A problem with domainers

[theparamount]

DEVELOPMENT. The internet is for people to surf and love and find information. One thing about us who call ourselves domainers is actually using our premium names. Unfortunately a lot of great great domains that could be used and developed by a potential end user are permanently parked for cash flow only. Unwillingness to share is so widespread even in less than premium domains. I don't understand how many of the top domainers do not even think about leasing out or sharing their domain names. For example, if I want to build a page on www.email.com then the owner should at least entertain the idea that he could share his domain to a web developer for the good of the internet. Heck, maybe he'd make a huge profit.

There should be a site where users can look and search for a domain to put an idea of a site onto. So what, the domainer loses a couple bucks (usually less) a day in parking, the void of money should be replaced by the satisfaction of having a quality site on their domain. No matter what the domainer will always have the ability to change the nameservers since the ownership is in their hands.

The possibility of a spreading internet with new ideas and development is definitely slowed up by our selfishness and unwillingness to share. So I call out to the premium domain name owners and the people who get emails like "How much will you sell xxxxxxx.com for?" to send a reply that says "Can we work out a revenue share program and you can lease the domain?" or "Can you develop a quality site and if the site generates enough money the domain is yours?". I think if we can start sharing with developers than the internet will become a space where the little guy with less money but GREAT ideas can shine and we will not fall into the pitfall that former dot com millionaire Mark Cuban explains has already happened. (Link to Mark Cuban's Statement)


PS feel free to disagree and argue that parking revenue is more important or that your domain is much too valuable for a petty designer to put a crappy site on.

 

[verbster]

The internet is for people to surf and love and find information.

You left out commerce, which is pretty important.

Revenue sharing is a good idea, but it's difficult to do. Some people always seem want more (and will stoop to whatever to get it), so legalities come into play....and then things get messy.

Even just trying to do simple revenue sharing is tough. Many of us have tried, with little success, to work out arrrangements with developers to share profits if they would help develop our domains, or vice-versa. (I once tried to do that with a site dedicated to domain leasing but had to give up on it.) I'm not saying it can't be done, but I am saying there needs to be a better way to do it...maybe your universal site?

Can't speak for other domainers, but I'm completely open to selling, renting, leasing, trading and donating domains given the right circumstances. I don't know of too many domainers that aren't open to making money.

That said, if you had a parked domain making $1000 per day or even $100 per day, would you want to lease it for $1000 per month or sell it for under six figures? Only a small percentage of domain owners can do this, and only a very small percentage of people can afford to lease or buy such quality domains...or trade something for their use.

Most "regular" domainers probably don't make over $100 per day on parking. They live for offers to consider.

 

[ji]

I agree with you completely.

 

[dnk]

Disputes between a developer and domain owner for revenue share are likely to occur.

 

[theparamount]

Obviously disputes would occur but like a site like namepros.. transactions can be made after reputation has been built. Eventually the system could be a quality place where a handful or even a couple web developers could be using their skills to put quality content on domains that aren't making the big parking revenues. I just don't understand domainers that have domains I know are making squat but are SO unwilling to even allow someone to put something quality or sell the domain. I just recently got done trying to grab a domain worth mid XX max but the guy kept wanting XXXX. Finally I offered a rev share but he said no.... it wouldn't be profitable for me.

Very few domains make 100s a day solely on a parked page and even fewer make 1000s (I'd be suprised if any besides .coms made that much). So forget the domains raking in the money, maybe one should target the middle class domains that obviously aren't getting tons of money parked and start up a lease site.

I might even try but my skills outside of PHP, MySQL, and HTML are poor. Brainstorm some names and I might try and throw together a business proposition. Anyone is free to contact me if they have suggestions.

 

[verbster]

Your idea might make a good website on its own! A place for domain owners to collaborate with developers with the goal of developing sites for revenue sharing.

Expand that to people looking for domains to develop with their thoughts and designs. It might be weird at first, a three-way share (domain owner, developer and leasee), but it might work. I'd gladly share a domain for a project like this.

 

[Domagon]

A generic domain can often be worth similar to even more undeveloped than developed.

Some end-user buyers prefer a "blank" slate so to speak - less chance of intellectual property issues, easier to brand as their own, etc.

A more basic reason that many domain name owners don't want to let others get involved is they are fearful of their domains being wrestled away from them in some way; disputes over content, liability, money, etc that could potentially lead to litigation, including possibly losing some or all of their ownership interest in the domain name itself to the other party(s), etc.

With all that said, domain leasing, while still a niche industry, is becoming more popular - but such arrangements are pricey and thus have limited appeal when often a person / company can better justify registering new / buy a domain outright and developing that instead.

On a related topic, there is a demand for content by domainers - key is for content producers to make quality, customized content available in a easy, turn-key way at a reasonable price...

Some parking companies are reportedly looking at providing in-depth content for domains in a semi-automated manner ... since content will likely be the next evolution in revenue generation for many currently parked domains.

Lastly, I have some domains that I'm seeking quality, custom content for - feel free to email / PM me with what you can do along with what type of financial arrangements you'd be willing to consider.

Ron

 

[verbster]

I have some domains that I'm seeking quality, custom content for

I think you will find many more domain owners wanting developers and content suppliers for partners than vice-versa. Just in this thread that's what we all want. Shows the demand, though.

 

[theparamount]

See... even you have domains you want to share. I don't expect the person with email.com to wander down and want to share his domain since I'm sure hes making hundreds per day. I'm not sure there would be much liability issues with sharing if there is a worked out contract.

I guess we need to start a site like this... after all it is a niche.

 

[VirtualT]

Yes, this is a dilemma that I grapple with myself, especially now with the likes of bodis and others, we can construct a landing page that in all respects looks like a real site but has only sponsored links.

 

[goodkarmaco]

It has the potential to get to messy in my opinion.

I mean what if the domainer dies and the widow wants to sell the domain?. Some guy is leasing it and knows he can't put much effort into the web site because soon the lease will be up and the money grabbing momma will not release it.

I can think of many other situations where this may make the net worse than the way it is, with the useful links to search subjects as now provided by ppc parking programs.

 

[chenzen]

I have also been thinking about the same. I honestly hate to see the parked pages. I believe all the domains should be developed to a complete site. So I have been planning to start http://toletdomains.com for that purpose, where domain owners could lease the site and the domain developers could develop the content.

 

[cache]

I am always looking to share my domains, but it is hard to find win-win situation

 

[pb]

I agree it's sad to see so many great domains simply parked, but - as voiced above - it is pretty hard to find a person tu build up on our domain and share the revenue. People prefer to buy a domain and work for themselves, just to avoid any complications - the same goes for domainers, they don't have time to develop each and every domain they have, so they sell some and park the others (it is true for me at least). I would like to put some sites on my premium domains, but it seems the only realistic way to do it is by paying a webmaster to do the job and keeping the copyrights.

 

[Coastalguy]

Most "regular" domainers probably don't make over $100 per day on parking. They live for offers to consider.

Call me "regular",
ST

 

[dnk]

Developing a website is only one part of the work, you have spend time promoting it and also deal with competitors who spend their time getting your website removed from SERPs

 

[Dotmainer]

DEVELOPMENT.

Really ? When i look around 90 % of domainer have min. 1 developed site ...

like:
- domain portfolio site
- domain forum
- domain drop site
- domain blog
- domain news
......

 

[NeeJam]

Look at the top generics that sell for the $$ they are parked. I'm not saying your wrong just sometimes they are worth more as parked sites rather then developed.

If i had a name someone wanted to develop it i would either sell it to them or i would see what they would be using the site for if they was putting something thats not of a good standard i wouldnt let them use my domain and if i was to let someone use one of them i would make sure that is clear with the developer etc.

 

[Mike]

The whole leasing concept has been tried. LeaseThis.com is actively jumping around in this niche. Actually they're even Namepros members, however, i haven't heard anything from them regarding success or failure.
A revenue sharing split would be the next thing to approach. Unfortunately, the developer will always have the upper hand. Registering a domain is the simple part, design, content, functionality and SEO is the heavy lifting part.
I'd welcome more collaboration between the programmers and domain owners, unfortunately, unless this is administered and done 100% correctly, everyone will fall back into the mindset of "my wallet is closer to my heart than yours" and will venture back out on their own.
Other than that, a match database to encourage rev. sharing domain use would be great.

IB

 

[theparamount]

Call me "regular",
ST

You make 100 per day parking revenue on single domains?

Really ? When i look around 90 % of domainer have min. 1 developed site ...

like:
- domain portfolio site
- domain forum
- domain drop site
- domain blog
- domain news
......

How many of our moms or dads, or friends that use the internet regularly read domain stuff? I'm taking about taking the domains that people leave locked in their portfolios and letting someone else use them.

Look at the top generics that sell for the $$ they are parked. I'm not saying your wrong just sometimes they are worth more as parked sites rather then developed.

If i had a name someone wanted to develop it i would either sell it to them or i would see what they would be using the site for if they was putting something thats not of a good standard i wouldnt let them use my domain and if i was to let someone use one of them i would make sure that is clear with the developer etc.

Thats why I'm saying the mediocre domains that people want to use can be loaned out. This isn't a battle over whos gonna lease out their one word top generic .com domains. Its a battle to clear out the garbage parked pages that clutter the internet and confuse some surfers.