Buying a domain from another owner seems simple until you're actually in the middle of it. A lot of companies make the same costly mistakes, not because they're careless, but because they've never gone through the process before. Here's a breakdown of the most common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them so you don't blow your budget, your leverage, or your chance at owning the right name).
Introduction
Buying a domain from another owner seems simple until you're actually in the middle of it. A lot of companies make the same costly mistakes, not because they're careless, but because they've never gone through the process before. Here's a breakdown of the most common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them so you don't blow your budget, your leverage, or your chance at owning the right name).
Revealing Who You Are Too Soon
If the seller figures out you're a funded startup or a known brand, they'll hike the price immediately and there's no negotiation trick that can undo that. Buyers who reach out using a company email or from a public profile basically put a giant target on their own back. Rule #1: stay anonymous until the deal is locked in.
Making Blind Lowball Offers
Some companies send a $500 offer on a domain that’s clearly worth $20k. The seller ignores them. Or worse, they write them off completely. If you send a number without understanding fair market value, you either get ignored, or you're forced to overpay later just to get the conversation back.
Forgetting About Trademark or Legal Risk
Just because a domain is available to buy doesn't mean you're safe to use it as a brand. Some companies buy a killer domain… then later realize the name is trademarked in their industry and they can't use it publicly. Now they either rebrand or deal with legal threats.
Buying the Wrong Extension and Settling
Lots of companies settle for the .net or .io and figure they'll "upgrade later when the time is right.” Here's what usually happens: their brand builds traction, the .com owner notices, and now the domain that might have cost $8k early on suddenly costs $50k or more, because now the seller sees they have leverage.
Trying to Handle Everything Internally
It may feel cheaper to avoid using a domain acquisition firm, but what you're saving in fees you're usually losing in price inflation, wasted time, missed opportunities, and amateur negotiation. Even worse, many founders just skip deals altogether because they can't reach the owner or they don't know what to offer.
The domain you buy today can either be an asset you’re proud of, or a headache you regret for years. Most of the big mistakes happen before the negotiation even starts: revealing your identity, not knowing the real value, approaching the owner the wrong way, or trying to cut corners without escrow and acquisition experts. If you're serious about getting the right domain, skip the guesswork. Do it once and do it right. Either take the time to do it properly, or bring in someone who does this all day.
"Your domain decision will follow your brand for years. Choose it like it's part of your identity—because it is."
