How to Buy Parked Domain Names

Buying Basics

So, you have a fantastic idea for a new website or business. Problem is the URL you had in mind is taken. The good news is that if the domain is parked and not currently in use, there's a good chance you can still snag it without breaking the bank.

The Domain is Parked and Listed for Sale

If the domain has a "for sale" note on it, you're in luck -- the owner is clearly interested in selling and may be open to a lowball offer just to recoup the annual fee. A cyber squatter, who hoards tons of semi-desirable domain names in the hope of having one of them turn out to be the next hot buzzword, might be tougher, but don't give up. Go to the next section for how to initiate negotiations.

The Domain is Just Hanging in the Wind

If the domain isn't posted for sale, start by doing a simple WhoIs lookup to see who owns the domain today. That'll give you a contact email address. Fire off a quick note to initiate contact and check if it's still valid, but be careful to avoid anything that might get it flagged as spam. A subject line of "BUSINESS PROPOSAL!!" sent from a free email client like Hotmail or Yahoo has slim odds of survival.

If the owner responds, you can get down to business negotiating, but you may also get your email kicked back. You can try resending your message to webmaster@TheDomainYouWantToBuy.com but don't count on it. Next, check if the site appears in the Wayback Machine, which is a giant Internet archive that allows you to view old snapshots of most sites. If you're lucky, there will be alternate contact information there. As a last resort, try calling or sending a regular letter to the WhoIs contact info.

How to Buy Parked Domain Names For Cheap

First off, don't let on that you really, really want that specific URL. Whether true or not, act as if you have a list of a dozen potential names in mind and this one just happen to be slightly more to your liking. Otherwise it's kind of like walking into a car dealer lot, installing the baby car seat and clipping your CD holder to the sunscreen in the car you're looking at before sitting down to negotiate the price. Keeping the cards close to your vest is rule number one in the art of how to buy parked domain names.

Secondly, you've probably studied up on the search engine rankings and traffic patterns as part of your initial research. There's a chance this is a specific niche with limited traffic, especially now that the domain has no content. Use that to your advantage -- counter an unreasonable asking price with facts and statistics to explain why www. decorativeknittedspatulacovers.com might not be worth a quarter million dollars.

Finally, check the domain history and comparative sales to research the back-story. If the current owner bought the domain for $10,000 two years ago, she might not spring for your generous offer of $50 today; no matter how great a negotiator you happen to be. Wasting everyone's time is not how to buy parked domain names.

Making the Transfer Happen

If you're a trusting person, you can go ahead and send your hard-earned dollars to a Paypal account of someone you've never met on the other side of the globe. Most people tend to be honest, so if it's not big bucks the person will simply turn over the ownership to you. If the money involved is to the point where it'd hurt to have your faith dinged, use an escrow service.

If All Else Fails

Remember that a URL is just a small part of the equation. It's the content you create that makes the real difference, when it's all said and done. Don't get emotionally invested. If the owner is stubborn or greedy, accept that it is time to let it go. Remember the Whois lookup? Most Whois-services offer a number of suggestions for similar URLs that are available for a measly ten bucks or so. Heck, some are even free!

You can also sit down with Search Engine Optimization tools like Keyword Discovery or WordTracker to brainstorm up new domain names with potential for good traffic right out of the gate. Good luck!