Re-sell Domain Names - Know the math
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Flipping Domains into huge profits by re-selling them
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To sell your domain names profitable and successful you have to know a few things to get
the best results quickly.
Domain Appraisal - Determine the value of your domain name
Doing this blindly can cost you a lot of money!
Each domain you want to sell is unique and not like any other.
If you want to buy or sell domain names you have to know how much they're worth.
The rules to win this game are simple.
A value of a domain name has different factors which are either fixed or valuable or
be market specific.
There are different reasons why a domain is worth a lot of money
- SEO Values
- Brandable
- Name + TLD
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Fixed Domain Values:
Domain Name
- Memorability - Is the domain easy to remember and can be written without
much typing errors?
If the domain has a memorability and its easy to write this can helps you a little.
- Length - Is the domain as short enough as it can be or does it have fill words?
The shorter the domain the more value should be and less likely misspelled. Should not have more than 10 chars + TLD.
- Words - How many words is the domain comprised?
Less is better, for example fastcar.com is worth less than car.com.
- Substitution - Does it contain substitiutions?
If yes it decrease the price of the domain for example 2morrow.com is worth less than tomorrow.com
- Abbreviations - Does the domain contain abbreviations?
The also redurece a domain value for example expiringdom.com has less value than expiringdomain.com.
- Singular / Plural - Are the words singular or plural?
Mostly the singular has more value but not in genral
- Pronounceable - Can you speak the domain?
It should! ;)
- Hyphens - Does it contain hypens?
Hypens dramatically decrease the domain value, domains with 2 hypens are worthless for any term.
SE don't care about hypen but potential buyes do.
- Numerals - Does it contain numerals?
Normally it drecrease the value instead of the once with a cause for example a company name.
Visitors more often not prefer to type out a number in letters than in numbers.
- Trademarks - Does it infringe any Trademarks?
If yes its useless, more it can cost you money!
TLD - Top Level Domain
- COM - Domain Names have allways the best value.
Followed from NET and ORG.
Variable Domain Values:
Traffic
- Traffic Sources - Non Search Engine traffic is normally relative stable.
Search Engine Rankings can quickly change.
- Long Term Data - The longer our data goes back the better it will be.
If a potential buyer saw that a domain gets huge traffice since months it will be more trustful
than you can only provide several days.
Members
- Free Members - Members or subscribers of a website are like cash.
The are highly valuable and raise your price dramatically.
- Paid Members - If you offer a website which have already paying members its
like a cash machine. You should propably not consider to sell the domain.
I would suggest to outsource as much as you can and get the revenue while sitting back.
Backlinks
- Backlinks & PageRank - The more backlinks the higher the Google PageRank.
This could give you some great extra value.
Website
- Website - Depends on the prospect of the buyer. If they are planing to create a "real valuable" website
they don't need the current/old one. Other on buyers who focus on simple websites like a blog without real unique content on.
They will also benefit of previous pages and content if you sell it as package.
Marketplace Values
- Topic - what is the audience for this domain?
For example grandmoms don't pay online and Nobody will spend huge amount of money for an anti-war domain!
- Need - Is there a pation, addiction or heavy need?
For example an expensive hobby or addiction to chat. Are there huge companies that might be interested ?
- Search Engine Popularity - How often search people related terms online?
If no one is searching online for those terms there will be no business generated.
For example highly technical terms.
You might also want to check if there are some advertising in google for this doman as keyword
- Branding Recognition - Has this domain name branding potential?
Can you brand the the domain name?
Focus your domain on a niche like "dogs" or a sub-nice like "dog care"?
Sub-niches have a little less value but worth to check them out!
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Re-sell Domain Names - Where to appraisal domain names
Change the WHOIS record for your domain to let visitors know that the name is for sale now.
For instance, "Your Domain Name (This name is for sale at sedo.us)" or something like that.
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There are 2 methods how to determine the real value of a particular domain:
- Let a professional company appraisal your domains
- Do it yourself domain appraisal
Professional domain appraisal
This is not cheap! - Some services offer this for free but they are mostly useless
and only bring a approximately value which you know already.
Any domain name is unique and has some values covered above which are
can be calculuated fully by a software.
If you plan to use a professional domain appraisal service and spend some money use AfterNIC.
They are normally appraise the domain 10-20% above the real value :)
Some of the big domain appraisal services are:
The current prices are:
- Sedo - $29.00 Standard Domain Appraisal (based on 5 values) & $49.00 for a Premium Domain Appraisal
(based on 10 values).
More information can be found at Sedo.
- Afternic - Costs you $19.95 each domain appraisal with a $5 discount if you order more than five domains at once.
More information can be found at AfterNIC.
- Godaddy - $5.99 for an Express Domain Appraisal (based on 5 values) & $14.99 for a Certified Domain Appraisal.
The Express Appraisal is more for own interested - you should select the certified if you plan to sell the domain successfully using Godaddy Domain Appraisal.
More information can be found at Godaddy.
Do it yourself domain appraisal
Could be done yourself if you know how it works!
Don't let our feelings take place - be technical and realistic.
Personal emotions can hoke your results in and don't reflect the real value of your domain.
As I told you there is no realistic spreadsheat out there to fill out an get a value.
There is only a guideline which helps you to determine the most accurate value.
If you feel you have a very good domain name with a real high value it's defenitly worth to
get a certificate of an professional & trusted domain appraisal service!
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Places to sell domains
There are several options how and where you can sell your domains:
- Domain auction portals
- Domain forums
- Direct selling to companies
- Ebay
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Domain auction portals
If its a really good domain name with a high value you should think about useing featured or premium listings
when you start promoting your domain.
Those are special domain listings and shown more often at a higher position and usually have a differnt color to outstand from the other normal ones.
Special tips offering a domains:
- Price it aggresive - List a domain with a price will alway generate more bids than those with an option to make a price offer.
- Price it correctly - Do not overestimate or undervalue the domain - try to be realistic
- Alway reply - Even if the bid is very low. Often buyes want to taste the offer but are willing to spend much more than they offered.
Domain forums
Offer your names in big public domain Name forums like:
Or use SEO related forums such as:
An you definitly have to take a look at DNjournal.com
which is a great resource when it comes to domain name and trading them.
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Direkt Selling
Contact potential buyes directly:
- Search for advertising ads and look out on companies
- Search for popular related terms
- Search for similiar domains with a real business on
- Search trough directories like DMOZ
If you decide to contact potential buyes directly you have to do this right to be successful.
You have to create a need for them to buy your domain name - Remember they are primarly not looking for a
domain name to buy.
The have convinced that they have to buy it which is often not easy but lucrative.
The following information should be present when you in selling your domains:
- Number of targeted visitors for the last weeks better months
- Search engine ranking for specific keywords
- Past Revenue if you can provide some
Create a need for that the domain and let the buyer feel he need it rather than he want it.
Rules for direct selling:
- Always use deadlines in your offers - This will help you to get response more quickly.
- Use a call to action - To get more responses on your offers
- Don't be desperate - This decrease the price dramatically
- Don'r be aggresive - This won't help you rather the deal will fault
- Don't say "Thank you" - This can mean you have to sell it which is a bad position
Special Tip:
Tell them that you already have offers about a price "X".
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Ebay
- Use Words of attraction like rare
- Use a specific username like domain-export on ebay to get more trust
Its alway a good deal to check out other domain names and their closed bid prices to get an idea for the market.
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Payment and transfer
No. 1 Rule = No Payment -> No Transfer!
Don't break this rule if you sell domains.
You can use an escrow service. This was recommended on higher priced domains
We recommend you to use Escrow.
General Information
You can't change the registrar of a newly registered domain for at least 60 days (ICAAN Rule).
Account changes at the same registrar are possible.
Please stay away from trademark domains. Trademarks can be checked at
United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Where to start?
Ok lets create a short list what you can do starting right now:
- Determine a close realistic value doing it yourself
- Setup a free account on your favorite auction portal and add your domain there
- Try to offer your domain in realted forums in addition
- Wait what's happen and take a look on the offers
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