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GlossaryBuying and selling

Exclusive listing

An exclusive listing is an agreement to offer a domain for sale through only one marketplace or broker, for as long as the listing runs or for an agreed term, usually in exchange for curation, pricing help or buyer traffic.

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Exclusive listing, explained

Curated brandable marketplaces are the usual case. BrandBucket requires every listed name to be exclusive to its platform, so you cannot list it anywhere else while it is there. Atom makes its Premium listings exclusive, with a partial-exclusivity option that allows listings on approved platforms at a higher Buy It Now price, while its Standard and Plus listings are non-exclusive. Brokers often ask for an exclusive mandate for an agreed term.

Read the terms before you list. Exclusive deals typically restrict where you can advertise the name, may require the platform's nameservers or lander, can bar or charge commission on sales you negotiate elsewhere, and set notice periods for removing a name. Exclusivity can be worth it when the platform has real buyer traffic for that style of name. The common mistake is leaving the name in other marketplaces' distribution networks, or on your own for-sale page, while it is under an exclusive agreement, which can breach the contract.

Example. A seller who lists a brandable .com on a marketplace that requires exclusivity must remove it from other marketplaces and from their own for-sale page while the listing is active.

Go deeper How to Sell a Domain Name: A Seller's Guide

Sources

  1. BrandBucket — FAQ for domain sellers (exclusivity terms)
  2. Atom — Domain marketplace terms and conditions for sellers
  3. Atom — Partial exclusivity policy for Premium listings

Education, not financial, legal or tax advice. Domain investing is speculative and most domain names never sell. Read the disclaimer.

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