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Where can I buy a domain name?

You can buy a domain name from any accredited domain name registrar. Network Solutions and Register.com are ones you may have heard of, but GoDaddy is the DeGeeked pick. While the checkout process can be confusing (just keep looking for and clicking the "No thanks, take me to checkout" links and you'll be fine), the domains are inexpensive ($7.95 or less, compared to over $30 at Network Solutions!).

But what if you want a domain name that someone else already owns? If you find that the domain name that you wanted is already taken, go to www-whois.internic.net/cgi/whois to find the owner. Perhaps he/she is willing to transfer the name to you. Transferring ownership is simple. It may not be cheap.

Some people buy hundreds of domain names on a speculative basis, hoping to sell them at a profit. Expect to pay a premium if you approach a speculator. Depending on the name's perceived value, you may have to pay hundreds, even thousands for it. However, if an individual owner has just lost interest or decided not to use the name, you can probably get it for very little or nothing.

You can also investigate some relatively new services that allow you to immediately register a domain name if the owner doesn't renew it:

SnapNames allows you to "back order" a particular domain name. This service automatically registers the domain in your name as soon as it becomes available for a fee. NameWinner works on an auction model. You bid on particular domain names and only pay if you get the name. ExpireFish uses a different model where you place money in your account to cover names you'd like to purchase and then the ExpireFish service goes "fishing" for the names.