Bilt.com: A Global Domain Deal with WhatsApp and Indian Resellers
NOTE: Exact purchase price needs verification - undisclosed
When Bilt Rewards, a fast-growing rewards program company, set their sights on acquiring Bilt.com, the journey looked less like a smooth deal and more like a suspense thriller. What followed was a six-month marathon involving WhatsApp calls, Indian resellers, ICANN transfer locks, and a nail-biting live transfer call.
The Starting Point
Bilt was already growing fast with their brand BiltRewards.com. But they were missing one key thing: the exact-match, brandable domain Bilt.com.
They had already worked with other brokers who tried to convince the owner—located halfway around the world in India—to sell within their price range. No dice. The owner wasn't in a hurry to part ways.
Bilt then worked with Snagged, who took a different approach.
WhatsApp Changes Everything
Reaching the decision-makers wasn't as simple as firing off an email. There were months of persistence, sending messages not just through email but WhatsApp too.
Business communication in India often lives in WhatsApp threads rather than email. One morning while founder Rob Schutz was running on the treadmill, he got a WhatsApp call from a random number. It was the owner of Bilt.com asking about the offer.
That call opened the door. Bilt put a substantial number on the table, and after some back-and-forth, the owner agreed to sell.
The Indian Reseller Puzzle
But celebration was premature. While the client owned the domain, they didn't control it directly. The domain was managed by an Indian reseller—a relic of how many Indian companies used to buy domains through third parties due to payment and language hurdles.
This reseller acted as a middleman with a vested interest and a tendency to demand a cut of any sale. Updating the domain's contact information kicked off a 60-day ICANN lock, adding another waiting game.
Escrow complications followed when the original escrow provider refused to verify the seller and process the transaction. The team pivoted to Escrow Domains and engaged a seasoned domain attorney to help close the deal.
The Grand Live Transfer Call
Finally, the owners transferred the domain to their own GoDaddy account. But they were anxious about pushing it to the buyer's account, even though funds were secured in escrow. They wanted to be involved live on the call.
Snagged coordinated a conference call with the owner, the client's IT team, and MarkMonitor (advising the buyer on domain strategy). They carefully explained how pushing a domain from one GoDaddy account to another actually worked.
There was a tense moment waiting for the transfer email. Refresh, refresh, refresh...and then it appeared. Transfer accepted. The domain was finally in the client's hands.
The money took a few days to clear, fueling anxious moments on both sides, but eventually escrow released, and the deal was done.
Cultural Navigation
What stood out in this deal were the cultural nuances. Indian business norms often rely heavily on WhatsApp and SMS rather than email, which means persistence and adapting to communication styles is key.
Negotiations weren't drastically different from other complex domain deals, but the time zones, reseller involvement, and reliance on instant messaging added unique layers.
The Marathon
From first outreach to closing took roughly six months. It involved consistent communication, emails, calls, WhatsApp messages, and trust-building across multiple time zones.
The deal started in February with a deadline to close by the end of October. What felt like plenty of time evaporated quickly. After eight months of grinding, they crossed the finish line right at the buzzer.
At the end, the Bilt team got their .com domain—a branding win that sets them up for the future. The story proved that domain acquisition is as much about strategy and patience as it is about timing and tenacity.