Buying a premium domain safely: a checklist

1. Check the history. Look at past use in the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine and check for trademark conflicts in the jurisdictions you care about.
2. Use a trusted payment route. For large amounts, use a licensed escrow service and open its site yourself.
3. Know the transfer path. Ask whether it will be a push or an auth-code transfer, and whether any transfer lock applies.
4. Budget for renewals. Premium renewals and some ccTLDs cost more. The .com registry fee rises to $10.97 from November 1, 2026 (see our post).
5. Secure the account. Turn on two-factor authentication and registrar lock as soon as the domain arrives.

Sources

• Internet Archive Wayback Machine
• ICANN .com fee schedule (Nov 1, 2026)