ryanking.com for sale, should I buy?
When I was first setting up this website, shopping for domain names, all of the ryanking.* names were taken (but unused by their owners). This is one of the reasons I ended up with theryanking.com.
Awhile back, however, I noticed that ryanking.com was coming up for renewal. Hoping that the owner would not renew it, I setup an auto-registration request at GoDaddy. Unfortunately, my auto-register script didn’t get to the domain before a squatter did. Now the squatter wants to sell me the domain. Here’s an email from the new owner/squatter:
Hi Ryan,
Thank you for your enquiry.
A search for “ryan king” shows approximately over 209,000 results from Google.
Names such as ryanking.com are very much in demand especially as there are more than 60 MILLION domain names currently registered.
If you consider that just recently Fish.com sold for $1,020,000, MyPremierCard.com for $135,250, JMM.com for $55,000 and HorseSupplies.com $52,500 etc there have been many other 5 figure sales - I’m sure that our asking price could be considered an investment for a domain of this quality.
The price of this domain is £7,000 Great British Pounds or US$13,350
(close offers may be considered). This is a one off payment for the rights to the domain, however you will be responsible for paying the yearly registration (approx $30).
…
I certainly don’t think the domain is worth US$13,350. I’m going to make a counter-offer, but I’m not sure how much I should offer.
How much do you think the domain is worth? Anything? Am I just wasting my time and money?
August 17th, 2006 at 11:34 am
I wouldn’t pay more than $100, and that’s only if I *really* wanted it. I think squatters who suck up people’s names are beyond lameass. It’s not “business.com” or somesuch… it’s your name. (Unless you’ve recently secretly changed you name to Business.)
August 17th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
I dunno, $20. Maybe $50, tops. Who else are they going to sell it to? Marginally, they can sit around and squat forever, but you’ve already got a great domain and it’s not like you need it.
Tell ‘em “Thanks, $50 is about what it’s worth to me, so take it or leave it.”
August 18th, 2006 at 4:59 am
20 bucks as a max.
We’re not in the .com bubble anymore, are we ?
August 18th, 2006 at 5:14 am
I’d say ask yourself: Is it doing you any harm NOT to have it? (looking at a Google search for “Ryan King”, it would appear not…)
Do you think anyone else named Ryan King is going to buy it off them and build such a great site that they will get more Googlejuice?
Unless you’re really sure why you want it, then I’d say not to worry. Of course I say that fully realising that because my name is a bit random I DID manage to get myname.com…
August 18th, 2006 at 6:15 am
$0, don’t support this scum.
August 24th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
I’d push Robert’s angle even further: make THEM pay you $15 for the privilege of having you offload the burden from them.
August 24th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
The Ryan King is more fun anyway. It sounds more like The Lion King, than just “Ryan King”.
August 26th, 2006 at 10:21 am
At least 1,000. It’s your name!
January 6th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Absolutely get it! But depending on your finances naturally. RyanKing.com is going to be beachfront property for all the Ryan King’s in the world.
June 28th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Good Luck…..