Shelved Domains

About Shelved Domains

Shelved Domains is a specialized marketplace that fundamentally rethinks the domain acquisition and resale process by focusing on the indie maker and founder community. It operates as a curated bridge, connecting buyers seeking high-quality, brandable domains with sellers who have unused domains from shelved projects. The platform's core mission is to democratize access to premium digital real estate by eliminating the corporate reseller markup and speculative pricing that plague traditional marketplaces. For buyers, it offers a streamlined, no-haggle shopping experience with every domain priced accessibly, ensuring transparency and fairness. For sellers, it provides a commission-free avenue to monetize dormant assets without the hassle of transferring them to a new platform. By leveraging established, secure transfer services like Sedo, Afternic, and Porkbun, Shelved Domains guarantees safe transactions while maintaining a lean, community-focused model. It's the definitive solution for bootstrapped entrepreneurs looking for a great name without the exorbitant cost and for project founders aiming to recoup investment from ideas that never took flight.

Features of Shelved Domains

Curated, Handpicked Selection

Every domain listed on Shelved Domains undergoes a curation process to ensure quality and relevance. The collection is sourced specifically from indie makers and founders, resulting in a catalog of creative, brandable names across over 20 categories like SaaS, AI, and E-Commerce. This human-led selection differentiates it from automated, spam-filled marketplaces, offering buyers a refined list of domains with genuine potential.

Fixed, Indie-Friendly Pricing

The platform enforces a strict pricing ceiling, with all domains listed for $1000 or less. This fixed-price model, with a "Buy It Now" function, removes the anxiety and time investment of negotiation and bidding wars. It creates a predictable and fair marketplace where buyers know they are getting a value-driven deal directly from a peer, not a domain speculator.

Commission-Free Seller Listings

Sellers benefit from a truly no-commission model. They can list their unused domains directly from their existing registrars and marketplaces like Sedo or Afternic. Shelved Domains charges no additional listing fees or final value commissions, allowing founders to maximize their return from a shelved project's assets with minimal friction.

Secure, Platform-Agnostic Transfers

All purchases are secured and facilitated through established, third-party domain platforms such as Sedo, Afternic, and Porkbun. This means the financial and transfer security is handled by industry leaders, providing trust and safety for both parties. Sellers keep their domains hosted where they prefer, and buyers benefit from a standardized, reliable purchase process.

Use Cases of Shelved Domains

The Bootstrapped Founder Seeking a Brand Name

An indie founder with a limited budget needs a memorable, premium domain for their new SaaS startup. Instead of sifting through overpriced listings on generic marketplaces, they browse Shelved Domains' curated categories, find a perfect, brandable .com or .io domain under $1000, and purchase it instantly to launch their project with a strong digital identity.

The Maker Monetizing a Shelved Project

A developer who previously built a prototype for a fitness app decides to pivot. The domain they purchased is now unused. They list it on Shelved Domains through their existing Sedo account, recouping a portion of their initial investment without paying any new commissions, effectively turning a sunk cost into recovered capital.

The Agency or Freelancer Sourcing Client Domains

A digital agency working with a client to build a new e-commerce brand needs to source a relevant domain quickly. The agency uses Shelved Domains to find a handpicked, high-quality name that fits the client's niche and budget, leveraging the fixed price and secure transfer to streamline the procurement process for their service package.

The Investor or Hobbyist Building a Portfolio

An individual interested in digital assets looks for undervalued domains with potential. They use Shelved Domains to find quality names from credible sources (founders) at non-inflated prices. This allows them to acquire a portfolio of domains for future projects or resale without engaging in the high-stakes speculation of traditional domain aftermarkets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the purchase process work for buyers?

When you find a domain you wish to purchase on Shelved Domains, you will be redirected to the secure platform where it is listed, such as Sedo, Afternic, or Porkbun. The actual transaction, payment, and domain transfer are handled entirely through that established third-party service. Shelved Domains acts as the curated discovery layer, ensuring a safe and standardized buying experience.

Are there any fees for sellers to list domains?

No, there are no listing fees or commissions charged by Shelved Domains. Sellers list domains directly from their accounts on partner platforms like Sedo or Afternic. The only fees involved are those typically charged by the transfer platform itself for facilitating the sale. This allows sellers to keep 100% of the sale price agreed upon with the buyer.

What kinds of domains are listed on the marketplace?

Shelved Domains features a handpicked selection focused on quality and brandability, sourced from indie makers and founders. Listings span over 20 categories including AI, SaaS, Developer Tools, E-Commerce, and B2B. All domains are priced at $1000 or less and are intended for genuine project use rather than speculative investment.

Can I list a domain that is not on Sedo, Afternic, or Porkbun?

Currently, the marketplace is integrated to work seamlessly with domains listed on Sedo, Afternic, and Porkbun to ensure secure, standardized transfers. To list a domain on Shelved Domains, it should first be listed for sale on one of these supported platforms. This ensures a safe and reliable process for both the seller and the potential buyer.