Ask HN: Ethics of selling domain to prospective client?

1 points by MAGZine 12y ago ↗ HN

I recently petitioned a local business to freelance design/develop a site for them. Ahead of our first meeting, I did some domain searching and found a great domain name (it's a domain hack).

I feel that the domain could be worth something on its own, but I'm not sure that it's ethical at this point to try to sell it to them. Do I give it to them? Give them the option to purchase it (cost?)? Solicit to a larger brand? sit on it? I would've never have found it if they didn't appear interested in having an online presence.

1 comment

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tmetzner 12y ago ↗

I'm a big fan of transparency. I'd explain the situation and let them know that you believe what you now own is valuable, but that you're happy to give them the first rights to (whether they hire you or not).

Could offer it as a deal sweetener if they do work with you, but also just offer to sell it at a reasonable price if not. Truth is today it's prob not much more valuable than what you paid for it, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to get at that price.