Reach Out to the Owner

If the domain name you want isn’t listed on a marketplace, your best bet is to reach out to the owner directly. This might sound intimidating, but it’s actually how I’ve acquired some of my best domain names — often at prices well below what you’d pay on a marketplace.

The key insight is that many domain names are registered but unused. The owner might have had plans for it years ago that never materialized. They’re paying the annual renewal fee out of habit, or they’ve forgotten about it entirely. You’re essentially emailing them to say: “Hey, I’d like to give you some money for something you’re not using.” When you frame it that way, it’s not so intimidating anymore.

Most people don’t even try. They see that a domain name is taken and give up. So if you can just put in a little effort — do some research, come up with a fair price, and send one or two emails — you’re already ahead of 95% of people. That alone gets you surprisingly far.

Most people see a taken domain and give up. A little research, a fair price, and one or two emails puts you ahead of 95% of people.

Let me walk you through my process, using the acquisition of roomai.com as a running example.