

Ask HN: "Preferred Domain Availability Notification" - Is it bait? - acron0

Today I have received two unsolicited e-mails regarding a domain auction that "might be useful" for me. The e-mail reads:<p>"Preferred Domain Availability Notification:<p>cooldomain.com will be listed for auction in a few days. This domain might be useful for you, since you own a domain similar to this domain.<p>To confirm interest in owning this domain, fill out the simple form here: cooldomain.com [link]<p>Sincerely,Alexander
718 Thompson Lane
Suite 108142
Nashville, TN 37204<p>If you do not want more of these messages, please click the link above and follow instructions at the bottom of the page<p>I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake. Rene Descartes"<p>---<p>The link forwards to a site which reads:<p>"Auctions close daily at 10am. COOLDOMAIN.COM has been flagged as a premium domain and we expect it to sell quickly. Since you received a priority notice from us, you will be given first chance to acquire this domain.<p>Fill out the form below and you will be contacted with the opportunity to purchase the domain when it is made available to the general public."<p>---<p>cooldomain.com is not the real domain name; I am obscuring the real name simply so as not to pre-empt the 'Show HN' post I am hoping to make in the near future. The e-mails come from two different addresses: alex@e-pedagogy.com and alex@tintaquick.com. Both these domains forward to http://dnidomainmarket.com, which appears to be a low-key domain reseller.<p>This has alerted me because I currently own THEcooldomain.com and am fully aware that cooldomain.com is about to become available because I've been watching it for a number of months and intend to snap it up as soon as it does so. I've made backorders on a couple of different registrars, for example.<p>My initial reaction is to believe that if I sign up to this site then I am essentially indicating my interest in the domain and therefore prompting them to also attempt to register it; so that they can then sell it back to me (or some one else) for a premium. So, the best course of action is to do nothing. Alternatively, they fully intend to pursue this domain anyway and therefore would my best chance be to subscribe to their auction and enter a bidding war? Would that auction even be a real auction?<p>If anyone has any advice I'd really appreciate it.
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waivej
I would do as much research as possible on the companies and domain and be
prepared to spend if you really want. I think there is 60 days after it
expires while it is owned by the current registrar and so the last owner can
renew. Then it drops to whomever has the fastest computer to snap it up. I
usually recommend clients look for another domain unless it's perfect. (Please
correct me if I am wrong or out of date.)

This is basically my experience over 10 years:

I turned down hundred dollar offers and bought the domain for $8 from a
registrar.

I let a less ideal one expire without saying anything and bought it from a
registrar.

I had multiple companies offering "exclusive" sale of the same domain
(different prices). I put in offers and lost in auction.

I went to the domain owner and asked if they would sell it directly. They
renewed for 5 years and refused to sell.

We bought an ideal domain for $1200 where the domain was available when we
started and weeks later was registered by someone else. It seemed unlucky and
a little suspicious.

I sold a domain for $375 once. The guy seemed nice but I was surprised when a
corporate website went up soon after.

I tried to buy a domain and they said "20". I was excited until they said
"$20,000".

~~~
acron0
Your information sounds about right. The domain is currently about 10 days
into the "redemption period" which I believe is 'last chance saloon' for the
domain owners to renew it. Before expiring it was ad-parked so I very much
doubt they will decide to renew. This doubt it compounded by the fact that
we're so close to the end as well.

The sad reality is, I don't have a deep pocket. This is a one-man startup idea
that would hugely benefit from the brand opportunity. I'm just trying not to
get screwed. Or screw myself, inadvertently.

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canatan01
Some domain names that are in their redemption period can be bought directly
from the registrar. For example godaddy has godaddy auctions
(<https://auctions.godaddy.com/>) Maybe the registrar of your desired domain
name has the same. I would buy it that way if you don't want to take the
chance it gets snatched right after the domain is available. Never respond to
those emails though.

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waivej
Why does it feel like buying a car from an airport parking lot?

