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Company wants to buy my domain! Sell out or not??

6

617media

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 25, 2010
88
0
I bought the domain Facebookmarketplace.com a while back for about $6.50 just on a whim... I was pretty shocked it was available to buy at the time actually. anyways this company has contacted me wanting to purchase the name for their client.

They claim their client's budget is around $500, meaning I could probably get $750 or something out of them. If I ask for too much, I can tell they will just use a different name that isn't nearly as valuable and stay near their budget (unless they are bluffing). Trying to make a decision today or tomorrow... it's really tempting to having a free $750 transfered to my bank account today for doing absolutely nothing but sitting here drinkin ice tea and puffin on a stogie, but at the same time it's not a lot of money.. and I don't want to make a decision I regret in 6 months, a year etc.

Anyone with some experience with domain trading/value/appraisal who has advice thatd be sick


What I have gotten so far from the two people I talked to is that I shouldn't sell and that the name could be worth far, far more.... but paper is like *****, it's very hard to say no when it's easy and clean.


I just feel like due to the keywords (facebook, marketplace) and the massive level facebook and facebook marketplace continues to blow up, I might be ****ing myself over just for wanting some petty cash. I am a young college student though so it's still tempting.


My other concern/question, is that because I am using part of a trademarked name in my domain "facebook" , is there any laws that I should be aware of? Like in fantasy land Facebook would contact me and buy the domain off me... but as my friend pointed out if they wanted to do that they most likely already would have.

I would feel really, really stupid if I ended up waiting/promoting the domain for a more reasonable offer (in the thousands), and I somehow lost the rights to it for copyright ******** matters.

And also although I don't really NEED the money, I'm still a young college student and it's not like $500-1000 isn't a nice little chunk


WHat would you do??? THANKS !!
 
jav6454 said:
Don't sell. Period. There is value in that domain.
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thank you for the straight forward opinion, that's the feeling I am starting to get from a lot of people.


I suppose cash park, and then skip out on the instant gratification of a couple hundred dollars ?
 
I'd sell it ASAP. Facebook could take it away from you for nothing and probably would if the right (or wrong) people became aware of it. Get out while the gettin's good.
 
Be aware, however, that if at a later point Facebook itself wants that domain, they'll probably get it without paying you anything. It uses their name, which is a trademark. It's not like a common surname that you can claim rights to.

Just a thought. I'm not saying sell now, but if you wait long enough you might not get anything. :)
 
617media said:
thank you for the straight forward opinion, that's the feeling I am starting to get from a lot of people.


I suppose cash park, and then skip out on the instant gratification of a couple hundred dollars ?
Click to expand...

It's not going to make you a millionaire, I'd take the 500 bucks that should cover half the cost of your text books for the term.
 
Ttownbeast said:
It's not going to make you a millionaire, I'd take the 500 bucks that should cover half the cost of your text books for the term.
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lol pay for my textbooks.... thats what you have parents for


I have another buyer now who is offering $800.... I am going to need to pop a xanax soon this is getting very stressful.

And yes I know this is not going to make me a millionaire.... a couple thousand at least would be nice though.
 
617media said:
lol pay for my textbooks.... thats what you have parents for


I have another buyer now who is offering $800.... I am going to need to pop a xanax soon this is getting very stressful.

And yes I know this is not going to make me a millionaire.... a couple thousand at least would be nice though.
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I buy and sell domains quite frequently, and I can't see you getting a couple of thousand for that, being honest.

It's an easy to remember name, but not very 'brandable', and as others have mentioned, there is a trademark issue potentially.

Personally, I'd go back to both buyers informing them of each other and the current offer, and say whoever comes up with $1k gets it - you'll have done extremely well with that.
 
I'd have to agree with those who say sell now. Facebook really could come after you and take it for nothing.

I have several domains I thought might be worth something but I've been paying the renewal fees every year and would be very happy if someone offered me as much as you have been offered.

Anyone want to buy ication.us or ification.us? Yeah, probably not worth much :D

Sell.
 
I'm no expert on this, but I really don't think Facebook would just take away the domain from you:

a) They got so much cash, they probably would not mind paying a lot more cash than the current bidders and avoid the hassle of getting the domain from you through court.
b) I'm not sure they could take it away from you if they wanted to, either. They domain doesn't need to mean "Facebook market place", it could just as well be "FACE book market place" (like "Childrens' books market place"), with FACE being some kind of abbreviation.
 
I'd look into what ICANN has to say on the issue since they are the main regulatory body and authority world wide behind the usage of domain names:

Link to them

Overall the simpler a domain name is the more potential value it has though, it is getting harder to lease easily remembered names these days so it is getting less and less worth the searching for unregistered names to park as the internet widens, you may have lucked out to get this one when you did, and even if the offers are coming from people planning on parking and marking up the price they might not profit from it holding out for a few months for an extra thousand may not be worth the time invested.

And even if one of the guys offering to buy it does turn around and make a huge profit don't kick yourself in the head over it you made at least a 900 percent gain at the first offer.
 
As much as Facebook is a trademark, they have to go thru the channels to take the domain as many people say. However, OP has to prove he isn't using the Facebook name, which isn't really hard and would just mean loss of fees for facebook. In other words, there is little to no risk loosing the domain to facebook.

In any case, the domain is worth something. Otherwise, no one would be bidding for it now would they?
 
Of course it is possible the first guy's client is Facebook and they are seeing if you are squatting looking for a windfall. Countering their offer right away would show that you are just squatting and then they can go to ICANN, who really does not look favorably on squatters.
 
Roric said:
Of course it is possible the first guy's client is Facebook and they are seeing if you are squatting looking for a windfall. Countering their offer right away would show that you are just squatting and then they can go to ICANN, who really does not look favorably on squatters.
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You're smart to think of that as a small possibility, but I know 200% for sure the person offering $800-1000 is not in this case just because it's through a friend on a forum ive been on for years.


I just want to make a decision by the end of the day. I spoke to two lawyers but neither really helped me.

It seems as though 50% of people are telling me to take the money and 50% are telling me to hold onto it.
 
Melrose said:
Be aware, however, that if at a later point Facebook itself wants that domain, they'll probably get it without paying you anything. It uses their name, which is a trademark. It's not like a common surname that you can claim rights to.

Just a thought. I'm not saying sell now, but if you wait long enough you might not get anything. :)
Click to expand...

I reckon not if he registers 'Face Bookmarket Place' as his own business. ;)
 
617media said:
You're smart to think of that as a small possibility, but I know 200% for sure the person offering $800-1000 is not in this case just because it's through a friend on a forum ive been on for years.
Click to expand...

In that case, take the money.
 
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