Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 17 posts

Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#1

Post by hartator »

We have found a new name for our company, the .com is parked (I mean do you know any good .com that's not?).

We have exchanged maybe 10 emails with the domain broker and he is asking us almost $20,000. We have make a proposal for $1,400 (Similar domains sell for this price), and the broker told us that our offer is too low to even be taken to the actual owner. Sic.

We try to find an alternative of the .com, like alternative domains as .io, .net, .ly ... or to add a prefix (my, your, get, the...) or a suffix (app, service, hq...)

I wonder what's the best practices?

PS: We are a web-based SaaS for businesses.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#2

Post by byoung2 »

We have found a new name for our company

Since you are rebranding, you might be better off finding a name where the .com is available just to avoid the hassle of being shaken down if you get big later. Companies that just ponied up the money when they got big are dropbox (formerly getdropbox.com) and facebook (formerly thefacebook.com). It seems like recently you don't even need the .com (e.g. famo.us and socket.io), so you could go that route if your name is short and easy to remember.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#3

Post by notduncansmith »

You're best off prefixing (to get a .com) or going with an alternative TLD. Don't get a .net or .org though, because they just don't have the same appeal. Maybe try one of the new TLD's (.academy, .guru, .sexy, etc)? Also, don't worry about the effect your domain may have on SEO. Focus on solid content marketing and the SEO will come - use paid traffic and a good autoresponder series if you have to spend money on marketing.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#6

Post by hartator »

cylinder wrote: post #4

Is there any way you can find out who the real owner is? The broker doesn't want to take your offer because he won't make much commission. He'd rather hold out for a bigger offer later on. Circumvent the broker. Owner may be more likely to take your offer.

I will do that without a blink of eye, but I don't think that's possible. Both the website and the whois redirect to the broker.

I can double check whois history or website history on archive.org but I don't think I will find anything of value.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#7

Post by hartator »

csmdev wrote: post #5

Find another one. Don't get fixated on things. A business must evolve and adapt in order to succeed. If you are stubborn about a simple name, the web domain is the least of your worries.

Yes, we are working on that.

But, the odds that the other ideas we can have in a .com are still already taken are pretty high. I will be thinking that's a common issue.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#8

Post by jaredsohn »

byoung2 wrote: post #2

We have found a new name for our company Since you are rebranding, you might be better off finding a name where the .com is available just to avoid the hassle of being shaken down if you get big later. Companies that just ponied up the money when they got big are dropbox (formerly getdropbox.com) and facebook (formerly thefacebook.com). It seems like recently you don't even need the .com (e.g. famo.us and socket.io),…

> It seems like recently you don't even need the .com (e.g. famo.us and socket.io)

Keep in mind that these examples are websites that target developers, which at least in the past were more willing than others to go to non-.coms.

Re: Ask HN: What to do when the .com is too expensive?

#9

Post by jbardnz »

hartator wrote: post #7
csmdev wrote: post #5

Find another one. Don't get fixated on things. A business must evolve and adapt in order to succeed. If you are stubborn about a simple name, the web domain is the least of your worries.

Yes, we are working on that. But, the odds that the other ideas we can have in a .com are still already taken are pretty high. I will be thinking that's a common issue.

Yeah in all likely hood any other .com's will be parked but as you mentioned in your post similar domains are selling for $1400 or around the price you are happy to pay. If this one broker is asking way to much move on and find a different .com that you can afford.
Post reply on HN