Ask HN: How much is my domain worth? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How much is my domain worth?

3 pointsLewisham9 comments

Hello all, I own a domain, which we'll call johndoe.co.uk, which I've owned for a long time and no longer use. A company, which we'll call Alan Smith Homes, has been using johndoehs.co.uk in lieu of my domain. I regularly receive confidential email intended for them, signed up by both their own employees and external parties.

This week, I received a signup to a premium web service, which had my email on. I was concerned about my username/password being compromised (but I was sure I wasn't in the Gawker dump...), did a password reset, then found out that the account is probably for one of these people as well.

John Doe is doing quite well, and has offices around the country now, and appears to be coveted winning awards in their business sector. I would like to sell the domain to them, but they have only ever offered to take control of the domain and offer me back email addresses I want! This time, it seems like things might move along, but I doubt they have a realistic expectation of its value. I think the domain is pretty valuable to their business, and would put a higher valuation than I am sure they have on it.

How much do you think a domain to a non-IT company, but well-trading company, where misaddressed confidential email is fairly common, is worth?

Like anything, it's external value is worth what the highest bidder will pay.

It's also likely that you value the domain at some higher amount than they do.

Someone once told me "serious negotiators make offers". If you want to sell it, I would determine a price and contact the appropriate person at their company with your proposal. Something along the lines of:

Dear Mr. Doe:

As you may already be aware, I am the legal registrant of johndoe.co.uk, which I had originally registered for purpose X. Additionally, I am aware that your company operates using the domain johndoehs.co.uk. I am primarily aware of this based on the increasing number of mis-directed emails and website visitors I receive that appear to be looking for your company.

While I cannot calculate the exact value, it would appear to me that your organization may be losing some business because of the similarity of our two domains. When your own employees mistake my domain for yours it would seem to be a clear indication that much like an elegant logo or catchy advertisement, my domain could offer your business increased visibility to your customer base.

With the above in mind, I propose to transfer ownership of johndoe.co.uk to you for the sum of $XX,XXX. For the sake of efficiency, I will point out that in advance that it is difficult to ever properly assess the true value of a given domain name, and sometimes the value can only be really determined by calculating potential lost sales and the impact on confused or frustrated customers who do not realize that they have used the wrong channel for their communication. While I have no intentions of misleading your customers that attempt to contact you by sending emails that wind up in my inbox, I can also not be responsible for politely redirecting all of these persons to the proper recipient on your end.

If you would like to accept my offer, or discuss the particulars in more detail, please contact me at 555-555-1212, or email me: sales@johndoe.co.uk. If this is not a matter you are interested in pursuing, I completely understand and wish you luck in your endeavors.

-- Cheers, Me.

This is excellent, thank you so much!

The answer to your question is how much they are will pay.

Also you're in a curious position because if they have filed a Trademark on their name (in US at least not sure about UK) they can file a trademark dispute.

If you came to me and said you were squating on my TM I'd start legal procedures.

Now if they don't have a TM ... Maybe convince them to do a profit share if this new domain rockets them to new search levels. Exact domains have a much higher SEO value. So in truth it could be a win for them. I'd reach out to who ever does their SEO and let he/she be your advocate.

For UK laws see my link above, interesting - and not what I would have thought.

Well, TM is not an issue because the domain name is my actual name, so I wouldn't lose a dispute over it.

I didn't ever say I was squatting, all I have done is said that I own this domain, it is mine, I get your email, and I forward it to you because I am nice. I would rather this problem go away for us both, but I am not willing to hand over a domain for less than its value to me.

See: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1547943

'How Groupon bought thier domain' - should be of help/interest.

So any successful website can be acquired by any one by TradeMark the domain name?

You should offer to sell it to one of their competitors. That might increase its perceived value a bit.

Sadly, as it is a personal name, the only value to competitors would be squatting, which as other HN'ers have rightly said, would put it square in line for losing a dispute with the NIC.

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