Giving away a domain name

cmason · 06-30-2009, 06:42 PM

While watching the drop list today, I noticed the title of a popular Mac text editor come on the list. The developers of the software own other domains with their other product titles and forward them all to the main company product page.

Anyways, I registered the domain name (in good faith, mind you) with the purpose of gifting it to them. I have already sent them an email saying I am happy to push the domain to them for free with no strings attached as I greatly appreciate and use their software often.

I am curious to hear stories of donations from fellow NP'ers.

Spade · 06-30-2009, 07:10 PM

Ive never registered a domain name with the intent to Gift - however I have notified companies and or people I deal with when relevant domain names come up on drops or auctions.

-Adam- · 06-30-2009, 07:20 PM

Likewise, If i have no use for it I just send an email to the company letting them know of it's status and move on. I think registering a name be it in good faith could still look like possible cybersquatting and proving your intent could be tricky.

As for donating there have been a few times where I have just given away names at random because I wanted to lighten the load and felt like others would do them more justice.

GreenGambler · 07-01-2009, 07:50 PM

Im with Adam and Spade, I've emailed companies or sites, letting them know about the available/dropping name. But I have not reg'd a name with the intent to gift it to anyone. I also agree that regging a name with good intent to gift could easily be seen as a potential scam or ploy, by the giftee's. I think it's best to just notify them, even though you are doing a good thing.

cmason · 07-01-2009, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by GreenGambler

Im with Adam and Spade, I've emailed companies or sites, letting them know about the available/dropping name. But I have not reg'd a name with the intent to gift it to anyone. I also agree that regging a name with good intent to gift could easily be seen as a potential scam or ploy, by the giftee's. I think it's best to just notify them, even though you are doing a good thing.

I absolutely agree with what you all said - I probably should have just let them know. Oh well! Live and learn...hopefully they take it though!

DebacleX · 07-01-2009, 07:52 PM

I think this is a waste of minute - you are spending your own money for something that, in the end, they will take thankless. Not really worth it - I have done this a few times, parked my old domains to the same type of site, and told the site owner, and was never given a thank you or anything. It made me feel good, but the fact they couldn't take out 2 minutes of their life to write me a simple thank you email was appalling to me.

randomo · 07-01-2009, 08:08 PM

I've picked up about half a dozen .com's of people's names, then offered to donate them. It's worked a few times.

One former pro athlete's company sent me a $50 gift certificate when I gave them his name. Even better were the thank-you's I got from a former U.S. president's foundation and, especially, the head of the fan club for a formerly well-known band's lead singer. (I drop-caught and then donated the singer's name, which it turned out he'd been trying to acquire for years; he'd been quite ill, and the fan club lady said I had really raised his spirits. It was a good feeling, since that band's music had brought me a lot of pleasure.)

A few other times, I've had trouble finding out how to offer the domain - for example, it's hard to find which agents are used by some well-known actors. At the moment, I have the .com of a guy who has a lead role in a popular TV series; my one inquiry probably didn't reach the right ears, so I'll have to look for another way to offer it.

Even though these activities cost me a bit of money, the psychic rewards have more than outweighed the financial loss.

Coopey · 07-03-2009, 05:21 AM

I recently bought a .org to match a .org.uk for a charity.
To 'prove' good faith I set it to forward straight to the .org.uk and will offer it as a donation.

**John Baron** · 07-03-2009, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by cmason

While watching the drop list today, I noticed the title of a popular Mac text editor come on the list. The developers of the software own other domains with their other product titles and forward them all to the main company product page.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/593504-giving-away-a-domain-name.html

Anyways, I registered the domain name (in good faith, mind you) with the purpose of gifting it to them. I have already sent them an email saying I am happy to push the domain to them for free with no strings attached as I greatly appreciate and use their software often.

I am curious to hear stories of donations from fellow NP'ers.

i think its great

, the place in yourself that made you to take this action is a good place and its important to act from there
maybe they will thank you and maybe not , but by taking this action you first of all made something for your own growth as a human

cmason · 07-03-2009, 08:41 AM

UPDATE: They were EXTREMELY appreciative and thankful for the offer. The domain has been transferred to them and the thanks that I received was more than enough to make my day. Sure, I could have notified them that the domain was available, but I am pretty certain that a domain such as this one would have been picked up and held for ransom - something I didn't want to happen to a firm that makes software I use 4+ hours PER DAY.

If I come across an available domain (not dropping) in the future I will simply make the organization aware of the availability, but in this case I am glad that I did what I did.

Thanks for all of the input everyone!

GreenGambler · 07-03-2009, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by cmason

UPDATE: They were EXTREMELY appreciative and thankful for the offer. The domain has been transferred to them and the thanks that I received was more than enough to make my day. Sure, I could have notified them that the domain was available, but I am pretty certain that a domain such as this one would have been picked up and held for ransom - something I didn't want to happen to a firm that makes software I use 4+ hours PER DAY.

If I come across an available domain (not dropping) in the future I will simply make the organization aware of the availability, but in this case I am glad that I did what I did.

Thanks for all of the input everyone!

Good Job CMason!!! Im glad to here it went so well. Your sure to have some good Karma coming your way!

cmason · 07-03-2009, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by GreenGambler

Good Job CMason!!! Im glad to here it went so well. Your sure to have some good Karma coming your way!
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=593504

Thank you! Made a $750 sale today on another domain so I am feeling the karma!

**El Bandolero** · 07-03-2009, 07:59 PM

cmason my hat off to you for doing such an honorable thing that a lot of ppl wouldnt do it. Shows that there is honest ppl in this world

wot · 07-03-2009, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by cmason

Thank you! Made a $750 sale today on another domain so I am feeling the karma!

????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=593504
It definitely works does it not.

06-30-2009, 06:42 PM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
cmason Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,276 Follow @ColeMason	Giving away a domain name While watching the drop list today, I noticed the title of a popular Mac text editor come on the list. The developers of the software own other domains with their other product titles and forward them all to the main company product page. Anyways, I registered the domain name (in good faith, mind you) with the purpose of gifting it to them. I have already sent them an email saying I am happy to push the domain to them for free with no strings attached as I greatly appreciate and use their software often. I am curious to hear stories of donations from fellow NP'ers.

06-30-2009, 07:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Spade NamePros Expert Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Carlsbad, CA Posts: 7,848	Ive never registered a domain name with the intent to Gift - however I have notified companies and or people I deal with when relevant domain names come up on drops or auctions. __________________ Read my Blog! NameBio.com - Search The Domain Sales Index Buying LLLL.com's ending in "CA"

06-30-2009, 07:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
-Adam- The Caffeine King! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pensacola, Florida Posts: 1,696	Likewise, If i have no use for it I just send an email to the company letting them know of it's status and move on. I think registering a name be it in good faith could still look like possible cybersquatting and proving your intent could be tricky. As for donating there have been a few times where I have just given away names at random because I wanted to lighten the load and felt like others would do them more justice. __________________ Far Cry 3 Blog Domain Names Ending In Less Than 24 Hours On eBay!

07-01-2009, 07:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
GreenGambler Visit -- NameManor.com Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Missouri--USA Posts: 3,458 Follow @ArtlicoiusArt	Im with Adam and Spade, I've emailed companies or sites, letting them know about the available/dropping name. But I have not reg'd a name with the intent to gift it to anyone. I also agree that regging a name with good intent to gift could easily be seen as a potential scam or ploy, by the giftee's. I think it's best to just notify them, even though you are doing a good thing. __________________ Mewv.com is Currently for Sale Original Abstract Art Abstract Artwork For Sale

07-01-2009, 07:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
DebacleX Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Newport, KY Posts: 1,445 Follow @debaclex	I think this is a waste of minute - you are spending your own money for something that, in the end, they will take thankless. Not really worth it - I have done this a few times, parked my old domains to the same type of site, and told the site owner, and was never given a thank you or anything. It made me feel good, but the fact they couldn't take out 2 minutes of their life to write me a simple thank you email was appalling to me. __________________ www.politicalcartoon.info \| www.thebile.com

	LeadRefs	Forum Sponsorship
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07-01-2009, 08:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
randomo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 3,157 Follow @BetterDomains	I've picked up about half a dozen .com's of people's names, then offered to donate them. It's worked a few times. One former pro athlete's company sent me a $50 gift certificate when I gave them his name. Even better were the thank-you's I got from a former U.S. president's foundation and, especially, the head of the fan club for a formerly well-known band's lead singer. (I drop-caught and then donated the singer's name, which it turned out he'd been trying to acquire for years; he'd been quite ill, and the fan club lady said I had really raised his spirits. It was a good feeling, since that band's music had brought me a lot of pleasure.) A few other times, I've had trouble finding out how to offer the domain - for example, it's hard to find which agents are used by some well-known actors. At the moment, I have the .com of a guy who has a lead role in a popular TV series; my one inquiry probably didn't reach the right ears, so I'll have to look for another way to offer it. Even though these activities cost me a bit of money, the psychic rewards have more than outweighed the financial loss. __________________ See my domains, grouped by category, at BetterDomains.net - reseller offers welcome! Follow me at Facebook or Twitter - I'm "BetterDomains" at both places.

07-03-2009, 05:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
Coopey Member of the Year Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London or Casnewydd Posts: 1,775	I recently bought a .org to match a .org.uk for a charity. To 'prove' good faith I set it to forward straight to the .org.uk and will offer it as a donation.

07-03-2009, 08:41 AM	THREAD STARTER #10 (permalink)
cmason Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,276 Follow @ColeMason	UPDATE: They were EXTREMELY appreciative and thankful for the offer. The domain has been transferred to them and the thanks that I received was more than enough to make my day. Sure, I could have notified them that the domain was available, but I am pretty certain that a domain such as this one would have been picked up and held for ransom - something I didn't want to happen to a firm that makes software I use 4+ hours PER DAY. If I come across an available domain (not dropping) in the future I will simply make the organization aware of the availability, but in this case I am glad that I did what I did. Thanks for all of the input everyone!

07-03-2009, 07:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
El Bandolero Forum Moderator Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 766	cmason my hat off to you for doing such an honorable thing that a lot of ppl wouldnt do it. Shows that there is honest ppl in this world

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