Domain Name History Question...

[rockaction]

How many premium domain names were avaliable for purchase in 1998? I'm sure many ppl have a similar story but here goes anyway... in college I created a business plan for my computer class final project that described a company that bought up domain names to resell later. My teacher failed me because she thought it was a stupid idea. I wanted to actually start the business for real with some classmates but we didn't have the money. Questions:

How many domains were available?
How much did it cost to buy them?
What would my net worth be today?
What should her punishment be?

RR

 

[champ_rock]

lol.. if u had only gone against the teacher then u would surely have earned a lot depending on where u invested ur money

if u had bought some LLL.com names then each is worth over 3000$ today
LLL.net are worth 800$
Dictionary names are extinct. they would have fetched you high XXXX also.

So it is all about luck

 

[buymynames]

-few one-word from registry drops, two-word generics were available
-$35/year, but free to register (Netsol mails you an invoice, then you pay)
-it depends on your names
-lesson she got from you is enough

 

[AdoptableDomains]

How many domains were available?

There were fewer TLD's, but most one and two word .com's were taken even back then too. Even worse, because of a few million dollar sales, everyone was asking those kind of prices. However, it was possible to get some had reg on drop at that time because there were no drop services (maybe namewinner?) and few ways other than chance to see what was going to drop.

How much did it cost to buy them?

Higher than today. I think it was actually much riskier back then than it is now that the market has matured. There was no PPC market back then, so sales were the only revenue. In some cases you actually had to pay for a host to park domains and have an actual working nameserver.

What would my net worth be today?

If you had the insight, financing, and resources to capture and keep the good ones probably high. If not, you would be eaten alive in renewal fees. I think a few people got rich, but many more lost lots of money with unsold domains. Depends on how you would have handled things.

What should her punishment be?

She should have to go to a domain convention and listen to a week of seminars by millionaires on how they got that way.

 

[scandiman]

If you had the insight, financing, and resources to capture and keep the good ones probably high. If not, you would be eaten alive in renewal fees.

So true. Back in the early 90's when I made my first regs it was $100 a pop for a .com with a $50 renewal. For me that was a lot of money earning chump change and finishing college. Life was about getting a "real" job and a car that worked. Oh to have had a rich uncle back then...the names I saw available were amazing.

 

[rockaction]

Thanks for the replies! I actually feel better about not jumping on it then, cause like most college students I didnt have the money. I also remember the high reg fees and who knows what names I woulda picked. No remorse for the past, i'll just make due with whatever names I can get now.

I will agree with Adopt's punishment and send her an evite to the next dn convention.

 

[scooby47]

Note to self ... instinct is one of the best qualities that you can have in business ... gut reaction should always be listened to ... do your due dilligence, is this viable?, what would it cost?, what are the barriers to entry for others should I be successful?, am I protected? is this concept- idea- process-brand name- viable? and if it stacks up IGNORE the naysayers ...

especially teachers .. and do yourself a favour and read some profile of successful entreprenuers .. many were told that they would not make it ...

Now .. don't get me wrong .. not all ideas are the next big thing .. but some are .. can you see the market? can you envisage the hype and the traction? do you see a clear route to market and more tham anything else can you monetize it ? what competition is out there currently? if it exists .. then move on ...

Note ... teachers ... are for the classroom they know beggar alll about the real word and its commercial potential .. thats why they teach ...

I feel sad that you missed out on such a great opportunity .. but I am sure that you are bright enough to find another ...