I've wanted a certain domain for a while but it has been registered since early 98. It is expiring in Jan 07 and I want to try and get it.
Now the guy using it has had nothing on it the whole time but a picture, no copy, just a picture. He's got it registered through his company but his email is on the whois...

Soooo... I'm wondering if I write him a nice email asking for the domain... do any of you have an prior experience writing such an email either for personal or for clients?

I don't expect him to be "ya HERE ya GO"... but I don't want him to be like... "$2000 bucks and its yours"...

So any guidance here would be more than appreciated... most sarcasm aside - I'd like some genuine help... thx!

You could pay for an appraisal of the name, and then then offer to buy the name from the owner for that amount.

You could pay for an appraisal of the name, and then then offer to buy the name from the owner for that amount.
Where should he buy for such a professional name appraisal?

a domain worth what you can afford to pay for it.

just offer him some sort of amount where you can negotiate little higher if he wants to sell it.

for professional appraisal i think sedo/afternic are the most experienced ppl in this field

Where should he buy for such a professional name appraisal?

I was thinking Moniker or Sedo, there are probably others as well.

I think if he's been paying the registration fees since 1998, then he's unlikely not to renew next January. So, you are right to approach him. Bashar is correct, make him an offer with some wiggle room (maybe 50% of your final offer). Without knowing the name, we cannot imagine what it's worth, but value is in the eye of the beholder :)

How about...

Dear sir,

I recently came across the domain xxxx.com when surfing the web. I noticed that there is nothing but a picture on the domain. I found your email by looking up the domain's whois record. I would like to enquire if you are intending to keep the domain or if you would be willing to part with it? I am interested in the domain and would like to develop it as a [blank] site. I would like to offer you $[several hundred] to purchase the domain from you. Please contact me if you have any interest in selling your domain.

rgds

Another approach, one I prefer and have had much better success with, is to pick up the phone and call the guy. No stories or fabrications, just a good old fashion down to earth conversation about what you are looking to do how much (see Bashir's comments) you have to pay for it. At the end of the day you will get a yes or a no, either way you can move on.

These are good ideas - thank you for those.

I do like the email route and I may possibly call him, for that is a good idea as well. I don't want to be too professional as that may incure I am willing to pay more for it, but I don't want to be too casual as to portray I'd use it for something meaningless.

The domain is a name - so it wouldn't be like a casino or adult site as to badly portray the name, but more so for a personal portfolio site linking to my associations, works, and blog.

Another approach, one I prefer and have had much better success with, is to pick up the phone and call the guy. No stories or fabrications, just a good old fashion down to earth conversation about what you are looking to do how much (see Bashir's comments) you have to pay for it. At the end of the day you will get a yes or a no, either way you can move on.
/whois Bashir.com :P

Being that it expires soon, you may wish to wait until January. The last thing you want to do is express interest and give him another reason to shell out the 6 bucks for registration.

Sign up for a service to automatically backorder and buy the domain should it become available. Come the end of Jan, THEN you can give him a call. :)

Best of luck.

Just as a note of warning, don't be suprised if he turns you down because he says he is using the domain.

I've had my personal domain since like 2002 and have only ever had my host's splash page on the site landing page. But I run two private mailing lists off the domain and use it for my personal email. I also have a gallery installation of family photos on a subdomain (with basic measures to keep it off the search engines ;) ). And I do test installations of various software packages on another subdomain.

But to anyone casually watching that domain, it would appear outwardly that it has not been in active use for over four years.

Sign up for a service to automatically backorder and buy the domain should it become available. Come the end of Jan, THEN you can give him a call. :)

I agree. Best advice of this thread, unless you need it right away.

I agree with backordering it first. If the owner renews, I would call him first. But if I had to email I would not put a price in the first email. I start the email conversation with asking him if he would be williing to sell it and then I would briefly say what I would use it for.

The key is to open a dialogue. By stating a set amount at the beginning you are either locking yourself in or you are giving the owner a reason to slam the door on you before you come in. Which is why phone is the best route for this. You get yourself in the door and close the deal for better or for worse in one go.

there isn't any place that charge $6/name, even without backordering :D

if it was registered previously then it either gets renewed or get snapped by someone else unless its sick name.


your best choice would be backordering it and wishing no one else is interested so it doesn't get auctioned.

good luck

Anyone considering backordering a domain should read this thread... http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=477474