When I read Ron Jackson’s weekly sale report, I see at least one or two domain names that sold at a price I would classify as a great deal, and occasionally, I see a name that I wish I had bought for that price. When I see those types of deals come across the wire, my immediate thought is usually something like “shoot, that buyer got a great deal. I wish I had known about it.”

I want to share three tips on how you (and I) can reduce the number of times this happens and score good deals. They may be common sense to some of us, but a reminder is always good because great deals happen on a weekly basis, and being proactive about finding them is what is needed in order to score these deals on our own.

For many of us who actively inquire about domain names, we use the Whois registrant email to contact the owner. I was inquiring about a domain name the other day, and something happened that I wanted to discuss and warn you about.

The domain name I was inquiring about is not currently being used. The company that owns the domain name operates on a different domain name, and their .com domain name is not being used. I sent an email to the Whois registrant (a privacy protected email address), and I also copied another email address I thought might be able to help because I didn’t know if the privacy email would work.

Within a couple of hours, I received an email response to let me know the company would consider selling the domain name and I could submit an offer. Shortly after that, I

I was doing some research on a domain name I am interested in buying, and I saw that it was listed for sale on the domain owner’s website for $2,500. I continued my searching, and I noticed that it was also listed for sale on Sedo with a buy it now price of $6,000. To get the best deal on a domain name, you should check all aftermarket websites for that domain name listing.

I don’t have the best system of tracking domain names and prices. I might list names for sale on one aftermarket and then go back a few weeks or months later to list them for sale elsewhere. Usually, I look up the price at one venue to price a domain name the same at another venue. Sometimes I don’t always do this, and the pricing is different. Sometimes I will also update a price at one venue and not another. As a result, the price of a domain name may be different depending on the aftermarket.

When you are buying a domain name, I recommend looking up the listing at different aftermarket websites, even if the acquisition is being made in private. If you see a better price for the domain name, you may be able to purchase it cheaper elsewhere. If you are dealing directly with the owner, make sure you reference the lower price.

The domain market is dynamic. There are a number of factors that contribute to the price of a domain name. Sometimes domain owners are forgetful or neglectful, and their prices aren’t updated across the board. When you are buying a domain name, you should see if you can find the name listed for sale for less because you may score yourself a better deal. At the very least, you’ll learn the domain owner’s previous price expectations, and that information may help you negotiate a better deal.

As a domain owner, you should keep your prices updated across the board to prevent this from happening. Backing out of a deal because the buyer saw it priced less elsewhere might end up being harmful to your reputation.