Domain Reseller

A domain reseller does what his name implies--resells domain names to people looking for the right tag to put on their websites in an effort to build business by attracting new customers. Businesses and individuals that no longer need a domain name will sell the name they've been using so someone else can use it. Unless the domain has been transferred, the company that registered the domain name for a fee in the first place then has the right to sell it to the next interested party. The transfer of title to a domain is very much like a real estate deal. The domain is appraised to determine its current value, is placed in escrow until the sale is completed. The public is notified that the property is for sale, and interested buyers come forward. A sale is made and the domain registered by the new owner. Some companies charge transaction fees, revenue sharing fees, yearly membership fees, and activation fees along with the registration. Others have a straightforward one-time fee that ends the transaction. Those same companies are able to manage the domain for the client, if he so chooses.

There are opportunities for individuals to participate in the business of a domain reseller by becoming a domain affiliate. The domain affiliate allows his web site to be used by others to search and register domain names. A domain look-up box is placed on the web site of the affiliate, and customers can search the shared registered names in real time. The affiliate does not have to register the domains manually, thus taking a chance that someone else will beat him to it. Automation has come to the rescue, limiting the affiliate's liability and any bad feelings a customer might have because he lost out. There are claims by some resellers that affiliates steal their customers, but the way the process works, it's more likely that an arrangement for sharing profits can be satisfactory enough that the temptation for dishonesty is minimal. A domain affiliate makes it possible to take care of more customers than the reseller alone can handle.

Choosing a domain that fits a particular business is sometimes a challenge. If the business itself is not unusual, i.e., auto parts store, furniture store, etc., then one must find something that sets the domain name apart from others. The name of the owner often suffices to give the individual touch needed, but sometimes even that is already taken. Common names especially, tend to be repeated. A domain reseller may be the answer because they will share what they have available to choose from, and the price at which they can be purchased. Names have an importance in just about every part of life, and it has always been so. The Old Testament shows that even God thought names were important: "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." (Genesis 2:19).

A domain reseller is simply one of the several ways a business or individual can acquire a domain name that will help establish an online identity that is unique. Its purpose is to help the business to grow or the individual to reach a wider audience. The person with a website that is not business oriented might find himself making extra cash anyway if he were to become a domain affiliate. Helping people find their online identities could be both satisfying and lucrative. Sometimes a popular name has so many prospective buyers that it is put up for auction to the highest bidder.

Neither a reseller nor domain affiliate is limited to the United States for its business. Clients from Europe or other parts of the world seeking domain names are possible clients, since the Internet is truly global in its reach. A knowledge of other languages would be helpful, but not necessary, for an international appeal. In reality, most European countries have large English-speaking populations these days. Also, if a customer wants many names, the domain reseller can take care of them just as well as the first-time domain seller can, at about the same cost. So, should a businessman know about another business that is releasing a name he wants, he can move immediately to secure that domain name for himself.

Just like any other business venture, the acquisition of a domain name that becomes a business's online identity should be approached with caution. If the price seems too high, it probably is. It is probably better to take the second best choice than to pay an unreasonable price. On the whole, a good deal for a domain name can usually be made through a reseller or an affiliate.



Ten years and counting | Happy BirthDay Google | What would you ask Senators McCain and Obama? | Announcing the Android 1.0 SDK, release 1

Add to: File Insurance Business article Teen Photo Images