Small business with little money wants to buy a domain name owned by a private person

Is there a site at the URL?

Is there an Offer button for the WHOIS listing? Click it to see what they are asking price wise.

Use a different domain!  That is all you can do. if somebody has a domain for sale and it is only a couple hundred dollars and you feel it is very important, then buy it. If that is too expensive, then they need to look at their objectives. That is a tiny business expense. Now, if the domain name is in the $1,000+ range, and this is a small business, I can see where it makes sense to try a different domain and update their dba name too.   

Let's say the domain name they want is domain.com and you find that it is not being used and the owner wants a lot of money, then try for domain.net. If domain.com is being used, in that case, I would try and find a completely different name.  With that said, there are a lot of "If's", "and" and "but's" so knowing the details can give you better advice. 

Some options may be if you are in a state like Arizona, you may try for domainaz.com  

Also don't be afraid of alternative tld's. If you are selling widgets, you may want to see if .widtgets are a tld and go for domain.widget.   

The traditional solution to this is that if the domain you want is, e.g., "billybob.com", apply for "mybillybob.com" and "therealbillybob.com" which are usually available.  Also apply for "billybob.us" and "billybob.net" which further dilutes the original name owner's value in his domainname.

Then sit on the names for at least two years and approach the original name owner.  Obviously, expect hostility, but you'll have at least two domain names and a strong lever on the original owner to get shed of a domain name which is now devalued by you holding the  similar names.

That is not a very nice way to do that. Dr. Klahn

@Michel Plungjan

That is not a very nice way to do that. Dr. Klahn

No... But it's a very effective technique especially when used for dealing with domain squatters

I've been waiting for a specific domain (.COM) to free up since 01 after the previous owner closed shop in 99.
(I registered the .NET for my business in 98)

I refuse to pay what the "holder" (not original owner) is asking for it.

It's not worth losing your stuff over a domain squatter and you will probably never "win". What do they say about never get in a pissing match with a skunk? ....

In the end, it does not matter what your domain name is if you are worried about getting found. That is up to you. But if domain.com is taken by a squatter and not being used, then just get the .NET or other gtld of that name. If the .com is being used, then leave it alone and get something else. 

If you want to play hard ball, then trademark your name and that way if somebody does try and use that domain name for the same purpose you have some rights. However, protecting those rights can be expensive, probably more expensive than paying for the domain name. That is a choice you will need to make. 

I personally wouldn't pay a squatter for the types of projects I have. But larger businesses may.

I do get that it is a very frustrating situation. But you have two choices. Pay for the domain name or let it go and get something different. 

Ciao,

Is not my working habit like Dr. Klahn propose but it a idea to get rid about some squatters that make money blocking internet domain, I feel this behavior and not fear for internet freedom.
As Scott Fell say, better find another choice that pay for this not-friendly business.

M.