From the desk of David Utke
Subj: Turn your unused domain names into cash (watch on YouTube here)
I’m going to show you how to sell your domain names using Namecheap’s marketplace as well as maximize your exposure with listing on Afternic as an alternative.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through both methods. First using Namecheap’s internal marketplace and then showing you how to list your domains on Afternic for maximum exposure.
Both approaches are straightforward, so let’s get started on how to execute each strategy.
Getting Started: Registering Your Domain (If You Haven’t Already)
If you already have a domain registered with Namecheap, you can skip this section. But for those who are starting from scratch, here’s how to register a domain name:
- Visit Namecheap.com and locate the search bar on the homepage.
- Enter your desired domain name in the search field.
- Click “Search” to check availability.
- Review the results page which will show you if your domain is available is available or not. If it’s available then click the green “add to cart” button.
- Review the upsells on the checkout page (in my opinion, you can ignore most of these).
- Click the red “Checkout” button in the bottom right corner.
- Create your account or sign in if you already have one.
- Complete the checkout process.
If your domain isn’t available then try different variations by clicking the search bar again and entering alternative word combinations. You can also use the generator tool to create domain name ideas based on keywords
Namecheap
Low prices on domain names, low renewal rates, free WHOIS protection and good support.
I use Namecheap for all my domains and use them in my tutorial videos.
Option 1: Selling Through Namecheap’s Internal Marketplace
The first option is to use Namecheap’s internal marketplace. If you already have a Namecheap account with registered domains, getting set up is incredibly simple.
Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Log into your Namecheap account and click on your dashboard
- Locate your domain name list where you’ll see all your registered domains
- Select the domain you want to sell and click on “Manage”
- Navigate to your domain control panel where you’ll find various settings
- Scroll down to “Other Domain Settings” section
- Click on the “Sell Domain” button to list your domain on the marketplace
Setting Up Your Domain Listing
Once you click the sell domain button, you’ll be taken to a listing page where you can input all the necessary information:
- Asking Price: Set your desired selling price
- List Period: Choose from 7 days up to 90 days
- Adult Content Indicator: Mark if your domain contains adult content
- Email Notifications: Opt to receive emails when your domain sells
The beauty of this system is its flexibility. You can set your domain for up to 90 days, and if it doesn’t sell during that period, you can easily relist it with a different price point.
How to Price Your Domain Name Effectively
Pricing your domain correctly is crucial for a successful sale. You could ask $50,000 for your domain name if you want, but if you actually want to sell it, you need to price it within reason.
Step 1: Use Domain Appraisal Tools
I recommend using GoDaddy’s domain value appraisal tool. This tool provides an automated estimate of your domain’s value based on various factors.
For example, when I entered “vlog.com” into the appraisal tool, it suggested selling it for $962 (nice!). This gives you a baseline to work from.
Step 2: Research Comparable Sales
Don’t stop at the appraisal tool. You also want to research how much similar domain names have actually sold for. I use NameBio.com for this research, they track domain name sales with over 5.9 million sales totaling $2.9 billion.
Here’s how to use NameBio in four easy steps:
- Go to NameBio and use their advanced search feature.
- Input the focus keyword for your domain (e.g., “vlog” for vlog.com)
- Review recent sales of domains containing your keyword.
- Note the sale prices and platforms where they sold.
Namebio provides more granular control with their search function, like being able to look at domains with only a certain extension or if your keyword is at the front or back on the domain name.
I find using broad keyword to be useful enough. For instance, when researching the keyword “vlog” in domain names I found that:
- vlognerd.com sold for $268 on Namecheap marketplace
- txvlog.com sold for $1,734 at DropCatch (the specialize in expired domains)
- Vlog.us sold for a respective $106 at Dynadot.
Step 3: Use Professional Judgment
Take the information from both the appraisal tool and comparable sales research, then use your professional judgment to determine a reasonable price point.
Remember, pricing isn’t set in stone, you can always adjust it if your domain doesn’t sell within your initial listing period.
Managing Your Listing
After you submit your listing, you’ll notice that the “Sell” button in your domain control panel changes to an “Edit” button. This allows you to modify your listing details at any time.
If you need to cancel your listing entirely:
- Don’t click the “Cancel” button in the listing page (this just returns you to the control panel)
- Click the dropdown menu next to the edit button
- Select “Cancel” from the dropdown
- Enter your Namecheap password to confirm the cancellation
Your listing will be cancelled immediately.
Option 2: Maximizing Exposure with Afternic
While Namecheap’s internal marketplace is easy to use, the main downside is that you only have exposure to Namecheap’s buyer base. If you want greater exposure and higher chances of selling your domain, you want your domain listed on as many marketplaces as possible.
This is where Afternic comes in. Afternic is my go-to service for selling domain names. It’s owned and operated by GoDaddy, but here’s the key point: you don’t need to have your domain names at GoDaddy to list them on Afternic.
You can absolutely have your domain names at Namecheap and still list them on Afternic.
So Why Choose Afternic?
The biggest advantage of Afternic is that they’ll list your domain across a wide range of platforms, including the most popular marketplaces which give you a much higher chance of actually selling your domain name.
Instead of going to each marketplace one by one and signing up, you can list one time with Afternic and have exposure on more than 150+ partner websites.
Setting Up Your Afternic Account
Getting started with Afternic is straightforward,visit afternic.com and click the “Sign In” button. Then create a new Afternic account, or sign in with your existing GoDaddy account (if you have one).
I personally use my GoDaddy account to sign in, which streamlines the process.
Adding Your Domain to Afternic
Once you’re in your Afternic dashboard:
- Navigate to the left sidebar and click on “Portfolio”
- Click “Add Domains” to expand the menu
- Enter your domain name (e.g., vlog.com) in the text field
- Alternative options: You can also copy/paste a list of domains or upload an Excel file for bulk listings
- Click “Next” to proceed to the listing setup
Configuring Your Afternic Listing
This is where things get more detailed, but it’s worth understanding each setting:
Estimated Value
Afternic will show you their estimated value for your domain. In my example with vloghow.com, it showed $962, which matched the GoDaddy appraisal tool.
Buy Now Price
This is the price at which someone can purchase your domain immediately without any negotiation. I typically set this at the higher end of my estimated value range. For vloghow.com, I set this at $897.
Floor Price
This is the minimum amount you’re willing to sell the domain for. What this floor price is, is if a broker negotiates a price at or above your floor price, the sale happens automatically without anyone contacting you to confirm.
For example, if I set my floor price at $597, and someone makes an offer of $600, the domain will sell automatically. However, if someone offers $397 (below the floor price), I’ll be contacted to approve or decline the offer.
Minimum Offer
This sets the lowest offer that will even be considered for negotiation. If someone makes an offer below this amount, it’s automatically rejected.
This filters out non-serious buyers and ensures you only deal with legitimate offers. So if my minimum offer is $97 and someone offers $397 then negotiations begin. If they offer under $97 the buying process ends there.
Choosing Your Sale Landing Page
Afternic offers different landing page options for your domain. I personally prefer the “Buy It Now” page because it clearly displays the domain name, the phrase “Premium Verified Domain” and a big “buy now” button with the price prominently seen..
Benefits of Using Afternic Nameservers
By pointing your domain’s nameservers to Afternic, you get several benefits:
- Reduced Commission Rate: From 25% down to 15%. You keep more money from your sale.
- Fast Transfer: When someone buys your domain, it’s immediately released from your account and sent to the buyer, no delays or complications.
- Sales Landing Page: Your domain will display a professional for-sale page when visitors type it into their browser.
How to Update Your Nameservers
Simply update your nameservers at Namecheap:
- Navigate to Namecheap and log into your account
- Go to your dashboard and find your domain name
- Click the “Manage” button for your domain
- Ensure you’re on the “Domain” tab
- Change the nameservers from “Namecheap Basic DNS” to “Custom DNS”
- Enter the Afternic nameservers: ns1.afternic.com and ns2.afternic.com
- Click the green checkmark to save your changes
DNS server updates may take up to 48 hours to take effect so be patient. It’s fast but not instantaneous so be patient.
Verification Process
After submitting your domain to Afternic, your submission will continue processing in the background. There’s a quick review process that Afternic conducts.
You may receive an email asking you to verify ownership of the domain or you may not. The verification email will be sent to the email address you used when registering the domain at Namecheap.
In my experience, listings often go live very quickly but be aware of any emails from Afternic if they need to verify your domain.
Payment and Tax Setup
Before your first sale, you need to configure your payment information in Afternic:
Tax Information
Set up your tax information in your account settings. This is required for legal compliance and proper reporting.
Payment Method
Choose how you want to receive payments when your domains sell:
- Direct Deposit: Bank transfer option
- PayPal: My personal preference for convenience and speed
Domain Parking (Optional)
You can also set up a payment account for domain parking revenue if you want to monetize your domains while they’re listed for sale.
Understanding Afternic Boost
Finally, under your settings tab, you’ll find something called “Afternic Boost.” By default, you’re enrolled in the Boost plan, which adds an additional 5% to the standard commission rate.
Boost Benefits:
- Up to 10% increase in sales performance for your portfolio
- Access to GoDaddy’s email marketing campaigns to reach more buyers
- Elevated placement in GoDaddy search results
- GoDaddy verified checkmark on fast transfer domains
My Recommendation
In my opinion, it’s worth keeping Afternic Boost active. The additional 5% commission is often offset by the increased exposure and higher likelihood of selling your domains.
However, you can downgrade to save the 5% if you prefer, totally up to you..
Conclusion
So that’s it for how to sell domain names with Namecheap. Start off with the internal Namecheap marketplace as the commission rates are low and you keep the majority of the sale.
If you want to have greater exposure then there is always Afternic with it’s massive network of marketplaces where your domain name can get listed.
Any questions or comments? let me know.
Namecheap
Low prices on domain names, low renewal rates, free WHOIS protection and good support.
I use Namecheap for all my domains and use them in my tutorial videos.
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