Whether you are starting a new business or undergoing a rebranding of an existing one, choosing a perfect domain name for the website is a must. Let’s say you already have one in mind. But when you search for the domain, you discover that someone else already has it. What do you do?
With millions of websites on the internet today, it’s not impossible for two people to think of the same domain name. If you’re lucky, you register it first. But what if somebody else registered it before you? Can you still get the domain you want? Yes. There’s still a way, but it requires some work.
In other words, you can buy it from the owner. But be careful, because this option may have pitfalls if you don’t do your research well.
If you want to buy someone’s domain name, you need to know the steps and best practices to do it right. In this article, we will explain the basics of how to buy someone’s domain and share some useful tips and strategies to limit pitfalls.
Why Websites Require a Domain
Having a domain name is a must-have for a website to exist on the web. It serves as the website’s address so that internet users can find it.
For instance, Amazon.com is the domain for the e-commerce giant Amazon. It’s made of the domain name “Amazon” and the top-level domain “.com.”
How to Buy Someone’s Domain Name
There are two options when it comes to buying already registered domains:
a. Contacting the domain name’s owner to negotiate the domain transfer of ownership
Through this option, you reach out to the current domain owner and negotiate a domain transfer base on the price you agree on.
b. Looking for the name in domain marketplaces
Many domain owners list their domain names for sale in marketplaces. You can also use online domain marketplaces to find the domain name you want.
What to Do When Buying Someone’s Domain
When buying a pre-owned domain, ensure that you do thorough due diligence. Without doing so, you risk losing your money or paying much more for a domain.
Let’s look at the step-by-step process to buy a taken domain name.
1. Check the Website
The first thing to do before buying a domain that belongs to someone else is to check the website. There are many things that you can find here, including:
-
A Full-Fledged Website
It can either be the website of a large company with a registered name on .com, .net, .co, etc., or a relatively small business with an impressive/growing online presence.
Regardless of the status, the possibility of agreeing to sell their domain name in both of the above cases is very low.
-
A Parked Website
A website that is not in use is usually hosted by a registrar who receives a commission for displaying advertisements. They contain advertising links and offers for those who want to purchase domains that are not in use.
-
A Blank Page, “404 – Not Found”, or a “403 – Unauthorised” Error
This simply means that the owner hasn’t put up the website for the domain.
-
A Website with Little/No Content
These websites are put up for domain name sale by the owners with a price mentioned. Here, you need to consider the following factors that generally affect a domain name’s value:
- TLD (.com vs .net)
- Domain name spelling
- Name length (the shorter the name, the better)
- Keywords (for SEO purposes)
2. Check for the Domain’s History
Domain names come with a history and it is best to check that before buying it. Here are the main things you need to check as you go about the process:
-
Domain Ownership History
Check the previous domain owners – from when the domain was registered. Do not buy a domain that’s been from multiple owners.
-
Backlinks
The website’s backlink profile is also a factor to check. By using any popular SEO tool available in the market, such as Ahrefs or SEMrush, you can check bad backlinks associated with black hat SEO. Avoid a domain name that is largely dominated by suspicious or bad links.
3. Decide on Your Budget
Once you understand what the website is about, the next step is to determine your budget before making contact and setting up a negotiation.
There are multiple factors to consider to come up with a spending budget for getting a registered domain. Among them are:
-
Industry
Domain names with popular industry keywords are more valuable as they tend to rank higher on search engines.
-
Spelling and How Memorable the Domain Is
Domains that are memorable and have simple spellings are always better to invest in as they are easier to use for branding.
-
Domain Versatility
A domain name that is versatile to several businesses is obviously more valuable.
-
Similar Domain Names
Look at domain names in the same industry with similar metrics to understand and assess how much they can cost.
Remember, the higher the bar on those metrics we talked about earlier, the steeper the price tag for that domain will be.
4. Get the Domain Owner’s Contact Details
Now it’s time to track down the owner of the domain! Luckily, there are a few ways to go about it. One option is to scour the WHOIS records, which has everything – from registration details to contact info for every registered domain.
Thanks to the people behind the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), this info is available to the public. You can also hit up lookup.icann.org to find the details you’ll need.
Also, note that some owners opt to keep their details private. When this happens, you’ll need to reach out directly to the domain registrar. This is so they can relay your interest in buying the domain name. If you’re lucky, the owner themselves will contact you.
5. Negotiate with the Domain Owner
Alright, now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and begin the negotiations! Once you have the contact details of the domain owner, you have a couple of options: You can either enter a bid for the domain name right there on the landing page, or you can shoot the owner an email and make your offer.
Now, the key to a successful pitch is to make it crystal clear why you’re interested in the domain name. Once you share your reasons, go ahead and quote a price, and make your offer.
One thing to keep in mind, though: sometimes domain owners have a broker or broking service that negotiates for them. If that’s the case, connect with the broker and work out a fair deal to get the domain ownership.
6. Use an Escrow Service to Pay for the Domain
Buying a pre-owned domain can be tricky business, especially if you’re planning to pay via wire transfer. Unfortunately, there are plenty of sketchy sellers out there who may just take your money and disappear after.
To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, it’s always a good idea to use an escrow service. Sure, you might have to pay a little extra but the peace of mind is truly worth it.
An escrow account acts as a middleman between you and the seller, holding onto the payment until the agreement is met by both parties before the update of the domain ownership.
7. Start the Domain Ownership Transfer Process
Well done! You’ve made your bid and the domain owner agrees to it.
Now comes the fun part: becoming the legal owner of the domain you’re after.
First things first, the current owner needs to request a change of domain ownership from the current registrar. A form is provided to document the details of the current and the new domain owner. Some domain extensions require a domain transfer fee while others are processed for free. Once the change of ownership is complete; you can ask for the seller to unlock the domain, and give you the domain password to move your domain to your own account via domain transfer. And that’s it! Just sit tight and wait for the domain transfer to complete and the domain is completely yours.
Are You Ready to Buy a Pre-Owned Domain?
It might seem like a daunting task, but don’t fear! We have a step-by-step process that’ll help you get your dream domain name from its current owner.
Now, let’s be real: not every owner is going to be jumping at the chance to sell. But don’t give up hope just yet! Situations can change, and it never hurts to check in from time to time and remind the owner that you’re still interested.
So go forth, my friend, and happy domain hunting!
