Archive for January, 2010:
While Traffic in Las Vegas may be the first major event of the year, Domainfest may be the biggest. From what I am hearing, over 1000 people are expected at the show. I was at Domainfest last year and will be speaking once again. To me it was the best show of 2009. I highly recommend being there. Please stop by and say hello.
Here is the full lineup:
FULL DOMAINFEST GLOBAL 2010 AGENDA SET, INCLUDING INNOVATIVE STRUCTURED NETWORKING SESSIONS
–Attendee feedback leads to new start times for networking; Domain industry experts and attendees exchange ideas on key industry issues–
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — DomainSponsor®, the domain monetization division of Oversee.net® and organizer of the DOMAINfest Global® conference, has announced a new format for its structured networking sessions as part of this year’s event which takes place January 26-28, 2010 in Santa Monica, California. Structured networking sessions have been scheduled each morning between 9:00am-10:30am to provide attendees with more flexibility and choice. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to ask subject matter experts and fellow DOMAINfest attendees for advice and opinions on important industry issues.
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Structured networking sessions include:
Wednesday, January 27
Domain Names and Legal Issues
Legal experts will share their thoughts and answer questions on the latest legal developments involving domain names, including how to avoid trademark infringement claims. Moderated by Todd Greene (Oversee.net), other experts include Steve Atlee (Winston & Strawn LLP), John Berryhill, Ph.D., Will Delgado (Willenken Wilson Loh & Lieb LLP) and Paul Keating (Renova Ltd.).
Buying and Selling Domain Names
Successful industry professionals will discuss various domain buying and selling strategies and tactics. Attendees will learn about the qualitative and quantitative factors to consider and how to estimate a domain’s value. The panel is moderated by Craig Snyder (Oversee.net) and includes Michael Berkens (Worldwide Media, Inc.), Monte Cahn (Moniker.com), Larry Fischer (DirectNavigation.com), Ari Goldberger (ESQwire.com), Kathy Nielson (Sedo) and Alan Hack.
Thursday, January 28
SEO/SEM and Domain Names
SEO, SEM, static content, user-generated content, leveraging social networks… the list of what to include in website development and growth plans is long and sometimes conflicting. Ryan Berryman (Oversee.net) moderates a group including Bruce Clay (Bruce Clay, Inc.), Dan Ho (AdKnowledge), Richard Jalchandra (Technorati Media), Bruce Marler (Localtek, LLC), Reed Shelly (Oversee.net), Melodie Tao (a Marketing Coach and Social Media Strategist) and Dorian Quispe (Oversee.net).
Website Development Tips
Join domain development experts to discuss build-out strategies, monetization options, and how to prioritize usage of resources. Attendees will walk away with tips, advice, and best practices to help ensure the success of domain build-out projects. The moderator will be Ron Sheridan (Oversee.net), and experts include Michael and David Castello (Castello Cities Internet Network, Inc.), Brian Gilbert (Thomason Management, Inc.), Rick Waters (Webcast 1, Inc.) and Howard Wyner (Scentiments.com).
New End-User Markets for Domain Names
Which TLDs are best positioned to reach new end-user markets? An international group of experts will offer opinions and predictions that could help shape future domain investment and/or build-out strategies and priorities. Moderated by Joerg Schnermann (Oversee.net), experts include Edmon Chung (DotAsia Organisation), Gregg McNair (PPX International Limited), Lori Anne Wardi (.CO Internet S.A.S.) and Nico Zeifang (Zeifang.com GmbH).
DOMAINfest General Session Panels
DOMAINfest’s General Session Panels will once again be held in a fireside chat format to facilitate a more engaging dialog. The topics were formulated to address the most timely and important domain industry issues. At the end of each panel, the audience will have a chance to ask questions. This year’s lineup includes:
Tuesday, January 26
New gTLDs: Bonanza or Bust?
This session will discuss the market potential of new global top-level domains like .younameit. Will they provide powerful online-marketing and branding opportunities? Panelists will offer perspectives on how to prepare for the coming of the new gTLDs. Mason Cole moderates a panel including include Ken Hansen, John Nevett, and Kurt Pritz.
Wednesday, January 27
Turning Killer Domain Names Into Killer Websites
Expert panelists present examples of developed websites that lead their niches in attracting traffic and generating revenue. They will decode the key elements that make these websites great, providing numerous tips and tactics for attendee website projects. Moderated by Ron Sheridan, panelists will include Brian Gilbert, Rory Holland, Rick Waters, and Howard Wyner.
Domain Names: How Prime Internet Real Estate Builds SEO and SEM Success
Domain names are often overlooked – but absolutely essential – when it comes to attracting both organic and paid-search traffic. This panel of specialists will share real-life examples of how the right domain names – the right Internet real estate – can make a big difference in SEO and SEM results. The moderator is Ryan Berryman. Panelists include Bruce Clay, Dan Ho, Richard Jalchandra, Danny Sullivan, and Melodie Tao.
PITCHfest and LAUNCHfest Contest Sessions
The presentations of PITCHfest contest finalists will introduce attendees to new, innovative products or services designed to enhance traffic and revenue at parked or developed domain names. Judges for the contest include Frank Schilling, Adam Rioux, and Ron Sheridan. The LAUNCHfest contest will reward the most innovative and viable plan for building an online business around one of ten undeveloped, premium domain names made available by Oversee.net. Judges include David Liu, Douglas McPherson, and Richard Morganstern.
CONTESTS BEGIN AT 12:00:00 PM (NOON) (PT) ON 11/20/09. ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59:59 AM (PT) ON 1/15/09. See official rules available at www.domainfest.com/launchfest and www.domainfest.com/pitchfest for entry instructions and prize details and terms. Contests open to individual legal residents of the United States who are the age of majority or older in their respective states of residence as of 11/20/09. Additional terms and restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. All federal, state and local rules and regulations apply.
DFG Keynoter
Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, is one of the most respected and successful business innovators in the new economy. As DOMAINfest’s keynote speaker, Tony will share his unique perspective on what it takes to be successful in life and in business.
Moniker® Auctions
Moniker will be hosting three auctions, including a Low & No Reserve Live Domain Auction on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. PST, a Premium Live Domain Auction on Thursday, January 28 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. PST, and an Extended Online Premium Auction from Thursday, January 28 through Thursday, February 4. The two live auctions offer real-time online viewing and bidding from anywhere in the world via free software that can be downloaded. To view the list of names included in these Moniker Auctions, and for details on how to bid remotely, please visit: http://domainfest.com/auction.
Fun Events
Getty Center
The Getty Center will be the venue for the DOMAINfest Networking Dinner Party scheduled for Wednesday, January 27, from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m. Guests will have exclusive access to the West Pavilion and its collection of important works of art, as well as to the Special Exhibition Pavilion.
Fundraising Party at the Playboy Mansion
DomainSponsor® will be hosting its second annual fundraising event at the Playboy Mansion on January 28. This year’s proceeds will benefit Jenny McCarthy’s Generation Rescue Foundation. The event will be hosted by Playboy Playmates Tiffany Selby and Kara Monaco. Guests will be able to purchase raffle tickets for great prizes. One of the prizes will be two VIP tickets to join Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey at their annual fundraising Gala benefiting Generation Rescue.
Sponsors
The list of sponsors at DOMAINfest Global 2010 will include a wide range of leading service providers. Companies sponsoring and/or exhibiting at DOMAINfest include CPX Interactive, .CO, Banks.com/InterSearch.com, .ME, Affinity, EuroDNS, Skenzo, DomainMonster.com, Neustar, Parked.com, WhyPark.com, Sedo, Bank of America, DomainersChoice.com, Elephant Traffic, NameJet, TrafficMedia, VeriSign, AdKnowledge, Text-Link-Ads, DotAsia, DomainManagement.net, Trellian/Above.com, Casale Media, .AT, theWHIR, DomainAdvertising/Skenzo, AdMarketplace and The Water School.
Registration Information
Registration, which includes all sessions, meals and official parties, is available for $1,195 per guest from through January 24. The on-site per guest fee is $1,295. To register, go to http://www.domainfest.com/register.
About DOMAINfest®
Founded and hosted by DomainSponsor®, the domain monetization division of Oversee.net, the DOMAINfest® conference brings domain industry and Internet professionals together to learn, network, and do business. Attendees include online advertising experts, domain publishers, domain monetization experts, SEO and SEM specialists, website developers, online marketers, ad or affiliate network suppliers, search advertising providers, venture capitalists, bankers and trademark/legal advisors. Visit http://www.domainfest.com to review the agenda and register for DOMAINfest Global 2010.
About Oversee.net
Oversee.net® is the leader in Internet real estate, specializing in monetizing, registering, selling and developing domain names. The company provides an array of managed services to domain investors, corporations, and individuals across more than ten million web sites. Oversee owns one of the largest portfolios of domain names in the world. The company’s unique optimized technology connects consumers and advertisers with highly relevant advertisements. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company’s core brands include DomainSponsor®, SnapNames®, Moniker® and LowFares.comTM. To learn more, please visit www.oversee.net.
Nat Cohen is a long time domainer who specializes in generic domains. This post, which Nat prepared, is one that is important to all domain owners.
About Nat – He has built up many of his Properties including OceanCity.com and Maryland.com. He lives with his wife and family in Washington DC. Nat is a longtime friend.
A Problem at the Core of the Internet
Those who care about the development of the Internet should pay attention to a problem festering at its core. Domain names, the building blocks of the Internet, are governed by such a flimsy, easily-abused set of rules that ownership rights in domain names are not secure. This problem affects both those within and outside the domain industry.
“Going Rogue”
Domains are the only asset class where owners are required to subject their ownership rights to cancellation by an arbitration panel. The poorly paid, loosely accredited arbiters who decide these cases are guided by a vague set of rules, the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy or “UDRP”. There is no procedure for reviewing the decisions of the arbiters to ensure that the decisions comply with the guidelines. Arbiters enjoy free rein in interpreting the rules as they see fit and can act with impunity.
Most arbiters are sincere, fair-minded, hard-working, distinguished legal professionals who make a genuine effort to carefully and faithfully apply the UDRP rules. Yet their good work is undermined by weak procedural safeguards that allow a minority of arbiters to mishandle the power entrusted to them to order the cancellation of a registrant’s rights to a domain name and the transfer of that domain name to a new owner for the flimsiest of reasons.
Individuals and small businesses are losing their long-held domains in arbitration to covetous newcomers who are not entitled to them. Last year a Korean dentist lost opendental.com to a company that did not exist at the time he initially registered the domain. A technology enthusiast recently lost parvi.org to the City of Paris in spite of the arbiter finding that there was no evidence that he registered the domain in bad faith and despite of his clear legitimate use of the domain to promote new software he was developing.
‘Fox Guarding the Henhouse’
Arbiters are selected by providers of arbitration services, primarily WIPO and NAF, and the arbitration venue is in turn selected by the Complainant. WIPO and NAF are competing in the marketplace to offer services to their customers. The customers they are catering to are people or businesses who want domains transferred to them.
WIPO and NAF offer seminars on how to succeed at a UDRP. They offer pre-written complaints where the arguments are made for the complainant and all the complainant has to do is fill in the blanks. They develop supplemental policies heavily tilted in favor of the complainant governing the timing and admissibility of initial and follow-up submissions. A new entrant, the Czech Arbitration Court, has offered to aggressively lower the cost of a complaint to attract Complainants raising the question as to the quality of the panelists willing to work on an assembly line system churning out mass produced decisions at the lowest cost. One of the original arbitration providers, eResolution, stopped offering arbitration services after complaining that WIPO created a perception in the marketplace that Complainants were more likely to win cases at WIPO than at eResolution which led to a steep drop in the number of Complainants who selected eResolution as an arbitration venue. The NAF has been found to be biased in favor of credit card companies and has been banned from deciding credit card disputes, yet ICANN still empowers them to decide domain name arbitrations. Competitive pressures will increasingly push the arbitration venues to lower standards and to adopt ever more pro-Complainant policies, or see themselves shut out of the market.
These problems are not new. The ‘systematic unfairness in the ICANN UDRP’ was detailed in a thoroughly researched paper by Professor Michael Geist published in — 2001. One promising idea to reduce bias is to randomly assign cases to the different arbitration bodies. Yet no concerted effort has been made to correct the problem of bias and now, ten years after the introduction of the UDRP, the problem is as bad as it has ever been.
Mission Creep
The UDRP was intended to deal with clear cases of cybersquatting. Over time, due to panels willing to accommodate aggressive complainants, the standard is moving closer to ‘use it or lose it’ where panelists will order the transfer of a domain to whom they believe to be the “more deserving” party. Arbiters are issuing decisions stating to the Respondent, in essence, ‘you knew that the Complainant had a good use for the domain and you weren’t using it, so your continuing to hold and renew the domain is evidence of bad faith’. This line of reasoning was used in ordering the transfer of OpenDental.com, as mentioned above, and DKB.com, where one bank had stopped using a domain that another bank wanted.
The NAF acknowledged this broadening of the scope of the UDRP in a comment letter:
Panelists have taken the opportunity, over time, to agree with those complainants and broaden the scope of the UDRP, but it started out as a mechanism only for clear cut cases of cybersquatting.
The erosion of the original UDRP protections are decried by panelist Diane Cabell in a dissent:
Today, many panels will find proof of all three of the Policy’s elements simply from the existence of a mark of any kind with arguments that any mark is by definition identical or confusingly similar, that any use by any party other than a mark owner can only be illegitimate, and that bad faith necessarily exists if there is no legitimate interest.
That takes us back to the beginning, which I find disheartening.
The combination of the broader scope of the UDRP and arbiters who freely reinterpret the UDRP guidelines are putting at risk generic domains that were registered with no bad faith intent. The levees have been breached and many previously protected domains will be washed away in a flood of speculative UDRP complaints.
Bad Faith
Absent a finding of bad faith, a panelist may not order the transfer of a domain name. Most UDRP disputes turn on whether the registrant exhibited bad faith in her registration and use of the disputed domain. Bad faith is a question of intent. To determine bad faith requires looking into the soul of the person who registered the domain to determine her intention at the time of registration – which may have occurred a decade prior to the UDRP proceeding. UDRP proceedings are particularly ill suited for determining ‘bad faith’ as the evidentiary record is so slight. There is no opportunity for discovery, to examine witnesses under oath, or similar fact finding powers that are available in a court trial.
Often the only evidence supporting a finding of bad faith are ad links provided by a third party to whom the domain has been licensed. Arbiters will rely on the existence of these links to make the ‘reasonable inference’ that the original intention of the domain owner in registering a valuable generic domain years earlier was primarily to profit from such links, even though the links may have first appeared years after the original registration. On such reasoning valuable generic domains that have been held for years without problem are suddenly lost.
Anything.com has one of the best generic portfolios in the world. They have been registering generic domains since at least 1997 and registered flamingo.com in 1998 before monetization of domains through pay-per-click advertising had gotten off the ground. Four years later in 2002, the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas filed a UDRP objecting to links on the parking page at flamingo.com. In spite of Anything.com’s arguments that they registered flamingo.com simply because it was a generic domain, and in spite of one panelist’s dissent that the links did not prove that the domain was registered in bad faith four years earlier, the other panelists determined the links “to more than adequately support an inference regarding Respondent’s intention on registering the disputed domain name”. The Flamingo Hotel won.
In a more recent example, Bigfoot Ventures, a company with far-flung media interests, purchased several three-letter dot-com domains from BuyDomains in May 2008. BuyDomains had owned many of these domain for several years prior to the sale. At the end of May 2008, the same month that Bigfoot had acquired the domains and before it had even switched the hosting for the domains, Bigfoot was hit by a UDRP Complaint. The Complainant was a Mexican Airline known by the initials VTP and the domain the airline wanted was vtp.com. The arbiter found that the presence of advertising links on the webpage that predated Bigfoot’s purchase of the domain was evidence of Bigfoot’s bad faith. Shortly after Bigfoot spent $40,000 to acquire vtp.com, the panelist ordered its rights to the domain canceled and the domain transferred to the Mexican airline.
Cases like these show how valuable generic domains can be lost due to dubious reasoning resting on the slimmest of evidence.
‘Punishment fit the crime’
The only remedy available through the UDRP is draconian – the cancellation of all rights to the domain, usually combined with the order to transfer the domain to the complaining entity. There is no option available to allow the domain owner to cure any problem, no option to pay a monetary penalty, no temporary loss of use. The only penalty, no matter how minor the injury done, or even when there is no injury, is the utter loss of rights in the domain.
A thought experiment using a brick and mortar example may help clarify the situation. Imagine a longtime lot owner whose landscaping company plants a sign on her property that might violate the Home Owner Association (HOA) rules of her community. Then imagine that when the neighbor living in the house adjacent to the lot complains, the HOA transfers ownership of the lot to the neighbor with no compensation due to the lot owner. Far fetched? Similar outcomes are occurring regularly under the UDRP.
Admittedly this example is not that accurate. To make it more accurate the neighbor would choose the person deciding whether the sign violated the HOA rules from several people each of whom promotes himself as being more Complainant friendly than the previous one. Further, the HOA would make no effort to police the arbiters to ensure that they are actually deciding cases according to the HOA rules. Now you have a more accurate model of how the UDRP operates.
Would you want to live and invest in this neighborhood? Of course not. This would be the last place you would want to put your money.
The Morality of Speculation
Certain panelists appear to view investment in domain names as inherently bad faith. Their perspective appears to be that any value associated from an undeveloped domain must be due to a parasitic attempt to profit from the legitimate development activity of others. Therefore in a dispute where the Complainant is actively making use of a term while the Respondent is merely parking a domain similar to that term, then the inference is drawn that the parking activity is a bad faith attempt to profit from the Complainant’s business activities. The panelists who hold this view do not appear to give credence to the possibility that domains have inherent value due to their generic meaning, or that these generic domains will attract direct navigation traffic.
This view is articulated in the dissent in the Geometric.com case (in which I was the Respondent). In the panelist’s words:
Respondent engages in the business strategy of choosing words or phrases commonly used in commerce…
The majority opinion concludes that the Respondent did not have actual knowledge of this specific Complainant at the time Respondent registered the Disputed Domain Name and that any subsequent actions of Respondent are irrelevant. No consideration has been given to the artful strategy underlying Respondent’s activities.
Unfortunately, I cannot join my distinguished colleagues in approving Respondent’s actions without an analysis focusing on the underlying strategy.
I understand this panelist’s position to be that if the underlying strategy is to speculatively register domains with the intent to profit – in general – from the value created by others, then the strategy employed is illegitimate and the registration is fundamentally in bad faith – irrespective of the specific facts of the particular case. Should the registration be challenged in a UDRP by a company making commercial use of the term on which the disputed domain is based then the domain registration must be canceled – not because the registration targeted the particular Complainant in bad faith, but because the strategy of speculative registration is itself evidence of bad faith.
This view undermines the entire industry that has been built around investment in domain names. If domain names are not viewed as having inherent value, then any speculative registration must be an attempt to profit from value created by others. In this view, every speculative registration is in bad faith and must be canceled by any party who meets the test of having a common law or registered trademark that is similar to the domain name.
This position has a moralistic tone. Speculation is evil is the underlying moral principle. This view allows panelists to cast themselves as modern-day Robin Hoods, wresting a domain from the clutches of greedy speculators to deliver it safely into the hands of an upstanding business that can put the domain to honest, productive use.
Speculation draws criticism wherever it occurs whether the market is foreign currency, stocks or domain names. Speculation serves a purpose in keeping the markets for oil, gold, pork bellies and other commodities fluid and in setting prices so that farmers and natural resource companies can sell on the futures market goods that don’t yet exist and thereby obtain a steady, predictable income while transferring all the risk to the speculators.
The critics overlook that investment and speculation are often the first stage of development. Before a city exists someone has to own the land. Someone has to take their hard earned cash and speculate that the raw land will someday be worth something. Then someone else will speculate that people will want to live in that location and will buy the land, subdivide it, clear the land, and put in roads and utilities. Then builders may come to build homes ‘on spec’ – on speculation – and build a house with no guaranty of a sale in the hopes that someone will want to live there. The city that eventually grows on what was once raw land would never have existed if it hadn’t been for speculative activity at every stage of development.
In the early days of the Internet, speculators depleted their savings to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on new-fangled intangible things called domain names that most people thought were worthless. They paid millions of dollars to the domain registry and registrars who in turn used that money to strengthen the infrastructure of the Internet and to market the benefit of domain ownership and to promote the advantages of doing business online. To meet the demand created by the early investors, tools were developed to simplify web site building and to ease the transition of commerce to the Internet. The critical mass of domain ownership made possible by the purchases of speculators jump started the Internet economy. The speculators that risked their life savings because of their faith in the future of the Internet are now losing what they risked so much to acquire due to certain arbiters who view speculation as illegitimate.
Conclusion
The entire system, from the lack of oversight from ICANN, to the pro-Complainant bias exhibited by WIPO, NAF and the other arbitration providers, to panelists who substitute their personal views for the agreed language of the UDRP, fails to protect the domain owner and leads to loss of confidence in ownership rights on the Internet. The combined actions, and inaction, of these groups are like termites eating away at the foundation of a house. If left uncorrected, the house will collapse. The growth of the domain industry requires stronger protection of domain name registration rights.
Acknowledgements
This article is largely based on original research and revealing articles by Andrew Allemann at DomainNameWire.com and Mike Berkens at TheDomains.com. The ideas in this articles are not original and have been stated in one form or another by many different people, in a variety of venues, over many years. Jeremiah Johnson and Phil Corwin at the ICA are battling huge odds to protect the interest of domain owners. Several lawyers are on the front lines representing domain owners in UDRP disputes, among them Ari Goldberger, John Berryhill, Paul Keating, Brett Lewis, Stevan Lieberman, and Zak Muscovitch. Thanks to Larry Fischer for the opportunity to post here. A big thank you to the dedicated panelists who do their best to maintain the integrity of the UDRP process and who deliver fair, well-reasoned decisions.
Rick Latona is a major player in the domain name market. Currently Ron Jackson’s DNJournal.com features Rick Latona in a detailed interview.
I remember Rick from the old days. I sold him Portugese.com for what by todays standards could be called lunch money. Rick has rebranded his services under the Latonas.com name so that he can be considered a full fledged domain auction house. His first major auction using his new auction platform debuts at Traffic. I look forward to seeing it in action.
Here’s the press release :
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Latona’s Auction Platform is ready for TRAFFIC Las Vegas auction next week
Atlanta, Georgia USA – January 14, 2010 – Today, Latona’s Domain Brokerage & Auction House announced that their new auction platform is ready and willing for their upcoming auction at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Las Vegas.
“We have been working around the clock for months to get this software ready for our upcoming auction,” said Rick Latona, founder and CEO of Latona’s. “During the soft launch phase we have been allowing registrations and accepting submissions at www.Latonas.com. After an insane amount of planning, coding, testing, reviewing, redoing, retooling, and retesting, I’m proud to say that we are ready.”
Premium submissions are still being considered for the Latona’s Las Vegas event. If you have premium names that you would like to be submit, please register and submit at www.Latonas.com . “Our upcoming Vegas auction inventory is our best list yet,” said David Clements, Latona’s. “We will be releasing the final list in the next few days.”
The Premium Live Auction will be on January 22, 2010. it will start at 4:00pm PST and end at 7:00pm PST. The Latona’s Extended Auction will begin on January 23 and go until January 29.
About Latona’s:
Latona’s Domain Brokerage & Auction House is a full service broker for buyers and sellers of domain names and an industry leader in domain name auctions. The domain industry has exceeded 428,000,000 US Dollars in total sales1 representing over 54,000 individual domains sold since October 2003. Auctions attract branding managers and executives looking to buy domains to increase their company’s market share against their competitors. Registered bidders from a live audience and those watching the live online video and audio broadcast compete with one another buying domain names. Latona’s is proud to be the exclusive auction company for all six T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Conferences in 2010. For additional information, please visit www.Latonas.com.
For further information:
David Clements
Latona’s
+1.678.468.9228
I usually watch Jon Stewart’s Daily Show. Its a late night show on The Comedy Central Network. He is a well known comedian who has also hosted many award shows. Recently he was interviewing a guest and they were speaking about another show’s host stepping down. He jokingly wanted to claim that spot. In his analogy he compares domain drops to this situation. He compares the situation by saying ” This is like a URL, a Domain Name, that has been given back. I am claiming it.” It’s kind of cool when a major talk show host uses domain name drops to compare situations to. Well done Jon.
Have you received an offer for a domain you own and wondered if the offer is worth responding to. Do you wonder if the offer is real or if it is someone spamming out multiple offers. A few years back I noticed the site DomainSpammers.com. It only listed a few names at the time but I had received offer emails from most of the email addresses that the site’s owner had listed as spam. The list has increased over time. I’m not sure if it’s up to date or if all emails listed there are actual spammers. However based on my past experience, it seems like a good list to compare any email offers you have received. This way you can make your own decision before responding.
per the site:
“DomainSpammers.com tracks all suspected Spam and Scam activity related to domain names and encourages best practices among domainers. This site is designed to help domain owners gauge the legitimacy of emails being sent based on what other owners have received. Any registered user can submit a suspected spammer to let other owners know where potential spam offers and scams are coming from. Being listed here does not necessarily mean one is a spammer or scammer, this site only serves as a warning about the emailing habits of people and companies. Click on any person to view the full info page and comments.”
Over $600K in sales last week at Afternic. The Top domain sold was Vivant.com for $30,000. Names that stick out to me are spinalinjury.com at 13k, raise.org at $12,800 and wirelessheadphones.net for $2,000.00
Complete list :
Domain Price
vivant.com $30,000.00
spinalinjury.com $13,000.00
kynos.com $6,988.00
puredance.com $5,900.00
badz.com $5,400.00
thephonestore.com $5,000.00
auditprogram.com $4,995.00
babygourmet.com $4,788.00
domainscentral.com $4,522.00
stellarservices.com $4,500.00
MobileDashboards.com $4,490.00
my-party.com $4,388.00
excessmedia.com $4,188.00
ig8.com $4,000.00
collegereadiness.com $3,988.00
atego.com $3,825.00
lono.com $3,750.00
zimb.com $3,725.00
alwaysactive.com $3,588.00
aceacademy.com $3,588.00
generalfreight.com $3,500.00
lifestaff.com $3,488.00
ecoheater.com $3,350.00
westernsky.com $3,300.00
classycams.com $3,188.00
liquidx.com $3,188.00
innovativestrategies.com $3,188.00
driventosucceed.com $3,188.00
seveso.com $3,000.00
sbsm.com $3,000.00
sanibelrentals.com $3,000.00
great-falls.com $3,000.00
gardenpress.com $2,988.00
furniturecorp.com $2,921.00
nveco.com $2,888.00
pureyou.com $2,870.00
humanwire.com $2,788.00
transpacificgroup.com $2,788.00
foodprofessionals.com $2,788.00
educationalfilms.com $2,788.00
carpetandmore.com $2,770.00
wavemachines.com $2,750.00
whotoask.com $2,688.00
earthpress.com $2,588.00
capitall.com $2,588.00
donmezei.com $2,588.00
savecast.com $2,588.00
skillcast.com $2,588.00
virtuscorp.com $2,530.00
mrtinc.com $2,500.00
ravensbourne.com $2,500.00
macrodata.com $2,500.00
skiver.com $2,500.00
musicofireland.com $2,500.00
insania.com $2,500.00
InternetMarketingFirm.com $2,500.00
k12center.com $2,488.00
toolguard.com $2,488.00
smartthreads.com $2,475.00
superbrains.com $2,388.00
businesselectric.com $2,388.00
lawinstitute.com $2,300.00
desktopticker.com $2,300.00
digitalclubnetwork.com $2,239.00
heavenlybaby.com $2,200.00
carewireless.com $2,188.00
onlybetter.com $2,188.00
dynamicbrand.com $2,100.00
datascore.com $2,088.00
companylog.com $2,088.00
theknowledgenetwork.com $2,088.00
usainternetmarketing.com $2,088.00
educationalfilm.com $2,088.00
animaltown.com $2,050.00
truecontent.com $2,015.00
flowerseverywhere.com $2,000.00
manhattanpizza.com $2,000.00
osinet.com $2,000.00
childrenandnature.com $2,000.00
goodtag.com $2,000.00
governmentcontract.com $2,000.00
americantees.com $2,000.00
constructionparts.com $2,000.00
domainticker.com $2,000.00
1seo.com $2,000.00
biofruit.com $2,000.00
conceptwireless.com $2,000.00
blackberrycafe.com $1,988.00
socialventurefund.com $1,988.00
virsolutions.com $1,988.00
specialdispatch.com $1,900.00
networkmanagementsoftware.com $1,900.00
tfinancial.com $1,888.00
bidbase.com $1,888.00
speakfromtheheart.com $1,888.00
holzermedical.com $1,888.00
startart.com $1,888.00
yachtpartner.com $1,888.00
purepool.com $1,850.00
commeo.com $1,800.00
adjl.com $1,800.00
adverseevents.com $1,788.00
vitaspot.com $1,788.00
quantumads.com $1,788.00
faxappliance.com $1,788.00
munchkinz.com $1,775.00
educationbenefits.com $1,750.00
rollingstores.com $1,700.00
eztraders.com $1,700.00
springchicks.com $1,688.00
procurementlaw.com $1,688.00
orangefactor.com $1,688.00
telecommasters.com $1,688.00
thechinacenter.com $1,688.00
roomservicenow.com $1,688.00
africanfirst.com $1,688.00
peopletoremember.com $1,688.00
peopleserv.com $1,680.00
partyofthree.com $1,600.00
healthyhappylife.com $1,600.00
business-advice.com $1,588.00
mentorwanted.com $1,566.00
mexicanbeer.com $1,500.00
consumercreditprotection.com $1,500.00
whitemedia.com $1,500.00
thesessions.com $1,500.00
diamondstoday.com $1,500.00
pickherup.com $1,500.00
interactivewebsolutions.com $1,500.00
bodycore.com $1,500.00
linkb.com $1,500.00
pearltraders.com $1,500.00
opentrades.com $1,500.00
scubalog.com $1,500.00
thebachelorshow.com $1,500.00
fancyyellow.com $1,500.00
best-deal.com $1,500.00
wakeforesthomes.com $1,500.00
collegiatesuccess.com $1,488.00
doyoubelieveingod.com $1,488.00
capitaldating.com $1,450.00
aquaaccess.com $1,400.00
popularpolitics.com $1,388.00
i-products.com $1,388.00
jornaldocommercio.com $1,388.00
hyperconnection.com $1,388.00
caremobile.com $1,388.00
golfbeginner.com $1,349.00
thorntoncommunications.com $1,300.00
westinstitute.com $1,300.00
socialexpress.com $1,300.00
homeservicesolutions.com $1,300.00
ifreak.com $1,300.00
sportni.com $1,300.00
educateyourchild.com $1,288.00
womenshealthjournal.com $1,288.00
newgreenhome.com $1,250.00
developersedge.com $1,221.00
searchhaven.com $1,200.00
theoncologygroup.com $1,200.00
sanibelproperties.com $1,200.00
naturalrunning.com $1,200.00
arcticlink.com $1,188.00
valveman.com $1,100.00
foodfreedom.com $1,100.00
bankerbroker.com $1,100.00
solidknowledge.com $1,100.00
BENSONHOMES.com $1,100.00
SOLARCAPS.com $1,100.00
newyorkbridal.com $1,100.00
the-colony.com $1,088.00
thepianoexchange.com $1,088.00
dieseldiagnostics.com $1,088.00
khyentse.com $1,080.00
carpetsandmore.com $1,000.00
brassfilters.com $1,000.00
guitarliquidators.com $1,000.00
buyermls.com $1,000.00
lettra.com $1,000.00
lakesideterrace.com $1,000.00
soccerfactory.com $1,000.00
task-force.com $1,000.00
digitalreaders.com $1,000.00
iopsych.com $1,000.00
internationalbusinessnews.com $1,000.00
graffex.com $1,000.00
netsitter.com $1,000.00
allcommercial.com $1,000.00
manageup.com $1,000.00
cigarscatalog.com $1,000.00
summittechnical.com $1,000.00
investorpulse.com $1,000.00
westernsports.com $1,000.00
valme.com $1,000.00
northamericanoutfitters.com $1,000.00
publicityguide.com $1,000.00
safetylawyers.com $1,000.00
bodytrue.com $1,000.00
restaurantdb.com $1,000.00
fishinginsurance.com $1,000.00
homeseasons.com $1,000.00
ROMANTICDRIVES.com $997.00
backupnetworks.com $988.00
nexusnews.com $988.00
windcenter.com $988.00
championvending.com $988.00
moneyzine.com $977.00
betweenslices.com $955.00
remodelingforum.com $921.00
legalresearchservices.com $900.00
castlenetworks.com $900.00
steelengineering.com $900.00
groupclick.com $900.00
salesjam.com $900.00
pennyreport.com $900.00
frugalfind.com $900.00
backupadministration.com $888.00
backtreatments.com $888.00
whateverwireless.com $888.00
australiantouch.com $888.00
bacterialgenetics.com $888.00
reliancesolutions.com $888.00
copyfile.com $888.00
radiologyguide.com $888.00
myfinancecoach.com $888.00
okfusa.com $888.00
7637.com $888.00
ANTHEMHEALTHPLANS.com $880.00
affordablebanking.com $877.00
bellafleur.com $850.00
greatamericanadventure.com $844.00
supportsmart.com $821.00
tradersoffice.com $821.00
notfornothing.com $800.00
alittleindulgence.com $800.00
groupcommerce.com $800.00
manchesterliving.com $800.00
homepageindex.com $800.00
performancematrix.com $800.00
beautyisland.com $797.00
DRCAROLYN.com $795.00
wctllc.com $788.00
ultraearth.com $788.00
toddlergates.com $788.00
adr-solutions.com $788.00
openelement.com $788.00
siempreviva.com $788.00
stampsofapproval.com $788.00
transparante.com $788.00
dealsexpress.com $788.00
cycle-products.com $788.00
huntelk.com $750.00
giftcardspot.com $750.00
smarttelevisions.com $750.00
thegreatamericans.com $750.00
alumnigroups.com $750.00
absolutetreework.com $725.00
peoples-gas.com $710.00
securityking.com $708.00
magicbid.com $708.00
bulletin-board.com $708.00
kidsindia.com $708.00
tigermagazine.com $708.00
shoplocate.com $708.00
capgrowth.com $700.00
carolinejones.com $700.00
plussize-swimwear.com $688.00
backupagents.com $688.00
readytosend.com $688.00
harborhelper.com $688.00
photographicbackdrop.com $688.00
nycrave.com $688.00
carstenszpyramid.com $688.00
slickpic.com $688.00
takecourage.com $688.00
ventureassoc.com $688.00
polyplanet.com $688.00
badaran.com $688.00
majorinc.com $650.00
lasvegaschiropractor.com $650.00
supplementsdepot.com $650.00
wackyapple.com $620.00
GoldZap.com $604.00
netcorporations.com $600.00
hackertees.com $600.00
alienlab.com $600.00
edesignstudios.com $588.00
lightupshirts.com $588.00
lakeshorehealth.com $588.00
hochzeitstag.com $588.00
opelforum.com $575.00
localvisions.com $550.00
bachelor-of-arts.com $520.00
promdiva.com $504.00
gymdoctors.com $500.00
echavarria.com $500.00
newsletterlibrary.com $500.00
nuzzolo.com $500.00
corporateinteractive.com $500.00
oldtimerforum.com $500.00
prizepool.com $500.00
kevinconway.com $500.00
alterationstation.com $500.00
tomnash.com $500.00
greatfamilyfun.com $500.00
motorcycleprotection.com $500.00
talentcorp.com $500.00
island-sailing.com $488.00
relationshipbible.com $488.00
freedomchallenge.com $488.00
UNFACT.com $480.00
WACKYWAFERS.com $480.00
de-age.com $450.00
tinytravel.com $425.00
riallc.com $400.00
homepagezone.com $400.00
fxrouter.com $399.00
blogajob.com $388.00
ultimaterelationships.com $388.00
whatwedobest.com $388.00
insideroserich.com $388.00
creatinghealthandwealth.com $350.00
allwirelessstore.com $350.00
brianfitz.com $350.00
glitzyglam.com $350.00
simplecm.com $350.00
rushcutter.com $350.00
alt tld’s
Domain Price
raise.org $12,800.00
CulinaryArts.org $4,200.00
metros.net $2,788.00
europetravel.net $2,400.00
cyberwarrior.net $2,288.00
revu.net $2,100.00
wirelessheadphones.net $2,000.00
domaintools.net $2,000.00
investmentbankers.org $2,000.00
professionalliability.net $2,000.00
moneymatters.net $1,888.00
investamerica.org $1,888.00
subsonic.org $1,888.00
photographe.org $1,866.00
Reformers.org $1,800.00
cupo.net $1,799.00
caribbeancruises.net $1,400.00
greeninvestment.net $1,390.00
businessreporting.org $1,388.00
elekom.net $1,388.00
birdcage.net $1,350.00
investmentbanks.org $1,300.00
oculos.net $1,300.00
homesecuritysource.net $1,182.00
kidsgolfclubs.net $1,100.00
greenhaven.net $1,088.00
waterpro.org $1,000.00
laserdrucker.org $1,000.00
vegetableseeds.net $988.00
revolutionpress.org $967.00
eftb.net $955.00
pablopicasso.org $900.00
landwehr.net $900.00
brandstand.net $900.00
healthflow.net $888.00
savenow.net $888.00
attendees.net $888.00
cockatoos.net $850.00
evangelisten.org $800.00
goodchoice.org $788.00
tfinancial.net $788.00
rachelhunter.net $788.00
digitalpianos.net $788.00
foodcoupons.net $750.00
collegegrant.net $750.00
techwire.net $700.00
getget.net $688.00
bunkerbusters.net $688.00
lapple.net $688.00
virsolutions.net $688.00
gelaendewagen.net $666.00
computerchair.net $600.00
panicattacksymptoms.net $588.00
medieninstitut.net $588.00
dmdesigns.net $588.00
attendees.org $588.00
woodconstruction.net $525.00
thechurchofchrist.net $521.00
jointheclub.org $500.00
hubworld.net $500.00
filhos.org $500.00
futureware.net $500.00
extendedfamily.org $500.00
worldbrain.org $488.00
nationalstandards.org $488.00
urbanproperties.net $488.00
gdp.info $399.00
WorkingParents.net $395.00
kbsd.net $388.00
emii.net $388.00
gpsm.net $388.00
faoe.net $388.00
oanm.org $388.00
aaba.net $388.00
bmgu.net $388.00
veripro.net $388.00
mbbr.net $388.00
wydo.org $388.00
There are some sites that offer information. Other websites purely look to make money. But sometimes you just don’t see the obvious benefits of owning a primary generic domain. Take Jesus.com. It was owned many years ago by a different owner than it’s owned by today.
The owner of Jesus.com stated that “young women interested in sharing a shower with Jesus can now have their dreams come true.” The site included links such as Date Jesus (who by the way according to his resume likes “Long romantic walks, lying on a grassy field at night gazing into the stars”, “shower with Jesus”, “sermons” ” multimedia”,”music” and “contact”.
Also included is the following “All requests from young women in the DC Metro area will be considered. Women from out of town will have to handle their own travel provisions, though a guest room is often available if needed. In most cases Jesus will be available and eager to speak to you about spirituality if desired. If you are not spiritual, Jesus will share a beer and pleasant existential banter.”
to see the old version of the site click here
Wow. Thats all I have to say. Congratulations to Sedo. Credit.fr was a blockbuster at $587,500 Euros. Thats over $870k USD. Items.com at 50k and Migraine at 125k. nice pickups all around. Here is the complete weekly sales list from Sedo.
Domain name Price Currency
.Coms
migraine.com 125,000 USD
mysports.com 60,000 USD
items.com 50,000 USD
cityhotels.com 40,000 USD
mys.com 20,000 USD
nghenhac.com 15,100 USD
8l.com 14,000 USD
460.com 11,501 USD
9l.com 10,099 USD
silkroadonline.com 7,610 EUR
withyou.com 7,500 USD
branchen.com 7,500 EUR
supermortgages.com 7,500 USD
psusa.com 7,140 USD
handytarife.com 7,000 EUR
wazeefa.com 6,500 EUR
rolly.com 6,000 USD
workincustomerservice.com 5,000 USD
140nametrafficportfolio.com 5,000 USD
creditas.com 4,900 USD
risultati-calcio.com 4,800 EUR
favorita.com 4,500 EUR
netconf.com 4,500 USD
rpet.com 4,500 USD
mac1.com 4,250 USD
coolbritannia.com 4,000 GBP
adrun.com 4,000 USD
oyoy.com 4,000 USD
dietmama.com 3,500 USD
gratisy.com 3,500 EUR
pixiv.com 3,200 USD
artia.com 3,117 USD
rucksäcke.com 3,100 EUR
5dk.com 3,100 USD
streamwork.com 3,000 USD
can2010.com 3,000 EUR
affiliatemanager.com 3,000 USD
liesure.com 3,000 USD
filehub.com 2,695 USD
bankreview.com 2,595 USD
klearvodka.com 2,500 USD
mapolis.com 2,500 USD
nyproperties.com 2,500 USD
myrobots.com 2,500 USD
casinosforum.com 2,500 USD
droptic.com 2,400 USD
josemaria.com 2,250 USD
divacam.com 2,250 GBP
triggerball.com 2,200 EUR
series-tv.com 2,200 EUR
corlin.com 2,200 USD
farequote.com 2,150 USD
dailynewspaper.com 2,050 GBP
animaltown.com 2,050 USD
affiliatesense.com 2,000 USD
123local.com 2,000 EUR
carvaleting.com 2,000 USD
rapidporn.com 2,000 USD
centralavenue.com 2,000 USD
ccTLDs
credit.fr 587,500 EUR
sdtirol.eu 9,900 EUR
möbel.eu 9,100 EUR
home.ch 8,000 EUR
casinoitalia.it 8,000 EUR
safety.sg 6,900 USD
mller.eu 6,600 EUR
testbilder.de 5,000 EUR
elove.co.uk 4,750 USD
galileo.es 4,000 EUR
ehling.de 4,000 EUR
booking.fm 3,500 EUR
translators.us 3,200 EUR
nochmal.de 3,000 EUR
betriebseinrichter.de 2,950 EUR
translation.us 2,660 EUR
translations.us 2,660 EUR
debt-management.co.uk 2,500 GBP
gimnasio.es 2,500 EUR
elove.eu 2,500 EUR
spelletjesspelen.nl 2,450 EUR
deinhandy.de 2,380 EUR
mfc.fr 2,300 EUR
kche.eu 2,300 EUR
billigflge.eu 2,272 EUR
geburtstagsgeschenk.de 2,250 EUR
flirting.es 2,200 EUR
bersetzungsagentur.de 2,150 EUR
jobbörse.eu 2,150 EUR
öl.eu 2,150 EUR
translator.us 2,020 EUR
club.ch 2,000 EUR
creditfocus.eu 2,000 EUR
asesoria.es 1,950 EUR
proxxon.ca 1,750 USD
drachenboote.de 1,750 EUR
homöopathie.eu 1,700 EUR
trainingsbekleidung.de 1,700 EUR
markenoutlet.de 1,666 EUR
motorräder.eu 1,659 EUR
xx.cc 1,652 EUR
websitebeveiliging.nl 1,600 EUR
campingeurope.eu 1,600 EUR
de.ai 1,550 EUR
solarenergy.cn 1,500 USD
freemobilephone.co.uk 1,500 GBP
edenisland.de 1,500 EUR
markierwagen.de 1,350 EUR
iptelephony.co.uk 1,300 GBP
speedworld.eu 1,275 EUR
dsseldorf.eu 1,266 EUR
bersetzer.at 1,250 EUR
nordinvest.de 1,250 EUR
restaurantweek.cn 1,250 USD
smartrepair.at 1,200 EUR
aerztepunkt.de 1,200 EUR
think.com.pl 1,200 USD
teddyberen.nl 1,190 EUR
petsdirect.co.uk 1,150 GBP
zavvi.es 1,100 EUR
browser-game.de 1,095 EUR
parfm.eu 1,049 EUR
tapage.fr 1,000 EUR
point4jobs.co.uk 1,000 GBP
gspot.co.uk 1,000 USD
withteeth.de 1,000 EUR
strandresort.de 1,000 EUR
fussballshirts.de 1,000 EUR
fitnessraum.de 1,000 EUR
scherzartikel.eu 1,000 EUR
wohnungsverlosung.de 999 EUR
antiquitäten.eu 959 EUR
future-business.de 950 EUR
wörterbuch.eu 950 EUR
póker.eu 949 EUR
universität.eu 902 EUR
kindermöbel.eu 900 EUR
stadionjacke.de 900 EUR
makemeheal.de 899 EUR
bancon.cn 850 USD
gnstig.eu 840 EUR
währung.eu 827 EUR
engle.dk 800 USD
bypost.co.uk 800 GBP
webstats.nl 800 EUR
fussballbuecher.de 800 EUR
fussball-blog.de 800 EUR
firmenauskunft.tv 750 EUR
byme.be 750 EUR
snowboardjacken.de 750 EUR
datacorp.co.uk 750 GBP
schönheitschirurgie.eu 715 EUR
indiansummer & indian-summer.de 714 EUR
geschenke-geschenkideen.de 712 EUR
polstermöbel.eu 710 EUR
charterflge.eu 705 EUR
weihnachtsgeschenke-online.de 700 EUR
energysparen.de 700 EUR
Other
qe.org 20,000 USD
nursingscholarships.org 5,900 USD
are.net 4,099 USD
m2.org 4,000 USD
consulting.pro 3,500 EUR
jointhemovementnow.org 3,000 USD
massagetherapy.net 3,000 USD
discounter.net 2,500 USD
renesse.net 2,500 EUR
a0.net 2,000 USD
filingcabinets.net 1,995 USD
weihnachtskarten.net 1,930 EUR
photographe.org 1,866 USD
resellerhost.net 1,750 USD
fragen.net 1,600 EUR
gafas.net 1,550 EUR
travelcube.biz 1,500 EUR
i94.mobi 1,500 USD
newyorkrealty.net 1,500 USD
supershield.net 1,500 EUR
greeninvestment.net 1,390 USD
mauritanie.info 1,250 USD
hotel-vergleich.net 1,200 EUR
folan.net 1,125 EUR
bundesschatzbriefe.net 1,010 EUR
prospekthalter.net 1,000 EUR
online-spiele.info 1,000 EUR
pokericons.net 1,000 USD
metaldetectors.net 999 USD
boxing-day.net 999 USD
brandprotection.org 997 USD
paolo.info 995 USD
insurancehealth.net 995 USD
revolutionpress.org 967 USD
snowboardpackages.net 900 USD
keynes.info 849 USD
damenuhr.info 813 EUR
onlinephd.org 800 USD
juliaskitchen.org 790 USD
musiclyrics.mobi 750 USD
shut.net 750 USD
rollschuhe.net 701 EUR
indianapolisindiana.org 700 USD
sprachreisen.info 700 EUR
The American Dialect Society is a group that studies the English Language. They have voted “google”, used as a verb meaning to search the Internet, the top word of the decade. In addition they voted “tweet”, which is a short message using the twitter service as it’s noun of the year.
Other nominated words for Word of The Year were -er, fail, H1N1. public opinion and Dracula sneeze.
Other nominated words for Word of The Decade were – 9/11, blog. green , text, war on terror.
The press release also lists the winner of most useful word, “fail”, and other categories.
Is there any words that you think are better than the ones chosen?
I receive emails constantly. Some people ask to buy their domains while others ask for me to sell them domains. Every once in a while I receive an email asking for me to invest in their business plan. Recently, both Traffic and Domainfest added a “shark tank” to their agenda. The Shark Tank is based on a TV show that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to show their business plan and ask the panel for an investment.
I am going to post a business plan that was sent to me by a reader of the DirectNavigation.com blog. Please note that I do not know the domainer who sent it to me and I do not recommend one way or another whether someone should invest in his business plan. That is your decision. I post this plan as a way for the domainer to learn from comments of domainers, investors and all other readers of this blog.
His business plan is up at http://www.slideshare.net/spreadoffense/spreadoffensecom-business-plan-2009
The plan may be a little difficult to read at that site. If anyone can tell me how to attach a PDF to my wordpress post, I will add a PDF which would be easier to read.
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