Anyone Thinking About Quitting Domaining?

[mytreat]

Domain renewals in distress...

When I think really hard about it, where is all my registration money going, and aside from dictionary, or short generics most other registrations are not worth $7-$10 per year, very high, I own most 99% dot coms, and have been registering since 1998, but the past few months, I really get a bad feeling something is about to change, I know the economy is bad etc etc, but still 90+% of people still have their jobs. I see many of the other tld's of domains I own or follow dropping, as people simply do not see the potential of owning these tlds or domains anymore. These are not garbage domains either.

 

[DnPresident]

If your registering domain names, Unless you know of a buyer then Keyword Tracker combined with good google results combined with your judgement on the quality of the domain name. That's probably about all you can do.

I wouldn't just register names based on what it sounds like.

 

[Seabass]

I find the parking part to be very boring......more so every year that passes. The searching for new domains at a good price or that are overlooked still thrills me totally. I love it. I can't ever imagine quitting quite seriously.

Yes.......something really bad is about to happen.....the rest of 2009. It is going to be really bad. It may be good for everyone that is left though after the dust settles.

I have been seeing what you are seeing also....meaning the alternative extensions to many nice .coms are dropping kinda' fast now. It's picking up pace.

It all comes down to this : It is hard enough to get people to go to a .com, so anything else is a nightmare to get surfers to. Non .coms are starting to rear their ugly heads. Folks ARE starting to really see what they are.....liabilities, not assets.

I believe we are going to see a Tidal Wave of Domains to drop. It will be phenomenal to watch. There will be a mass drop of epic proportions and MOST of them will be TLDs other than .com. Get ready to see .info, .us, .net, etc....all drop like never before. ccTLD's will probably still hold their own, however.

Get ready for a possible first time big drop in domain registrations and possibly a reversal in the total amount of domains registered.
.

 

[-Adam-]

I know the economy is bad etc etc, but still 90+% of people still have their jobs.

The Non Profit sector I work for would prove this statement to be so far off the charts that it's not funny at all. On a day to day basis I hear people telling me they just lost their jobs after several years and are at a total loss of what to do next.

...nothing personal that statement just bothered me.

A recession affects all aspects be it virtual or physical however it's done in cycles and every time it has happened something suffers while something else rebounds. It's a storm that will need to be weathered to the fullest and only time will tell what will remain after the clouds have cleared.

 

[frankiethepet]

I find the parking part to be very boring......more so every year that passes. The searching for new domains at a good price or that are overlooked still thrills me totally. I love it. I can't ever imagine quitting quite seriously.

Yes.......something really bad is about to happen.....the rest of 2009. It is going to be really bad. It may be good for everyone that is left though after the dust settles.

I have been seeing what you are seeing also....meaning the alternative extensions to many nice .coms are dropping kinda' fast now. It's picking up pace.

It all comes down to this : It is hard enough to get people to go to a .com, so anything else is a nightmare to get surfers to. Non .coms are starting to rear their ugly heads. Folks ARE starting to really see what they are.....liabilities, not assets.

I believe we are going to see a Tidal Wave of Domains to drop. It will be phenomenal to watch. There will be a mass drop of epic proportions and MOST of them will be TLDs other than .com. Get ready to see .info, .us, .net, etc....all drop like never before. ccTLD's will probably still hold their own, however.

Get ready for a possible first time big drop in domain registrations and possibly a reversal in the total amount of domains registered.
.

Yeah i have the same feeling.

Dont reg any domain that you dont have a clue what do to with... only reg names that are develop friendly.

 

[thebutler]

develop, develop and than develop

Develop, develop and develop and than use your cash flow to grab some screaming deals in 2009.

 

[ecalc]

90+% of people still have their jobs.

The Non Profit sector I work for would prove this statement to be so far off the charts that it's not funny at all.

The US Dept of Labor Regional State Employment and Unemployment Summary reports that the nationwide unemployment rate was 7.2% and Florida 8.1% during December 2008. The numbers are certainly higher today, but are you suggesting that Florida's unemployment rate is much greater than 10%?

 

[MicroGuy]

These are not garbage domains either.

Since you're thinking about quitting anyway, how about posting up some of these domains to help paint a better picture of your situation.

 

[daj]

Some people always like to take an outward experience (economic crisis) and make it an inward expereince. Once you do that, you're setting yourself up for failure. Focus on abundance.

 

[-Adam-]

90+% of people still have their jobs.

The Non Profit sector I work for would prove this statement to be so far off the charts that it's not funny at all.

The US Dept of Labor Regional State Employment and Unemployment Summary reports that the nationwide unemployment rate was 7.2% and Florida 8.1% during December 2008. The numbers are certainly higher today, but are you suggesting that Florida's unemployment rate is much greater than 10%?

Not at all but if I remember correctly the last cnn unemployment map I looked at this week put it at 8.1% for this state which is still quite a high number. I didn't really mean to take this off topic so I'll just go back to the main focus the OP had in mind.

 

[Auraka]

If anyone wants to quit please pm me your domains before you put them to sale on the forums, thank you.

 

[cache]

as in any other investing sector, patience and patience. There is no free lunch, no free money.

 

[mytreat]

The Non Profit sector I work for would prove this statement to be so far off the charts that it's not funny at all. On a day to day basis I hear people telling me they just lost their jobs after several years and are at a total loss of what to do next.

...nothing personal that statement just bothered me.

A recession affects all aspects be it virtual or physical however it's done in cycles and every time it has happened something suffers while something else rebounds. It's a storm that will need to be weathered to the fullest and only time will tell what will remain after the clouds have cleared.

As you said you work in a non profit sector which services a certain niche, these people are going to be hurting either which way when they come to you for whatever services you perform, regardless of the fact. So nothing funny about it, just a fact. If you look at things in the reverse, that the world is not going to end, if 7% of the workforce is unemployed, it just slows the flow of spending for extraordinary items...................

 

[ripley]

Not at all but if I remember correctly the last cnn unemployment map I looked at this week put it at 8.1% for this state which is still quite a high number. I didn't really mean to take this off topic so I'll just go back to the main focus the OP had in mind.

That's about right however those numbers fail to capture the under employed (people who had full time jobs but got fired and can't find another -- instead only able to find part time, or temporary, or contract jobs etc) -- when you factor in the underemployed, the unemployment rate goes to about 14%. Which is a lot.

ripley.

 

[DomainTalker]

Getting back to the OP's topic...

No, I'm not thinking of quitting domaining.....In fact, the harder things get, the more I feel people will go online. I think there are going to be great opportunities for those, like us, who are already in the front row seats of the internet...


But, major upheaval always changes things....And something new always emerges from dislocation. Look for opportunities in rising demand for things people need when times get tough - what will they want to see, learn, do, buy etc. Buy domains that meet those needs....And, find a way to meet those tough-times needs on the internet...

Seabass is right that we're going to see massive drops of domains of all kinds....And I believe even steeper declines in the parking revenue model...And, domaining between domainers is going to be a tough way to make cash for a few years yet, imo.

But, that's only one aspect of it. I don't know what it is, yet, or how it will show itself, but look for signs of the new and different concepts, and invest (if you can) in domains that fit.

.

 

[deu12000]

I don't consider myself a domainer nowadays. I consider myself more of a developer that happens to own a decent amount of domains.

I've let about 300 domains that I normally renew drop in the last three months but that was only to cut the fat from my domain portfolio. I know I won't have time to develop every domain I have and the less desirable one's I'm letting go of. I'm tired of spending an extra couple of $XXXX per year on domains I do nothing with. I'm still renewing the one's that I have plans one day in the next couple of years to develop.

Just watch your portfolio and don't get carried away with every fad. I'm keeping a minimal portfolio from now on but the economy has been great to me so far. If you develop and only buy quality domains at decent prices you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Len]

Getting back to the OP's topic...

No, I'm not thinking of quitting domaining.....In fact, the harder things get, the more I feel people will go online. I think there are going to be great opportunities for those, like us, who are already in the front row seats of the internet...


But, major upheaval always changes things....And something new always emerges from dislocation. Look for opportunities in rising demand for things people need when times get tough - what will they want to see, learn, do, buy etc. Buy domains that meet those needs....And, find a way to meet those tough-times needs on the internet...

Seabass is right that we're going to see massive drops of domains of all kinds....And I believe even steeper declines in the parking revenue model...And, domaining between domainers is going to be a tough way to make cash for a few years yet, imo.

But, that's only one aspect of it. I don't know what it is, yet, or how it will show itself, but look for signs of the new and different concepts, and invest (if you can) in domains that fit.

.

I totally agree! I believe that more businesses will turn to the internet during these tough times. Those that are advertising driven will be looking to place their dollars into a media whereby they are going to get more bang for their buck!

 

[Michelle]

Im not leaving as I dont think I ever can now but what I am doing is cleaning up my names and being alot more selective as to those I aquire now. I dont think the internet is going anywhere although I do think some changes will be seen.

 

[RicoShay]

Im not leaving as I dont think I ever can now but what I am doing is cleaning up my names and being alot more selective as to those I aquire now. I dont think the internet is going anywhere although I do think some changes will be seen.

I agree with you (especially with that statement), and with Seabass and DomainTalker... I'm not quitting either, but being cautious and a lot more selective of what I acquire.

I've never relied on parking, so haven't been affecting in that sense. And strangely enough, I've made more sales in the last two months than I had done over the last year or so. I think that probably has a lot to do with the domains themselves. Rather than hand-reg'ing average names I spent a bit more and went for quality instead... so far so good... fingers crossed.

I hear this over and over again "development is the way to go" - and I totally agree. And buying names with development in mind... ie. a real thought-out use for he domain - will most likely help even if you end up not developing it and reselling instead.

One thing for sure, I'm cutting down on non .com's - only keeping LLL's or super quality names and selling off (even at a loss) the others. But don't get me wrong, I'm not panicking - just analyzing whats happening and being a little cautious.

Good luck to everyone, hold in there - there are good things to come, not too far away...

 

[Midano]

Time to slap a nice forum on my RecessionTalk.com and make some lemonade.