A eclectic few of the inquiries that I receive for domains via the Domain Name Sales platform eventually make it to my blog, albeit as anonymous anecdotes.
Today’s story is about a young Russian florist who sent me a message for a .com that I own; upon my response in English, quoting a price in the low four figure range, I received an anxiety laden email.
It was in Russian, and I used Google Translate that did a great job relaying Tatjana’s sentiment.
“нет, нет, нет!!! (no, no, no)
Are you out of your head!!!
That is half of what my business makes in a year!!!
спасибо-спасибо-спасибо!!! (thank you X 3)”
I thought about it for a while, then wrote an explanatory email: my grasp of Russian is still minimal, despite Vladimir Putin’s attempt to reach out to Americans via an op-ed, the other day.
I attempted to inform Tatjana – who looks remarkably like a brunette version of Sedo’s Kathy Nielsen – that domains are priced the same way flower bouquets are; some are cheaper and some are more expensive. I also noted that the domain acquisition cost is a valid business expense, which hopefully at taxation time, Mother Russia would consider it as such.
My feisty Russian wanted none of this free education; fixated upon the quotation of capitalist dollars, she responded:
“Then $20 bucks. OK, maybe $100. Not that either? Then you can keep it!”
At that point, my initial enthusiasm of corresponding with a businesswoman from behind the formerly impenetrable Iron Curtain was irreparably curbed. The gap wasn’t linguistic but rather, cultural; the disconnect wasn’t the price, but the reasoning behind it.
I must say that for the same keyword, Tatjana’s business is on the first page of Google.ru. That alone means her annual revenue is generated by an honest business with many satisfied customers.
If only I could get Putin to act as a domain broker on this one, she might change her mind.
I’m afraid, your whole domain business costs less than commission fees Putin will require lol.