Shelved Domains

About Shelved Domains

Imagine you're an indie founder, sketching out your next big idea. You find the perfect domain name, a crisp, memorable piece of digital real estate that captures your vision. You register it, full of hope. But sometimes, projects pivot, priorities shift, and that perfect domain ends up gathering dust, a silent reminder of a path not taken. On the other side of that story is another builder, searching for that very name to launch their own dream, only to find marketplaces dominated by corporate resellers with sky-high prices. Shelved Domains was born to connect these two journeys. It's a curated marketplace built by and for the indie maker community, a place where high-quality, premium domains from shelved projects find a second life at fair, accessible prices. Every listing is a domain with a story, handpicked from fellow founders and priced at $1000 or less. For buyers, it's a treasure trove of genuine, affordable names. For sellers, it's a commission-free avenue to recoup costs and pass the torch. This isn't just a domain marketplace; it's a community-powered platform turning abandoned potential into newfound opportunity.

Features of Shelved Domains

Curated, Founder-Sourced Inventory

Every domain on Shelved Domains comes with a backstory. Instead of sifting through millions of auto-generated listings, you browse a handpicked selection of premium domains sourced directly from indie makers and founders who have moved on from their original projects. This curation ensures a higher standard of quality, relevance, and memorability, offering names that have already been vetted for a real product or idea, saving you from the clutter of traditional marketplaces.

Transparent, Fixed Pricing Under $1000

The platform eliminates the anxiety and hassle of domain negotiations. Every single domain is clearly listed with a "Buy It Now" price of $1000 or less. This fixed, indie-friendly pricing model provides absolute transparency, allowing you to budget confidently and make quick decisions without the fear of hidden auctions or price inflation typically seen with professional domain resellers.

Secure, Platform-Agnostic Transfers

Purchases are secured through trusted, established third-party platforms like Sedo, Afternic, and Porkbun. When you buy a domain, the transaction and transfer are handled entirely through these secure services. This means you benefit from their robust buyer protection and transfer procedures, while sellers can list their domains without having to move them from their preferred registrar, ensuring a safe and smooth process for everyone involved.

Zero-Commission Marketplace for Sellers

For founders looking to sell their unused domains, Shelved Domains offers a uniquely seller-friendly model. There are no listing fees and, most importantly, no commissions taken by the marketplace. Sellers simply list their domain, which remains hosted on Sedo, Afternic, or Porkbun, and keep 100% of the sale price after the transfer platform's standard fee. It's designed purely to connect sellers with a targeted audience of buyers.

Use Cases of Shelved Domains

The Bootstrapped Founder Launching a MVP

A solo entrepreneur has validated a SaaS idea and is ready to build a minimum viable product. They need a professional, catchy domain that fits their brand but have a very limited launch budget. Browsing Shelved Domains, they find "baton.sh," a perfect, short domain for a developer tool, priced fairly within their means, allowing them to allocate more funds to actual development.

The Indie Maker Pivoting to a New Project

A creator shelved a community platform idea but had registered a fantastic, brandable domain. Instead of letting it expire or dealing with the complexity of a private sale, they list it on Shelved Domains. It quickly catches the eye of another builder looking to launch a social app, turning their sunk cost into recovered capital that can fund their new direction.

The Small Business Seeking a Premium Upgrade

A growing e-commerce boutique operating on a long, generic URL wants to elevate its brand with a more luxurious and memorable domain. They discover "ecoluxuryhomes.co.uk" on the marketplace—a name that perfectly conveys their niche and quality, available at a fixed, attainable price, enabling a significant brand upgrade without corporate-level investment.

The Developer Building a Niche Tool

A developer creating a specialized analytics plugin needs a domain that is both technical and approachable. Traditional marketplaces offer similar names for thousands. On Shelved Domains, they find "indexcheetah.com," a descriptive and playful name that resonates with their target audience, available immediately at an indie price, accelerating their go-to-market timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the buying process work?

When you find a domain you love, you click the "Buy It Now" link. This will redirect you to the secure third-party platform where the domain is listed, such as Sedo, Afternic, or Porkbun. The complete purchase and domain transfer transaction is handled directly on that platform using their standard, secure procedures. Shelved Domains acts as the curated discovery layer, connecting you to the seller.

Are there any hidden fees for buyers?

No. The price you see listed on Shelved Domains is the fixed "Buy It Now" price. The final transaction is processed through the external transfer platform (Sedo/Afternic/Porkbun), which may have its own standard transaction fee, but this will be clearly displayed during checkout on their site. There are no additional fees charged by Shelved Domains itself.

How do I sell my unused domain on Shelved Domains?

First, ensure your domain is listed for sale on one of the supported transfer platforms: Sedo, Afternic, or Porkbun. Then, you can submit your domain for consideration through the Shelved Domains website. If approved, your domain will be added to the curated marketplace. You manage the sale and transfer through your chosen platform, and you keep 100% of the sale price after their fee.

What kinds of domains are accepted for listing?

Shelved Domains focuses on curating high-quality, premium domains from indie makers and founders. Domains should be brandable, memorable, and relevant to categories like SaaS, AI, Developer Tools, E-commerce, and more. The key criteria is that they come from a genuine shelved project and are priced at $1000 or less. The curation team reviews submissions to maintain marketplace quality.