I appreciate everyone's comments. I'm not unexperienced in this and I've sold several domains prefixed with "the" so I'm not worried about it. But know that I did first search for the domains without the word "the" but they were already owned. These are new names, never used and cost me less than $10 each. I don't buy existing domains as I look for new trends and fads in the marketplace and try to cash in early by buying and reselling the names relating to them. This is my niche.
As far as the word "Handbook", I learned when I first started in this a few years ago that it's the most profitable to buy not just one domain but a set of different name variations of the theme. A set of names allows you park them or develop one website and point the remaining set names to that one particular domain name. So I try to select several domain names in the way I think that someone would search for whatever my theme is and point them to the best domain. This is exactly what companies do when they buy up all the variations of their company name, i.e. misspellings, company jargon, etc., and point all of those sites to their main site. It gives my buyer variety for their money.
Which title sounds better for a book or pamphlet..."Marijuana Guide" or "The Marijuana Guide"? "The Marijuana Guide" would be the proper title. Granted the words "Marijuana Guide" would be the predominant title text you'd see but the word "the" would be in tiny letters above them. The word "the" can make something seem one of a kind. It's not just a guide, it's "THE" guide. So the word "the" can add value to a domain name. Don't be afraid of it.
In regards to a google search vs direct type traffic, I'll grant you that most people would type in just "MarijuanaGuide" and come to someone else's site or parked page. Many would also search using the word "the" as well. In the google search I get hits from searches using just "marijuana guide" or just "marijuana".
There's really no money to be made in parking these sites. I could consider leasing them out. I'm basically just renting out my pieces of virtual real estate for what I can get and posting my for sale sign in the front yard waiting for a buyer. I bought low and now it's time to sell my domain inventory of this theme and look for the next trend. The majority of the good names in this theme are already taken and if you want them you'll have to go to the private party or auction marketplace. If it becomes legal in California in Nov. 2010, forget about it, the day after the election there won't be anything of value left to register as new. You'll have to go to the open market for the good names and then the frenzy for these domain names will be on as other states follow the lead of California.
Just my two cents. As far as explaining these, don't consider it as me thinking that I have to explain why I'm doing it. It's my way of getting a conversation or a debate going and hopefully everyone learns something in the process. I did.
Thanks again. I'm off the soapbox now!
