dyintorace
dyintorace UltraDork
5/13/13 9:43 a.m.

Has anyone done so? Any recommendations on doing so? There is a domain name I would like to have for a (yet to be started) business I'd like to pursue. The URL is perfect for the business but the URL (predictably is taken). There is no site at the URL, not even a landing/splash page. WHOIS lists an anonymous registrar as the owner.

From the WHOIS site, I can make an offer on the URL, but I'm curious if there are other ways to go about doing so.

mndsm
mndsm PowerDork
5/13/13 9:48 a.m.

The only domain i've ever purchased, I knew the owner personally as I was taking over an existing site. I'm not a whole lot of help here.

N Sperlo
N Sperlo UltimaDork
5/13/13 9:50 a.m.

Yoursite.somethingelse?

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/13/13 9:54 a.m.

I use name cheap to register all my domains. If you want any help with hosting or websites in general I have more than a few sites I have created and run.

namecheap (If you decide to use them I would appreciate you using this link I get a small commission)

for hosting I like to use mddhosting mddhosting (again same thing with this link)

If you want help with wordpress or any cms stuff let me know.

BoxheadTim
BoxheadTim PowerDork
5/13/13 9:55 a.m.

I'm a bit surprised by the "make an offer via the whois page" - that's not really information that is available via regular WHOIS so I would make very sure that this is legit and not yet another way to throw away money on the Internet.

BTW, just because there is no web page doesn't mean that the domain is not used - I have at least one domain that has no web page associated with it (it's used for email only) and another of my domain only has a "holding page", but is still actively used.

The fact that WHOIS shows an anonymous registrar can mean two things:

  • The domain is registered by an individual in a country where you can have the WHOIS details hidden
  • It's a domain squatter that is trying to flog the domain to the highest bidder

Unless there is a good reason that you can't come up with another near-perfect domain name for your business, I wouldn't get involved trying to buy a domain from a domain squatter - they'll jack up the price as soon as they figured there is some interest.

Oh, and as an aside - you don't "buy" a domain name, you "rent" it.

BoxheadTim
BoxheadTim PowerDork
5/13/13 9:56 a.m.

Oh, and I personally really like hover.com for domain name registration and am moving all my domains over there slowly.

Slippery
Slippery Reader
5/13/13 10:22 a.m.

I guess its a domain by proxy. You cant really see who registered it.

I know Godaddy has a service where they will act as middleman and try to "buy" the domain for you. I did that before, paid the $69 and nothing came out of it.

Godaddy owns domains by proxy and they still could not get a hold of the domain owner, he never answered.

Its a crapshoot, you can give it a try and have them act as a broker for you. They will charge an extra 10% or so if you end up buying it.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH UltimaDork
5/13/13 12:01 p.m.

"There are two names left, Popplers and Zitzzers"

Tim Baxter
Tim Baxter PowerDork
5/13/13 1:23 p.m.

I have never once managed to successfully buy a domain somebody else was sitting on. Ever. Squatters suck.

I think in order to retain a domain, you should have to show some usage of it. Not sure how what would constitute "usage" that they wouldn't immediately circumvent though. Dirtbags.

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