I have had the domain for a long time and I have never held it for sale. The registration email address was "what.part.of.its.not.for.sale.dont.you.understand@prepare.com" . I have no intention of advertising that I am interested in selling it. I have no intention of selling it.
"We have established what you are, madam. We are now merely haggling over the price."
There are a number of people who sent an email asking "really you wouldn't sell it for a million dollars?" On the occasions I replied, these "high rollers" responded with offers that top out between 0.01% - 0.2% of the million about which they inquired. They want to make the point that it is for sale and they are just bargaining over price. My perception of their approach is that they believe their "superior" negotiating ability will get me to give the domain up for a small amount, as part of the bargaining. How did that plan work for each of them? I am controlling the content on this site, and they aren't, you decide. If you want an answer the question "you wouldn't sell it for a million dollars?" put a million US dollars in an escrow payable to me on transfer upon the domain, then you can get the answer to the question whether I would sell it for a million dollars.
Greater Fool Theory
If you want to acquire the domain because you think you can get a greater fool to pay you even more for it, it is nice for you to have dreams. If you enjoy bargaining, good for you. I will not do it. I will admit that there are foolish amounts of compensation for which I would consider a transfer. That would be cash-in-my-hand-now foolish compensation, not any slick gimmicks or deferred payments compensation. "Foolish amounts" are not 1,2, 3, or 4 digit numbers. So you say "that must mean it is a five digit number." No, I didn't say that. Remember, I said it is not for sale. If I told you what the foolish amounts were, you would say "that's foolish, why do you expect you could get that amount for that domain?" I don't expect to get that amount, remember I said it's not for sale. Advertising that the domain is for sale just encourages people to waste my time with all kinds of proposals. If you want to get a response to an offer to purchase, I require a non refundable 10% of the proposed purchase price as a good faith offer processing fee to demonstrate you are serious. It can be sent to my address listed in the Whois records. Once the check clears I will provide you an acceptance or rejection of the offer and any necessary follow up instructions. If you are a "greater fool investor", go big or go home.
For some reason, in negotiating the transfer of the domain, people seem to think I want to know what they will do with it. If a domain is transferred, I have relinquished control of the domain or caring about what is done with the domain, that is part of what the buyer purchases. Clue number one, if your idea will generate all kinds of money but you aren't willing to offer a large sum for the domain, you don't believe in your idea, you don't need the domain, or you don't want to treat me fairly. In any of those situations, why would I be interested in doing business with you? If you have a great idea that will make you more money than the net worth of a Middle Eastern Sheik, just offer a very princely sum for the domain, and don't bore me with your idea. Money talks, everything else walks.
"Partnering"
I think there are people who believe they proposing "partnering" with me. They want to be a partner that writes a check and receives a domain and they want me to be a partner who cashes a check and transfers a domain. If you want to call that a partnership that is fine in your circles, but it is not a partnership to me, and don't tell me that it is a partnership. If we can't agree on the definitions at the beginning, why would I be interested in doing business with you?
If you want to propose a "partnership", this is the outline of the only type of "partnership" I would consider:
1. Establish a company (a joint venture, partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company, but not an entity making an Subchapter S election) with "pass through taxation". This company will contract for the the rights to use the domain for a website with some number of sub-domains and some number of email addresses.
2. In exchange for the contracted rights to the domain, an equity stake (protected against dilution) in the company would be issued.
3. The company's rights to use the domain would continue as long as:
a. the company or any one associated with it does nothing to jeopardize the domain or its ownership, and
b. the the yearly total of distributions or other payments for the use of the domain are at least the greater of the taxes payable on the domain's equity position for that year or some set figure that shows the business is non-trivial.
4. All equity holders have totally open/transparent access to the books.
5. If the idea is to be able to run a business using the domain, this template for a proposal would allow the site to run undisturbed. It also allows a brand to be built and maintained if the brand generates enough business to justify locking up the domain. It also allows the company to be sold. In the event the company were to be sold, after the sale the company would have the same rights as the company had before the sale.
Again, I am not going into a partnership with a partner who is trying to take advantage of me. If your first offer and a later offer vary by 1250% (in the past some have done just that), I feel that you were trying to take advantage of me on the first offer, so why would I be interested in doing business with you? I am not interested in wasting my time on a "big money" idea that will only dribble money out over time. If your first offer and a later offer are both low values that vary by only a little amount, (proving you were not taking advantage of me) but the total amount is still low, why would I want to waste my time on something that is not going to pay and additionally, why would I be interested in doing business with you? Therefore, you want to be a partner with me on a great money making idea, make an offer that shows you respect me as a partner and that it will be making money. In other words answer the question "why would I be interested in doing business with you?"
I have wasted a lot of time in the past with weak proposals. I am not going to repeat that mistake on future proposals. If you think I am being unfair by not giving much attention to your "better" proposal, why didn't you make your proposal before now? Just because you make a proposal now does not mean I will make a counter offer or even give you an answer. Counter offers and answers are reserved for serious (as I read them and perceive them) proposals. Any serious proposal will require an affirmative act of acceptance of the proposal by documenting "I accept. Let's start" by me. I only consider proposals sent to "here.is.my.best.offer@prepare.com"
If you made it this far, you now know why the email address I previously assigned the registrant of this domain was "what.part.of.its.not.for.sale.dont.you.understand@prepare.com".