Inquirers (companies) that do not hide their identity, does it benefit them in any way?

And for sellers who knew the buyer's identity - maybe a rhetorical qn - in your opinion did it have any significant bearing on the negotiation tactics and the eventual sale price than if the buyer had remained anonymous?

If someone wants to be anonymous, I assume that they are representing Microsoft, and negotiate accordingly.

When, I receive a "hidden name/blind" email using hotmail, etc..
I assume it is a lawyer trying to entrap me.

As GeorgeK stated, I also assume it could be a large company
wanting to acquire one of my domains.

Most of the "pros" know the market price range of a domain.
So, if they think they can lowball, they are wasting their time
and mine.

By hiding, I usually just write back - "domain is not for sale".

Originally posted by actnow
When, I receive a "hidden name/blind" email using hotmail, etc..
I assume it is a lawyer trying to entrap me.

As GeorgeK stated, I also assume it could be a large company
wanting to acquire one of my domains.

Most of the "pros" know the market price range of a domain.
So, if they think they can lowball, they are wasting their time
and mine.

By hiding, I usually just write back - "domain is not for sale".

If you are worrying about giving them any potential TM dispute upper-hand, here is what you can do. Set up a brand new yahoo email and email them from that email address without mentioning the domain name. Like, "Regarding your recent inquiry about the availability of r******.com domain name. It is for sale at a fixed price of $15,000. If interested, plese send a letter indication your intention to buy the domain name at the above price to the administrative contact of the domain name". Something like that.

I never reply back from the whois email anyway. A disposable and anonymous third-party email is always better in these types of negotiations, even without TM angle.

That's goofy. Yahoo email has the originating IP address, so if you aren't using an anonymous proxy, then you might as well hand out your driver's license. Ditto hotmail which is why, by checking whois on the originating-IP, you can often figure out if the email originated from a law firm.

The bottom line... and I can't figure out why anyone treats the domain business as if they were smuggling coke... is that honest people do business honestly - and use their real names.

John,

I agree.

I don't hide my name.

However, John uses John Berryhill as his alias internet name.
His real name is Perry Mason.

Originally posted by GeorgeK
If someone wants to be anonymous, I assume that they are representing Microsoft, and negotiate accordingly.

In which case would your initial asking price be higher or lower if either were used:

1/a Microsoft email

2/a web email with some non-eventful originating-IP ?


And I don't think Microsoft would be interested in your casino domains :/

My asking price is higher, the more anonymous the buyer wants to be.

While Microsoft might not be into casinos at this time, you never know which of my other domains they might want. Jukebox.com is a much better domain for a music service than their upcoming "Urge.com" --- jukebox doesn't rhyme with "purge".

George:

Im surprised you have not heard from Musicmatch regarding jukebox.com. It is a TM.

I know it would be a hard UDRP but I am surprised they have not tried extorting it out of you.

do you have the registration number hookups - the only live tm I can see on uspto for "juke box" or "jukebox" is for watches

"Jukebox" is not TM'd for music, the "Music Match" part is -- I did my research long ago on this one, before I bought it. Indeed various applications specifically had to disclaim the use in music,

e.g. see: http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?r...entry=78493087

Disclaimer: "JUKEBOX"

And if one reads the office correspondence between the USPTO examiners and the applicants, one can see why. I'm not in the USA in any event. The Canadian "juke box" registered TMs for pork, french fries, salads, shirts, jackets, chocolates, and candy don't worry me too much (although they're making me hungry....).

Furthermore, I bought it from Yahoo, who later bought MusicMatch (the company). Without going into private contractual details, the last company I'm worried about going after the domain is Yahoo.

i should have bought jukebox before george did. i had the opportunity, just not the smarts.

Did anyone here ever sell to an "anonymous" buyer, who later turned out to have gotten a bargain due to their approach?

Originally posted by actnow
John,

I agree.

I don't hide my name.

However, John uses John Berryhill as his alias internet name.
His real name is Perry Mason.