Acquiring a Registered Domain

More often than not, the domain name you want is already registered. If you visit it in your browser and see a website, it’s taken. If it redirects somewhere else, that means someone owns it and configured a redirect.

But what about a blank page? That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s available. Many domains are registered but not actively used. A WHOIS check will tell you whether a domain is actually registered or not.

So what do you do when the domain you want belongs to someone else? You have four options.

1. Find another domain name

Yes, this one’s obvious — but it’s worth mentioning. Even if you’re set on a specific domain, knowing your alternatives strengthens your negotiating position. If you haven’t already, go through the brainstorming techniques in the previous chapter. You might find something you like even more.

2. Wait for it to expire

Every domain has an expiration date. If the owner doesn’t renew, you can grab it — sometimes for a fraction of what they were asking. I’ll tell you how I got wip.co for $1,400 after the owner quoted $22,000, and how to use backordering to set this up automatically.

3. Buy it from a marketplace

Many registered domains — especially unused ones — are listed for sale on online marketplaces. This can be a quick way to acquire a domain without having to track down and negotiate with the owner directly.

4. Negotiate with the owner

If the domain isn’t listed for sale, you can still reach out to the owner and try to make a deal. This takes more effort, but it’s often how you land the best domains at a reasonable price.

In this part of the book, we’ll dive into each of these options in detail.