For many people, obtaining their domain of choice can become a waiting game that lasts for years. While interested parties can directly contact domain owners, many prefer to simply wait it out and procure the domain name upon expiration. Contacting domain owners is far more effective.
Many assume the domain owner will be angry or possessive over their domain names. But politely approaching them can often be a winning strategy. By stating your interest in the site, the reasons behind your interest, and making a reasonable offer, interested parties can often get a desirable response — or at least start a conversation that enables the negotiation process.
Not contacting domain owners can be immensely frustrating and is not foolproof. Other people may try negotiations before the domain expires. Also, many domains take advantage of automatic renewals. When you wait thinking a domain might expire, you may be sorely surprised when it operates well past the expiration date.
Even without automatic renewals, nearly all domain registry companies provide their customers with convenient grace periods and email notifications when renewing.