Ghosts of Domains Past...

canswift · Dec 27, 2017

This is the time of year for looking back (as well as forward). I always like to reflect on past domain ventures I’m aware of, and see if the success or failure of those might help map my way forward.

I remember the “We are + city name” dot coms registered in their thousands (it seemed) probably about 2006 when the movie “We are Marshall” came out. These names were meant to be sold or leased as rallying cry names. I’m not sure the concept ever really took off, and I don’t know what happened to the bulk of the names.

Just a few weeks ago while checking the GoDaddy expired auctions, I saw page after page (I stopped counting after 250 names) of “Country + unltd” (unlimited?) dot coms. Mostly registered in 2008 /2009. I’d have choked on those renewals over almost 10 years…

Any of you early NPers remember any past niche domain scenarios that didn’t quite make it? Or (hopefully) ones that did?! Happy Domaining in 2018.

anantj · Dec 28, 2017

RMG was a rage a few months (or about a year ago). Saw a lot of those names drop as well...

Kuffy · Dec 28, 2017

anantj said:
RMG was a rage a few months (or about a year ago). Saw a lot of those names drop as well...

I warned against that, but I did take note of the trend, and I've still got RoyalMailGold.com ( it's a typo ), and I have to decide what to do with that.

A good few years ago, hyphens were a brief trend, and I reg'd b-i-g-g-e-r.com as a male product name. I thought it looked good, but it made negligible money.

It looks as if "zero" is an emerging niche at the moment, and I've just picked up ZeroBlockchain.com - I'll develop that one.

BaileyUK · Dec 28, 2017

from a personal experience I registered many a domain with the word 'Smart' + key word Starting way back to 1999/2000. and still get at least a couple of inquiries every year for the few that I still hold, Wish I held out for more though for the dozens that I sold. Most went for mid to low x,xxx probably 8 to 10 years ago. Virtually everyone bit my hand off at the first price I offered and many first offers accepted by myself at what seemed (at the time) fantastic sales.

that's us domainers never-happy and always reflecting

canswift · Dec 29, 2017

Just seen this on GD closeouts right now, page after page of the same keyword dot com, each registered with the prefix of a US state abbreviation. At least 50 names, registered 13 years ago and never (that I can see) developed. That's got to be around $6K in sunk reg and renewal costs... Ouch.

Kuffy · Dec 30, 2017

anantj said:
RMG was a rage a few months (or about a year ago). Saw a lot of those names drop as well...

That must have been a year ago, because I looked though an expired list yesterday, and I noticed a couple of dozen of them. One of them was RMGblockchain.com, and I put a bid on this one. I got it early this morning, I'm surprised that they let this one go. Coindesk reports that the first test transaction was completed on 2nd August, so it looks as if it will be live fairly soon. It's innovative as it links physical gold to a digital blockchain.
https://www.coindesk.com/britains-royal-mint-reveals-details-on-live-blockchain-for-tracking-gold/

Will this post start another gold rush?

Kate · Dec 31, 2017

Over the years I have seen domainers try to corner a market (or a niche). It never pans out well. A domain collection is not the same as a portfolio.

Probably the biggest such attempt is exemplified in the story of 24Hournames.com, this is one of the most spectacular domain failures (a famous example that I already posted in other threads).
Excerpt from The Domain Game: How People Get Rich from Internet Domain Names:
Source: https://books.google.is/books?id=su...Q6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=24Hournames.com&f=false

There are many more examples but on a smaller scale.

A Cyprus-based company that bought tens of thousands of zip codes in pro: https://www.namepros.com/threads/the-pro-discussion.522420/page-114#post-4113150

DigitalTown Announces .CITY Domain Network – Buys 11,000 .City Domain Names: https://onlinedomain.com/2016/06/25...-domain-network-buys-11000-city-domain-names/
Can't say if this is a failure from a financial point of view, but I don't see the point of buying so many names in an extension that nobody cares about.

I have more examples in mind, but I have to collect links.

Kate · Jan 3, 2018

Now expiring and on prerelease at NJ: 8MINUTES01.COM thru 8MINUTES59.COM. These names have been registered since 2007. It's an easy $5000 in renewal fees. What was the buyer thinking here ?

imadoer · Jan 3, 2018

anantj said:
RMG was a rage a few months (or about a year ago). Saw a lot of those names drop as well...

funny that the guy who posted the thread about it in the first place became a ghost too

offthehandle · Jan 3, 2018

I have seen many, many examples in the expired lists. In fact been collecting them for posting. The registries must love all the mistake, bad decision domains etc. lots of one off profit.

Kate · Jan 3, 2018

Spending 6 figures on .ws - sounds risky

Kate · Jan 16, 2018

Expiring right now: thousands of 5L.com like:
BBCMH.COM
BBCMJ.COM
BBCMX.COM
BBCMY.COM
...
ZSPAI.COM
ZSVVI.COM
ZTWGK.COM
ZZFSJ.COM

Registered in Dec. 2016
I didn't count all of them but there could be 27K of those. Ouch. What were they thinking ?

Kuffy · Jan 16, 2018

imadoer said:
funny that the guy who posted the thread about it in the first place became a ghost too

The problem with jumping on concepts like the RMG bandwagon is that you have to be prepared to hold the names for a few years. I was lucky to pick up the RMGblockchain.com name for $1. It saved me having to pay for the 2017 registration year. They have announced that the blockchain is live.
https://www.coindesk.com/britains-royal-mint-reveals-details-on-live-blockchain-for-tracking-gold/
but I may have to hold the name for another year to reap any benefit. Not a problem with just one name, but not so good with 500.

btw - that story in interesting. Fancy handing a $40,000 gold bar to an audience to pass round.

Braden Pollock · Feb 7, 2018

Kate said:
Spending 6 figures on .ws - sounds risky

It was risky. So far... not so good. Ya win some, ya lose some. That said, I haven't given up hope yet.

Recons.Com · Feb 7, 2018

Ghosts of domains present...

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Ghosts of Domains Past...

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