Selling a generic name that's a little _too_ generic?

donton · Feb 20, 2017

Hi guys,

I have a one word domain name for the name of a service you can pay for, or something you can carry out yourself. It's kind of like massage .co.uk in scope (it is NOT massage .co.uk) but just for some kind of comparison.

I'd like to sell the name as I no longer have a use for it. I'm at a loss as to who to start contacting about it, because it is so generic.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas or tips on identifying potential end users for a domain that's so generic.

Thank you in advance for any replies!

dee · Feb 20, 2017

donton said:
Hi guys,

I have a one word domain name for the name of a service you can pay for, or something you can carry out yourself. It's kind of like massage .co.uk in scope (it is NOT massage .co.uk) but just for some kind of comparison.

I'd like to sell the name as I no longer have a use for it. I'm at a loss as to who to start contacting about it, because it is so generic.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas or tips on identifying potential end users for a domain that's so generic.

Thank you in advance for any replies!

Hopefully the not word I immediately think of if it kinda like a massage but something you can do to yourself.

donton · Feb 20, 2017

Nope, not that one!

Edwin · Feb 20, 2017

Sorry if it sounds too obvious, but wouldn't the obvious purchasers be among those companies that offer the paid-for version of the service, just like a massage therapist might be interested in buying massage.co.uk?

donton · Feb 20, 2017

Yes, but a lot of them already have their own brand names, most of which don't even feature the word in my domain.

I have tried contacting a few a while back but got no replies. I'm guessing because they're mainly just sole traders with established customer bases, they have no need or desire for a domain like this. It's such a great name, but finding someone with the vision and money to buy it, is going to be a big challenge.

Adam H · Feb 20, 2017

I guess it depends if the service actually attracts high volumes or if not high volume, high margins. There are loads of services out there which are more of a lifestyle business and so they could operate through a brand-able or crappy gTLD just the same as they could from a quality generic. Either that or you're not asking the right people or you're not great at selling Ice to Eskimos

Edwin · Feb 20, 2017

Is the service purely local? If so, it's going to be that much harder to find a buyer since they probably don't need to do particularly strong SEO, or make use of PPC, etc. since they can just take out ads in the local paper, stick posters on bus shelters, hand out postcards etc. And that's going to make a hard sell near-impossible.

donton · Feb 20, 2017

Agree with you both!

Looks like I am landed with it, unless I can drum up enough interest to list it at Domain Lore. Will put a bit more work in tomorrow and see what I can do...