🌐 The Complete Guide

How to Buy a
Domain Name

Everything you need to know — from choosing the right name to registering it via a registrar or a marketplace like DaaZ.com.

Step-by-Step Guide → Registrar vs Marketplace
Step by Step

Buying a Domain Name

Whether you're launching a business, a personal blog, or buying for investment, these steps apply universally.

1

Brainstorm & Choose Your Name

Pick a name that is short, memorable, and relevant to your brand. Prefer .com for global reach, or a country-code TLD like .it for local presence. Avoid hyphens and numbers. Use keyword tools or AI generators if you need inspiration.

2

Check Availability

Use the search tool on a registrar such as GName.com or Sav.com to check if your desired domain is free. If it's taken, you'll see options to make an offer, backorder, or explore alternatives like .net, .org, or newer gTLDs.

3

Decide: Register New or Buy Existing?

If the domain is unregistered, go directly to a registrar (GName, Sav) and register it for a yearly fee. If it's already owned by someone, you'll need to buy it through a marketplace like DaaZ.com or contact the owner directly. Premium domains can cost anything from $100 to millions.

4

Create an Account & Add to Cart

Sign up on your chosen platform, add the domain to your cart, and proceed to checkout. Most registrars offer optional add-ons: WHOIS Privacy, SSL certificates, hosting, or email. Many are included free — for example Sav.com includes free WHOIS privacy for most TLDs.

5

Complete Payment

Pay via credit card, PayPal, or crypto depending on the platform. Registration fees for a new .com typically range from $5–$15/year. Marketplace purchases require escrow-style payment that is released to the seller only after the domain is transferred to you.

6

Configure DNS & Use Your Domain

After registration, log in to your registrar dashboard and point your domain to your web hosting via A records or CNAME. You can also set up email forwarding or MX records. Changes propagate globally within 24–48 hours (DNS propagation).

7

Enable Auto-Renewal & WHOIS Privacy

Turn on auto-renewal to avoid accidentally losing your domain. Enable WHOIS privacy to hide your personal contact details from public lookups. Both are critical, especially if the domain has business or investment value.

💡

Pro Tip: Check Trademark Status

Before registering a domain, do a quick trademark search (e.g. via the EU IPO or USPTO). Owning a domain that infringes a trademark can lead to a UDRP dispute and forced transfer — even if you registered it in good faith.


Key Difference

Registrar vs. Domain Marketplace

The route you take depends on whether the domain you want is available or already owned by someone else.

🏛️

Domain Registrar

GName.com & Sav.com
  • Register unregistered domains for a low annual fee
  • ICANN-accredited with full DNS management
  • Free WHOIS privacy (Sav), competitive pricing (GName)
  • Supports 1000+ TLDs (.com, .net, .it, .io, etc.)
  • Instant activation — no negotiation needed
  • GName focuses on bulk/wholesale and reseller pricing
  • Only works if the domain is NOT already registered
  • No help acquiring domains owned by third parties
🏪

Domain Marketplace

DaaZ.com
  • Buy domains already owned by other people/investors
  • Supports Buy Now, Make an Offer, Lease-to-Own, Brokerage
  • 100% buyer protection with escrow-based payments
  • Access to 800+ sellers and 4,000+ registered buyers
  • Free listings for sellers, 1,400+ domain extensions
  • Lowest industry transaction fees in the domain market
  • Prices are set by domain owners — often much higher than registration cost
  • Transfer may take up to 72 hours after payment

Side by Side

Feature Comparison

A detailed breakdown of the three platforms discussed in this guide.

Feature GName.com Sav.com DaaZ.com
Type Registrar Registrar Marketplace
Register new domains ✓ Yes ✓ Yes ✗ No
Buy existing/premium domains ⚠ Limited ⚠ Limited ✓ Yes (core feature)
Free WHOIS Privacy ⚠ Paid ✓ Free (most TLDs) N/A
DNS Management ✓ Yes ✓ Cloudflare-powered ✗ No (handled by target registrar)
Auctions / Dropcatch ✓ Yes ⚠ Backordering ✓ Yes (seller auctions)
Buyer Protection Standard Standard ✓ 100% Escrow
Lease-to-Own ✗ No ✗ No ✓ Yes
Typical .com cost $4–$9/yr $5–$10/yr Seller price ($100–$$$)
Transaction / Commission fees None (registrar) Low commission on marketplace Among lowest in industry
Best for Bulk / Reseller buying Individual / Small business Premium / Aftermarket domains

When to Use Which Platform

Use GName.com if you manage a large domain portfolio and need competitive wholesale pricing with drop-catching auctions. Use Sav.com if you're an individual or small business wanting free privacy protection and Cloudflare DNS out of the box. Use DaaZ.com when the specific domain you want is already registered and owned by a domainer or investor — DaaZ mediates the transaction safely with escrow and concierge support.


Terminology

Domain Glossary

Quick-reference definitions for the key terms you'll encounter.

TLD (Top-Level Domain)

The suffix of a domain name, such as .com, .net, .org, .io or country codes like .it, .de.

Registrar

An ICANN-accredited company authorized to sell and manage domain registrations (e.g. GName, Sav, Namecheap).

Marketplace

A platform where individuals or companies sell domains they already own to buyers — like DaaZ.com or Afternic.

WHOIS Privacy

A service that hides your personal contact details from the public WHOIS database to protect your privacy.

DNS

Domain Name System — the system that translates your domain name into an IP address so browsers can load your site.

Dropcatch

The process of automatically attempting to register a domain the moment it expires and is released from its previous owner.

Backorder

Placing a reservation on an expiring domain, so you get first priority to register it when it becomes available.

Escrow

A trusted third-party holding service: the buyer pays into escrow, the domain is transferred, then funds are released to the seller.

UDRP

Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy — the process to challenge ownership of a domain name that infringes a trademark.

Premium Domain

A short, catchy, or keyword-rich domain name that commands a higher price due to its perceived market value.

Lease-to-Own

A payment option offered by some marketplaces (like DaaZ) that lets buyers pay for a premium domain in installments.

DNS Propagation

The time (up to 48 hours) for DNS changes to spread across all servers worldwide after you update your settings.