea]

You could also get in trouble for trademark violations if you try.

You have to be sure that it is a generic name if you try this scam.

[digitalpoint]

Of course if you transfer the domain away from someone and they don't respond to the request, you essentially steal it and would open yourself up for a lawsuit from them. :)

[anthonycea]

Yes but if someone loses the name they lose the DNS also, most serious websites will have to lock their names with this silly rule.

Who is running this organization? They must be a bunch of fools.

[digitalpoint]

Doesn't matter... if someone leaves a Ferrari unlocked or even with the keys in it, it's still theft if you take it.

VeriSign settled out of court with sex.com for mishandling a domain (letting it be transfered to a new owner) for $65,000,000.

[T0PS3O]

Regardless of whether it's your fault or theft or whatever... It will bring major headaches. If someone nicks your domain and aims it at a different site, you loose all traffic, all revenue, all business. Could be lethal for many businesses.
Yes yuo can sue them after you find out, but often it's too late I'd imagine.

[digitalpoint]

You sue them for lost revenue any everything else... $65M that sex.com included lost revenue I'm sure... unless domain registrations just got really expensive. :)

[T0PS3O]

Sounds like you got the hang of sueing/being sued :D Is it that enjoyable? I'd rather prevent it (locked all domains and made sure all e-mail addresses were correct).

[anthonycea]

Shawn is correct, that case went on for years, but the name was not transferred the way we are talking about.

The name was transferred because of a letter written that was fake or something to that effect.

I am sure that a simple search will bring up documents on it.

I have some stuff stored on the story, but I am not going to bother trying to find it.

If anyone is interested just search on "sex.com domain name lawsuit", I am sure you will find it all with those keywords.

[digitalpoint]

I agree... lock all your domains and never have to worry about it. Just saying it would be a bad idea to try and take someone's domain without their permission.

As far the difference between sex.com, of course it's different... but there is no where that says if you are too stupid to lock your domains, then you don't own them. :)

[Eb0la]

ive had this happen to me on numerous occasions.. :S

[Weirfire]

People have actually stolen your domain names?

[Design1]

This may sound crazy but i think i am the only one that was happy to see that they did this. I had registered a few domain names a couple years ago, then wanted to move them after having no tech support and them not counting my affiliate earnings. I paid to have them moved then they were requesting things like notorized forms, etc. Now all i have to do (which i am in the process of doing) is unlock them, transfer them, and wait. Hopefully they will let go of them, but now they are actually answering my emails, so this is much more progress than I had before.

Transferring multiple domain names is the biggest pain ...... :|
Out of three companies that I am moving away from, directnic has been the fastest, and their support has always been friendly. I like them and was sad to go, but am now reselling from a place that has equal service.

[Haichi]

I hate it when that happens! :mad:

People should only be allowed to buy a domain if they are going to put a legitimate site on.

1 thing they could do is ban someone from renewing a domain after 2 years unless they have displayed a legitimate site. It's impossible to monitor I know but there must be some way of resolving situations like this?

I really want a domain that has been without a site for 6 years and without a server for 2 years now and the fool keeps on renewing it really ticks me off :(

Edit: I wish I knew about this long ago the register just added something called TransferLock to all .com and .net domain names.

[Mia]

I hate it when that happens! :mad:

People should only be allowed to buy a domain if they are going to put a legitimate site on.

1 thing they could do is ban someone from renewing a domain after 2 years unless they have displayed a legitimate site. It's impossible to monitor I know but there must be some way of resolving situations like this?

That is the silliest thing I have ever heard. So I suppose if I buy a piece of property I should be banned after 2 years if I do not build on it? What if I buy a car and decide to never drive it? Come on. You buy it, its yours so long as you pay for it and continue to pay for it. Who cares what the hell you do with it.

Using your logic, Apple.com should have been given up in 1989, given they registered in 87 but did not really do anything with it. They did eventually however. Either way, if you want to buy a domain and do nothing with it, well that is your purogative.

[misohoni]

But buying domain names just for the sake of keeping them and then selling them on isn't really on...

It can't be compared to buying a piece of property (Shawn mentioned Cars in his comparisons), since property indicates something bigger...here we're talking about a domain name only-not a complete site. Instead of Property, I'd comparing it to someone registering land but not building on it or doing anything with it...whilst in the mean time, someone could be making better use of it...

I can't wait for the day to come, where domain registerations have to analysed and accepted or declined on the merits of the applicant...should stop the majority of junk sites out there...

[Haichi]

Instead of Property, I'd comparing it to someone registering land but not building on it or doing anything with it...whilst in the mean time, someone could be making better use of it...
.

Yeah I know what you mean

for the people who disagree with this look at it this way

You are the Mayor of a City and you would like to create the most beautiful City in the world for people to live and visit

But now thanks to the land owners your city's downtown is full of empty lots with no buildings or attractions

That is what I feel a good wasted domain is like.

P.S. as a huge fan of Apple - I see the Apple.com point but its all relative though what if you are not a fan of Macs, what if Apple the Beatles Record company owned that domain instead?

[Mia]

But buying domain names just for the sake of keeping them and then selling them on isn't really on...

It can't be compared to buying a piece of property (Shawn mentioned Cars in his comparisons), since property indicates something bigger...here we're talking about a domain name only-not a complete site. Instead of Property, I'd comparing it to someone registering land but not building on it or doing anything with it...whilst in the mean time, someone could be making better use of it...

I can't wait for the day to come, where domain registerations have to analysed and accepted or declined on the merits of the applicant...should stop the majority of junk sites out there...

Yes, I now agree completely.. Socialism is the thing of the future.

[Mia]

Yeah I know what you mean

for the people who disagree with this look at it this way

You are the Mayor of a City and you would like to create the most beautiful City in the world for people to live and visit

But now thanks to the land owners your city's downtown is full of empty lots with no buildings or attractions

Ok so that example sucks.. I was referring more to a private lot, residential, etc. In a business district there are already rules, usually you have to develope within 3 years or the city can buy the property back at the original selling price. Of course they cannot just wait unitl 1095 days have passed and then just "steal" the land away.

That is what I feel a good wasted domain is like.

P.S. as a huge fan of Apple - I see the Apple.com point but its all relative though what if you are not a fan of Macs, what if Apple the Beatles Record company owned that domain instead?

THEY DO! Apple licenses the name :)

If the Beatles (what's left of them) wanted to? They could.

[Xaver]

You can do a transfer request with the current registrar. They'll contact the person who registered it. If he fails to answer in 5 days and the domain isn't locked, it's yours.
First the owner will receive email from the new {your} registrar, and if he fails to answer this email there is no transfer initiated.
If the owner answers such email positively the current registrar will send another email, which if remains not-answered will not prevent the domain to be transfered.