The Plan B trap: how a complainant lost its own case
When a buyer fails to purchase a domain and then files a UDRP to take it instead, panels often read the sequence as an abuse of the process — and issue a reverse domain name hijacking finding. The negotiation history is what turns a weak complaint into a finding against the complainant.
Why it backfires
The UDRP targets bad-faith registration, not a refusal to sell. A registrant who declines an offer, or names a price for a name they registered in good faith, is exercising an ordinary property right. A complainant who then files anyway is using the policy as leverage — exactly what the RDNH finding exists to mark.
For respondents, the negotiation trail is an asset: preserve the offer emails. For would-be complainants, a failed purchase is a reason to reassess, not to file.
FAQ
Is naming a price for a domain bad faith?
Not by itself. Offering to sell a name you registered in good faith is an ordinary property right. Bad faith turns on whether you targeted someone's mark when you registered.