While searching for a name in a certain niche or in pursuit of building a strong domain name portfolio, simply buying hand registered domains just won’t cut it. Buying domains names from premium marketplaces like Sedo, Afternic, etc. can be a great way to build a good portfolio but at the same time may also be very expensive and the negotiation/sale process can be quite lengthy. Of course, I always recommend anyone dabbling in domaining learn to benefit from drop catching and backordering.
All of the above are great ways to acquire domain names but another interesting way to buy domains is by starting a thread on popular domain name forum NamePros in the Domains Wanted section. The great thing about posting buying requests in the forums is that you are in total control – you determine your budget and criteria and that’s it, just wait for the messages to come in.
Anytime I start a thread in these sections of the forums I get dozens of messages from members on the forums with domain names that may fit the criteria in my post. It is important to set very specific guidelines for the kinds of domain names you want when writing these posts. Even still if you are specific in identifying what TLD, budget, length, age etc of the kind of domain you want to buy, you will certainly get a dozens off the wall domains and prices sent in that you will have to ignore.
While you will have likely have a lot of messages to discard, you will likely find a gem in the rough if you are patient, there are a lot of domainers on the forum. One thing I enjoy when buying on both forums is the fact that the buyers and sellers are generally very fast with their transactions. Of course, do your due diligence and look at the forum members trade reviewsand check up on the domain(s) history before making any deal. Something to keep in mind while buying domains on forums is that since you are talking directly with the domain owner, this is a great place to network and negotiate for a better pricing, bulk deals, etc. So if you want to buy more domain names and have clear niches and keywords in mind, I definitely recommend putting a feeler out there on the forums. When you start your thread topic make sure you include the following information.
* Set a clear budget (per name or per lot)
* Be very clear on the TLD(s) you are looking to acquire
* Be as specific as possible of the type of domain name you want – provide clear examples (length, numbers, hyphens, # of words, etc)
* Make sure you have members PM you their domain for sale instead of post it in your thread
* Specify payment methods you accept
