Nothing can be more frustrating than visiting a domain registrar and finding out the domain name you had inmind is taken or already registered by someone that is a step ahead of you. ” xxxxxx[dot]com is already taken”… what now?
Your options are to seek and destroy the dude that registered the name, buy it from them or come up with an alternative domain name or another handle that will work specifically in your niche. If you opt to approach the registered owner you can usually find out their coordinates by using a “whois” program where you can gather an e-mail and establish contact. Another approach would be to use a broker or middle man who will handle the approach and negotiation for you. This option works if you wish to remain anonymous, however, by using a broker it may trigger the seller that they are dealing with a big wheel and the unit cost will likely be inflated when the offer is presented.
The most economical option is to find another domain name which will work for you. This can be a challenge as most of the good names or virtual real estate has already been registered. If you are on a budget and want to simply find a name you can register here is a tool I use on occasion:
Once on the site enter a keyword … for example if you select “water” and change the min to 6 and max to 18 you will be provided with some potential domain names which may work for you. Play around with the options as you can also use the Prefix and Suffix fields to generate further options… good luck with your search.
