Frequently asked questions

A domain broker is a professional intermediary who facilitates the buying and selling of domain names, particularly premium or already-owned domains. Like a real estate agent for digital assets, brokers leverage market expertise, negotiation skills, and industry connections to help clients acquire the perfect domain or achieve the best possible price when selling.

When you buy from a registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap, you're purchasing domains that are currently available for registration. Domain brokerage focuses on acquiring domains that are already owned by someone else - often premium, high-value names that aren't publicly listed for sale. Brokers negotiate directly with current owners on your behalf.

Domain Advisors offers comprehensive brokerage services including:

• Domain Acquisitions: Securing premium domains that are already owned, even if they're not publicly listed for sale
• Domain Sales: Marketing and selling your domain to qualified buyers while maintaining confidentiality 
• Domain Appraisals: Professional valuations based on market data, comparable sales, and strategic value 
• Branding Consultation: Helping you identify the right domain to strengthen your brand identity and market position

You certainly can try, but there are significant risks and disadvantages. When you approach an owner directly, especially as a business, they may inflate their asking price dramatically. You also lack access to comparable sales data, negotiation experience, and legal safeguards. Many domain owners don't respond to cold outreach, or they're difficult to locate. A broker eliminates these obstacles while keeping you anonymous throughout negotiations.

When selling your domain through Domain Advisors:

1.  Evaluation: We assess your domain's value and develop a customized marketing strategy
2. Marketing: We leverage our extensive network, industry connections, and targeted outreach to find qualified buyers
3. Negotiation: We handle all buyer inquiries and negotiations on your behalf
4. Transaction Management: We coordinate escrow, payment, and secure transfer of ownership
5. Closure: You receive payment once the transaction is successfully completed

Absolutely. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our service. Whether you're buying or selling, we keep your identity completely anonymous throughout negotiations. This is especially important when acquiring domains, as sellers often inflate prices when they know a company or well-funded buyer is interested. For sellers, discretion protects privacy and allows for more objective negotiations.

The process typically follows these steps:

1. Consultation: We discuss your goals, budget, timeline, and specific domain requirements
2. Research & Valuation: We assess the domain's market value using historical sales data and strategic factors
3. Discreet Outreach: We contact the current owner on your behalf, maintaining your complete anonymity
4. Negotiation: We negotiate terms that align with your budget and objectives
5. Secure Transfer: We manage the escrow process and domain transfer through trusted third parties
6. Completion: You receive full ownership of the domain with all legal documentation

The timeline varies depending on several factors:

• Acquisitions: Typically 2 to 6 weeks from initial outreach to completed transfer, though complex negotiations or unresponsive owners may extend this timeline.
• Sales: Can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on the domain's price point, market demand, and buyer qualification process.

We prioritize both speed and achieving the right outcome, not rushing into unfavorable deals.

This happens occasionally. If an owner definitively refuses to sell, we'll inform you promptly and, if appropriate, discuss alternative strategies such as identifying similar available domains, making a higher offer, or periodically checking back if circumstances might change. We never pressure owners, as this can backfire and harm future opportunities.

Domain Advisors operates on a success based commission structure:

• For Buyers: Our fee is typically included in the final purchase price negotiated with the seller, or we charge a percentage of the acquisition price.
• For Sellers: We charge a commission only when your domain successfully sells, no upfront costs or listing fees.
• Appraisals: Professional domain valuations can be provided as a standalone service.
• Every engagement is unique, so we discuss fees transparently during our initial consultation.

No. Domain Advisors works on a success-only basis for both acquisitions and sales. You only pay when we successfully complete a transaction on your behalf. This aligns our incentives completely with yours we're motivated to achieve the best possible outcome.

We facilitate transactions through secure, industry-standard escrow services to protect both buyers and sellers. Payment methods typically include wire transfer, cryptocurrency, and other secure banking methods coordinated through the escrow provider.

Domain valuation combines art and science. We consider multiple factors:

1. Comparable Sales: Recent sales of similar domains in length, extension, and category.
2. Search Volume: How many people search for the exact keyword(s) in the domain.
3. Registered Extensions: Widespread ownership signals demand, brand strength, and scarcity.
4. Commercial Intent: The domain's relevance to profitable industries or business applications.
5. Brandability: Memorability, pronunciation, and marketing potential.
6. Extension: .com commands premium prices; other extensions (.net, .io, .org) vary by use case.
7. Length & Composition: Shorter domains and dictionary words typically hold more value.
8. Market Trends: Current demand in specific industries or domain categories.
9. We provide honest, data-driven appraisals, never inflating values to secure a listing.

Premium domains typically share characteristics such as:

1. Short length (one or two words, or very short character strings
2. .com extension (the most trusted and valuable TLD)
3. Dictionary words or highly brandable invented words
4. High commercial relevance (direct connection to profitable industries)
5. Easy to spell, pronounce, and remember
6. Strong search engine optimization potential

Examples include domains like Insurance.com, Hotels.com, or very short branded names like Chewy.com or Twitch.com.

While .com remains the gold standard due to universal recognition and trust, other extensions can work well depending on your use case:

• .net: Good alternative for tech companies.
• .org: Ideal for nonprofits and organizations.
• .io: Popular in the tech/startup space.
• Country codes (.co, .ai): Can work for specific geographic markets or industries.

We help you evaluate the best extension strategy based on your brand, budget, and long-term goals.

Absolutely. Our branding consultation service helps you identify domain options that align with your business vision, target market, and growth plans. We'll discuss available options, potential acquisitions, and strategic considerations to ensure your domain strengthens rather than limits your brand.

Domain Advisors has been operating since 2010 and has successfully brokered hundreds of premium domain transactions. Our founder, Tessa Holcomb, is widely recognized as one of the industry's most trusted brokers and has served on the board of the Internet Commerce Association (ICA) since 2018 a nonprofit dedicated to establishing best practices and protecting domain owner rights. We're proud to have facilitated sales of notable domains including Chewy.com, Twitch.com, IG.com, Brand.com, and many others. We can provide client references upon request.

The ICA is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of domain name owners. The organization promotes best practices among industry participants and educates consumers, policymakers, and the media about the value of the domain industry. Domain Advisors' founder helped establish these industry standards and continues to advocate for ethical brokerage practices.

All transactions are handled through reputable, third-party escrow services such as Escrow.com. The escrow service holds funds securely until the domain is successfully transferred to the buyer, protecting both parties from fraud or disputes. We never act as the middleman for funds this ensures complete transparency and security.

Disputes are extremely rare when working with an experienced broker and using proper escrow services. However, if issues arise regarding domain ownership, trademark concerns, or transfer problems, we work with both parties and the escrow service to resolve matters fairly. Our thorough vetting process before transactions significantly reduces these risks.

Yes. While we specialize in premium domains, we understand startups face budget constraints. During our consultation, we'll discuss realistic options within your budget—whether that means negotiating for a more affordable premium domain, identifying strong alternative names, or helping you make the most strategic choice for your available resources. We're honest about what's achievable and won't waste your time on unrealistic pursuits.

Absolutely. We have extensive experience marketing and selling entire domain portfolios. Portfolio sales require specialized strategy we'll assess which domains are best positioned for sale, determine optimal pricing, and leverage our buyer network to find the right purchasers. We can handle bulk sales or coordinate strategic individual sales to maximize your return.

Yes, this is precisely when a broker adds tremendous value. When a buyer approaches you directly, they've already shown strong interest, meaning you have negotiating power. However, without market knowledge and negotiation experience, you risk:

• Underpricing your domain significantly.
• Accepting unfavorable payment terms.
• Mishandling the legal transfer process.
• Falling victim to scams or fraudulent buyers.

A broker ensures you receive fair market value, manages secure payment and transfer, and handles all complexities on your behalf.

Rebranding involves critical decisions about your new identity, and your domain is central to this process. We help you:

• Evaluate potential domain options that align with your new brand direction.
• Acquire premium domains that may already be owned.
• • Assess trademark availability and potential conflicts.
• Consider SEO implications and digital strategy.
• Navigate the acquisition process efficiently so your rebrand stays on schedule.

We understand business timelines can be urgent. While we can't guarantee specific timeframes (since we're negotiating with third parties), we prioritize urgent requests and leverage our industry connections to expedite outreach and negotiations. Let us know your deadline during our consultation, and we'll assess what's realistically achievable.

Not true. While large companies frequently use brokers for high-value acquisitions, small businesses and individuals benefit equally. Brokers prevent you from overpaying, help you avoid costly mistakes, and often negotiate better deals than you could achieve independently—making the service cost-effective regardless of company size.

This rarely works. Premium domain owners typically renew their domains indefinitely, especially if they're receiving inquiries. Even if a domain appears to expire, it often goes through redemption periods, private auctions, or is backordered by multiple parties. Waiting can mean losing the domain forever or watching it sell to someone else.

Actually, the opposite is often true. Experienced brokers know market values and negotiate effectively, frequently securing lower prices than buyers would pay on their own. For sellers, brokers access broader buyer networks and command higher prices through skilled negotiation. The commission is typically far outweighed by the improved outcome.

While technically possible, this approach has serious drawbacks:

• You lose anonymity, which can drive up the asking price.
• You lack negotiation expertise and market knowledge.
• You may not know how to structure offers or navigate legal complexities.
• Domain owners often ignore unsolicited outreach from unknown individuals.
• You risk scams or fraudulent sellers without proper vetting.

 The money you "save" by not using a broker is often lost through overpaying or failed negotiations.

Simply reach out through our contact form or call us directly. We'll schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your needs, answer your questions, and determine how we can best assist you. There's no obligation, and we're happy to provide initial guidance even if you're just exploring your options.

For the most productive initial conversation, consider:

• Buyers: The domain name(s) you're interested in, your approximate budget, timeline, and how the domain fits into your business strategy.
• Sellers: The domain(s) you want to sell, any previous offers or inquiries you've received, and your ideal timeline.
• General Inquiries: Your business goals, branding considerations, or specific questions about the domain market.

Yes. Domain transactions are inherently global, and we regularly work with clients and domain owners worldwide. We're experienced in navigating international transactions, currency considerations, and cross-border legal requirementss