How To Buy A Domain That Is Taken
Youve decided to start a new venture and youve come up with the perfect name. But when you search for the domain you want, you discover that someone already owns it. So what do you do? Do you give up and change your business name, or do you figure out how to buy a domain that is taken? If you want to choose the latter option, youve come to the right place.
This guide will share not only why its so important to get the exact domain you want, but also give you step-by-step instructions on how to buy a domain that is taken.
Resolving A Domain Dispute With A Uniform Domain
Another common legal action to resolve domain disputes is by filing a UDRP complaint. UDRP stands for Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy. It is a process established by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers for resolving disputes over internet domain name registrations. A copy of the UDRP can be found at ICANNs resources page.
The UDRP dispute process is a private arbitration proceeding. It is similar to a lawsuit, but instead of a judge or jury, there is a panel of one or three arbitrators. Other differences include the streamlining of the litigation process, such as less formal rules and procedures concerning discovery and the admissibility of evidence.
A UDRP dispute process starts when notice of the UDRP dispute is sent to the respondent . Almost all domain registrars require domain name registrants to agree to use the UDRP dispute process in their terms of service. But this is only binding on the registrant, not the victim of cybersquatting. In some cases, this can be an advantage for you, especially if the registrant is overseas or beyond the reach of a local courts jurisdiction.
After the parties are notified and a complaint is filed, the respondent can file a response brief. Then the complainant can file a reply brief responding to the registrants arguments. After that, a panel hears the arguments from each side.
In a UDRP dispute, as the plaintiff, you will always need to show:
Transfer Ownership Of The Domain
So now you have made proper contact, negotiated a price, handled the paperwork and set up the Escrow transaction. The buyer has agreed to terms and now you are ready to transfer the domain name.
Domain transfers can sometimes be tricky but typically follow two forms for completion. The easiest way to transfer a domain name is by, pushing the domain name within the current registrar.
Alternatively, you may also choose to transfer your domain name to another registrar. To complete this, you will need an authorization code from the seller. Make sure the domain name is unlocked, and privacy removed before you try and transfer the domain name.
Once the transfer has been completed, you can release the funds to the seller and mark the transaction complete.
The entire process for a domain name transaction can be completed in as short as 3-5 days, however most transactions take longer. Some transactions take months to come to fruition, but when it is complete you will be the new owner of that domain and you will have successfully purchased a domain name that was owned by someone else.
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What Are Domain Name Extensions
Domain name extensions help categorize different domain names. Its a special hierarchy, invented for the Internet.
You can choose among popular top-level domain extensions such as:
Or go with a local domain extension such as if you want to focus on building a presence in a specific country:
Also, theres a bunch of creative domain extensions, launched recently. You can try playing around with them to create a shorter, brandable name. For example:
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What Should You Look For In A Domain Registrar
We discussed this in-depth in our How to Select the Best Domain Registrar article.
Here are the most important things that you should look for:
- Low pricing. You dont want to spend more money than you have to. Fortunately, the competition in this industry is fierce, so all major companies offer affordable pricing.
- Free WHOIS protection. People can look up the details of any domain name and find out who owns it. This might present privacy issues. Its best to use WHOIS protection which prevents snoopers from seeing this information.
- Auto-renewals. If you dont renew a domain name it eventually goes back on the market. This might cause serious problems if some enterprising individual snatches your domain name and then offers to sell it back to you for a substantial amount of money. Thats why its best to go with a domain registrar that automatically renews your domain name.
Also, if a domain registrar is not transparent about their pricing, you should see that as a red flag and stay away.
Another thing to watch out for is a bad user interface. You shouldnt need a computer science Ph.D. to figure out how to do basic tasks such as parking or transferring domains.
Finally, if a domain registrar doesnt offer 24/7 customer support, it might be too risky to use their services. What if something goes wrong and you need immediate assistance? You can lose a lot of money in potential revenue if the problem isnt solved right away.
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Which Option Is Best For Me
For most people, buying a new domain is going to be the preferred route to take. Youll not only get the best deal, but the registration and purchase process will be the simplest.
In time, as your experience and online assets grow it might make sense to negotiate for a domain or purchase an expired domain.
But, when youre just starting out make it easy on yourself and find a solid new domain.
HostGators domain registration is easy, the prices are fair, and you can take care of your domain management and renewals in the same place you manage your web hosting services and website updates.
Domain registration doesnt have to be expensive or difficult. Simply use our domain search tool to find the domain you want, and it can be yours within minutes. Still looking for a hosting provider to help you build your online presence? HostGator is a leading hosting provider that offers a number of different hosting packages so you can build your perfect website.
Start By Evaluating Your Goals
We know that a lot goes into finding the right domain name. The first step is to think about your long term goals for your company and make sure that your domain is equipped for business growth.
When you work with a domain broker like us, well help you evaluate the best strategy to make sure that the domain you want even if its owned by someone else is the one that is right for your business.
First, evaluate the current domain. Is there a real working website there? Has it been updated recently? If it is, then most likely the owner wont be interested in selling. However, if its really outdated or is just a placeholder website, then you can approach the owner with confidence.
Sometimes owners of certain domains are just waiting for the right buyer to come their way and make an offer. Investigating the domain you want is crucial is making sure youre about to pay the right price.
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Picking A Domain Name
Once you have decided which TLD to use, its time to determine the best domain name for your business. An important first consideration is the length of the domain name. Keep it as short as possible. The shorter the domain name, the easier it will be to remember and type correctly. Shorter domain names are also visually more appealing on marketing materials, both physical and digital. Thisisarray.com looks much cleaner than something like Wearethecompanyarraydigital.com and is much easier to remember and type. This is an obvious exaggeration but the more concise your web address, the better chance you have of gaining web traffic. Spelling is also important try not to get too creative with spelling, thatll just confuse users. Stick with common spellings in your domain name.
Whenever possible, domain names should also represent the brand or image that you or your company are trying to portray. Generally, companies will try to get their actual company name or at least a part of it as their domain name because it makes it much easier to remember or find through a search engine. For example, walmart.com, amazon.com, and google.com all use the company name as the domain name. Even if a user cant remember the specific website domain, they are likely to type in the company name into a search engine and find the site that way.
Set A Budget For Your Domain Name Purchase
Keep in mind that the price of a domain name can vary greatly depending on factors such as the length of the domain name, the extension , and the overall popularity of the domain name.
In general, shorter domain names with popular extensions will be more expensive than longer ones with less popular ones. So with that in mind, decide how much you’re willing to spend on your domain name.
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How To Buy A Domain From Someone Conclusion
We went over several choices to pick from when you want to buy a domain. With these options, it will open up a lot of new ideas for you to make money in the future. You can try domain parking and hold on to a domain you think might be valuable in the future. Maybe you want to accumulate a good number of domains that are all in a certain category. That would create an exciting auction site that people could use.
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A great place to buy a domain
What Is Domain Privacy And Do I Need It
Domain privacy and security is as important to us as it is to you. Without domain privacy, your private and sensitive information may be collected and displayed in ICANN’s WHOIS database when you register your domain. Domain privacy ensures that these details are hidden from the public view. Our package will make ICANN display our contact information in lieu of yours.
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How Much Does It Cost To Purchase A Domain Name
Domain names are unique identifiers on the Internet. A domain name allows Internet users to reach your website with a simple, easy-to-remember address.Domain names are purchased through domain name registrars such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Hover. Prices fordomain names vary depending on the registrar and the popularity of the chosen name.
Scenario #: Someone Owns The Domain Name But Has No Real Attachment To It
Best case scenario youll find out your domain is registered but not being actively used. When you go to the website it doesnt propagate or you see that it hasnt been updated recently. If there are no current blog posts or relative content this is a very good sign. These are usually the easiest names to acquire because there is no personal sentiment to the name and the owner may be willing to let go of the domain for a very reasonable price .
The greatest challenge, in this case, is getting in contact with the owner. Either because their contact information is protected with WHOIS Privacy Protection or because they are dodging your inquiries as spam or unwanted solicitation. In all scenarios of how to buy a domain name from someone, this can be the best chance to get your name for a reasonable price. However, it all depends on how responsive the owner is.
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What To Do If Your Preferred Domain Name Isnt Available Anymore
If a domain name is already registered by another individual or business, it may be available for purchase through a domain broker or online marketplace like Flippa, Sedo or GoDaddy Domain Auctions.
A domain name that is for sale
This means that the owner is interested in offers. When you click the link, youll usually get taken to a form where you can register your interest. In some cases, youll even see the amount the seller demands.
If the price of your desired domain is very high, dont be discouraged as everything in life is negotiable, and this also applies to domain names.
For the example above , we dont know the asking price. But my guess would be $15-35k as its a short domain name that is brandable. A factor that also increases the price in this case is that there is a service with that name which is currently using an .io domain name.
A little inside story: when I bought the tooltester.com domain name, which cost us a low five-figure amount, I spent a year trying to negotiate with the seller . He wouldnt go down even a penny, which I found extremely frustrating. So unfortunately, there are these cases too, but its not the norm.
Registering A Domain Name: What Does It Mean Exactly
This process involves selecting a unique domain name and paying a fee to have it registered in your name. Once youve registered a domain name, it becomes your property and cant be registered by anyone else as long as you are paying the registration fee.
If your domain name has already been registered, things become more complicated. It doesnt necessarily mean that you cant get it: in some cases, the current owner may be willing to sell the domain name to you. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase the domain name through an online marketplace or domain broker.
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If Its Not A Parked Domain Find The Owners Contact Information
If you find that the domain has a fully built-out site, then its not a parked domain. The domain is being used by a real business. Luckily, you still have recourse if you want to buy the domain.
First, determine how likely it is for the owner to sell the domain to you. Does the website look like its been recently updated? Is it under construction? How many snapshots does it have on the Wayback Machine? If the website looks outdated or has just a few Wayback Machien snapshots, its more likely youll successfully start a conversation with the owner.
For example, the domain mellowbee.com looks like a good candidate because its had only a few Wayback Machine snapshots over the years and the current website is made up of one page.
The owners email is at the bottom, so its easy to reach out.
If you cant find the owners contact information on the site, try searching for the owner through ICANN. Keep in mind that a good portion of domain name owners hide their contact information for privacy reasons.
What Are The Benefits Of An Ssl Certificate
SSL certificates provide security to your website and are vital to protecting your sensitive and personal information. SSL certificates keep your online interactions and transactions private through encryption and gives your customers confidence. The benefits include:
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Domain Name Fees To Watch Out For
Sometimes you might not be getting as good a deal as you think when registering your domain name. Below youll learn about some hidden charges youll want to watch out for:
- Hidden fees. A lot of times what might seem like a good deal up front wont actually be a good deal. Sometimes fees will be buried within the terms of service. Look out for things like transfer fees, increased renewal fees, long-term domain contracts and more.
- Short-term discounts. Some domain registrars will offer seemingly good discounts, but this discount will only apply if you register for a long-term contract, or pay for multiple years up front. Short-term coupons can help you get a cheap domain up front, but make sure the costs wont increase drastically after the first year.
- Scams. Some domain registrars that offer ridiculously cheap, or even free, domain names will end up charging very high administration fees, or even manipulating your Whois records. Make sure youre only buying your domain name from a reputable seller.
Domain Name Shopping Tips
Before you even consider buying a domain name, you need to do some research to get the best option possible at a fair price.
Below are three tips you can use when shopping for a domain name.
- Do keyword research and find trendy topics. If you havent decided on a name yet, its a good idea to do keyword research for the most popular keywords in your industry. It will provide you with fresh ideas about the domain name you want.
- Dont be afraid of unique extensions and subdomains. Your domain name doesnt have to start with www. and end with .com. Instead, you can replace them with something unique and trendy, opting for a domain name like shop.mydomain.com or www.mydomain.store. This will make your domain more memorable and unique.
- If possible, purchase common typos of your domain:Did you know that people commonly misspell amazon.com as amazn.com? Or google.com as gogle.com? But it doesnt matter, because both companies have bought those incorrectly spelled domains and set them up to redirect to their correct domain. You can do that too. Its a small investment that may bring in valuable traffic.
Now, lets take a look at how you can buy a pre-owned domain name.
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