I have a project in mind and I would really like a particular domain name. The domain name I would like doesn't have any real keyword value for redirecting traffic and is already registered to the company which apparently owns over 100 000 domain names. It is a name like projecttwirl.com (that isnt exactly it but very similar). The domain name in question is parked on a page with no targeted advertisements because, as I said, it has no real generic keyword value so it's page is just full of generic advertisements. I did a WHOIS search and found the email I should use to contact them reguarding buying the domain, but I have no idea how to go about it. How do I show them I'm serious whilst still not wanting to inflate the price because the domain name probably isn't worth that much at all (or is it? - how much would a name like projecttwirl.com be realistically worth?) Also, is it best to send them an email making an offer straight away, or to send them an email asking if the domain is for sale and what their asking price would be? Any help or advice would be much appreciated
I would say you should send a polite email stating your interest in the domain and asking whether it is for sale and at what sort of price. After this, one of three things will happen: 1) The domain will not be for sale. In this scenario, send another email offering a decent amount and if they still aren't interested, wait for the expiry date and see if it's dropped. 2) The domain is owned by a domainer. In this case, they will no doubt sell it to you, but at an extortionate price. If this happens, I recommend negotiating as much as possible. 3) It will be for sale, but not owned by a domainer. In this case, try and get it as cheap as possible (as they won't know how much it's worth), then work up. Have a final price in mind that you don't want to go over, though.
Let me tell the trick. Don't email owner before the last week of domain expire date. If owner did not renew the domain at that time,then you're safe coz it mean the owner will drop the domain. You can buy it at market price. While if owner renew it,you can sent it email asking wheter owner having interested to let go his domain.
Send them an email but don't give an offer - ask if they're willing to sell it and make yourself sound like a poor college kid or something...if you say you're doing it for business, they'll just want to rip you off. Most of the time (in my experience), people who have parked domains dont even bother responding to email requests. They're pretty much just looking to hold on to those domains.
Don't over complicate it. If you are seriously interested in a domain, present a "best offer" you would be content with paying for the domain. Serious domainers get a lot of time wasting inquiries and don't respond to the "How much for...." emails. While there are a lot of tangible measurements to ballpark a domains worth, they are usually only important to other domainers interested in generating PPC income or reselling based on this and that. My point is that as an end user, the domain is worth what you're willing to pay for it. Ask yourself what you would expect to sell the domain for if you were the owner. If you take the above approach, be sure to state politely that your initial offer is the only one you are going to make as you are considering other domains and wish to forgo negotiations. The seller will either accept or reject it and no time is wasted for either party. Of course this is just my opinion and there are of course exceptions when dealing with certain domains/entities.
Thanks everyone for your input. I have a feeling the company is a 'domainer' so I think I will try the idea of sending an outright offer and see how I go.
just check the domain whois info, and write mail to that email specified in whois. Generally, people give most active primary domain in whois info. if still unable to get the reply, then just check its NS, and try to contact the owner using its webhost. well, i have tried this method, it worked well for me.