Every once in a while, someone asks domain investors if there is a tool that would be helpful if it existed. I think it would be helpful if there was a domain name price monitoring tool. The tool would allow investors to keep a list of domain names listed for sale on Sedo, Afternic, Dan…etc. and notify them if the price hit a level they set or below. Investors could also have the option of being notified if a domain name gets listed for sale on a marketplace.

There are many names I see listed for sale on marketplaces that are priced above what I would pay for them. They are names I would love to add to my portfolio, but even the minimum offer is above what I would be willing to pay so I can’t express interest or make an offer at all. Domain name sellers may adjust prices from time to time, and unless I happen to come across the name around the same time, I will end up missing out on the opportunity.

I am pretty sure Sedo emails people when a domain name they previously bid on has been re-added to the platform or has had a lower price. I don’t know if other platforms do that (to my knowledge, the platforms I use do not). If a prospective buyer never placed a bid on Sedo, they would not receive a notification of the lower price.

Aside from the very small number of names I get emailed about on Sedo, I also use ExpiredDomains.net to monitor some names on my watchlist. I also check the platforms for names and can make a mental note if prices have changed. This is not a good way to monitor for price changes but it’s better than nothing I suppose.

There are a few ways a tool provider could monetize this. The most obvious way is charging a monthly fee. Domain investors, myself included, are notoriously cheap and would be reluctant to pay much for this service so that’s probably DOA. A second way is if a tool provider rolled a tool like this into another offering. This could add value to a service and may even allow for a small price raise. In addition, a tool provider could use affiliate links to monetize purchases when a customer clicks the notification link and purchases the domain name. Finally, a tool provider could email domain registrants whose names are being monitored to try and put together deals and take a commission there somehow.

I don’t really know if there is enough upside for a company to make a tool like this, but I think it would be helpful to me and to others who actively buy domain names.