Domainer or Cybersquatting?

[ttfan]

I'm sure we all know that Domainers are often seen (by non-domainers) as Cybersquatter whicjs has a very negative connotation.

How do you see the different between a Domainer and a Cybersquatter, and how do you explain it to a non-domainer?

 

[Mahogany]

Are real estate investors home squatting?

 

[Asfas1000]

I wonder what the person who calls a domain owner "cybersquatter" would do, if they happened to own a great generic, like car.com. Would they "have" to accept the first $100 offer, just because they bought it for $10 20 years ago ?

This is like saying that when you buy a share for $10 and it gets to $1000 after few years (think Microsoft), you have to sell for $50 if someone asks, because it once cost only $10.

 

[korganian]

Calling one of us a cybersquatter because we have a domain you want is like going up to somebody who has a nice car you would like to have and calling them a car thief. The only difference is that domains are one of a kind limited edition models, where each model (extension) will never be replicated. Many people have domain envy.

Cybersquatting is a crime with 3 very specific requirements to make it valid. You should read up on it's definition. It certainly is not defined as owning a domain somebody else wants! If somebody suggests that you are a cybersquatter, you should suggest that they should not use words that they don't even know the meaning of, and not falsely accuse people of committing a crime.

 

[ttfan]

I completely agree with you, and I'm well aware of the actual meaning, but it's hard to change people's perception, especially when they're obvious ignorant of the facts.

 

[Mahogany]

I completely agree with you, and I'm well aware of the actual meaning, but it's hard to change people's perception, especially when they're obvious ignorant of the facts.

Don't argue with fools. Perception is reality and relative.

 

[UAdomainer]

How do you see the different between a Domainer and a Cybersquatter, and how do you explain it to a non-domainer?

I usually have hard time explaining what is domaining all about, not to mention cybersquatting.

 

[tomcarl]

What exactly makes someone entitled to a domain name more than me if it isn't an already established brand/trademark? If the argument is "you're not using it" - Maybe so, but maybe I might want to use it in the future, maybe an associate of mine could use it in the future, maybe I might even want to pass it down to family, but regardless of the fact, it is my possession.

Can I take food off of someone's plate in a restaurant and say "well, you're not eating it."

Would I be taken seriously if I gave the owner of a house a lowball offer with the argument "you don't live in it, I would!"

What I think the problem is: our industry is so big in regards to the amount of domains acquired and listed for sale, yet so small in regards to public knowledge of aftermarkets that people can't wrap their head around their value because they've never seen them marketed in this way.

If GoDaddy were to advertise their auction platform on the main page with "Buy A Premium Domain!" or one of the other aftermarkets ran a TV campaign for purchasing Premium domains, it would be a step moving forward to public awareness and aftermarket sales would go up.

Notice how tech, internet-related, adult-related industries pay good (fair) money for a Premium domain, is it because they have more money? No, I think it's because they understand domains more than any other type of business, they understand online branding.

Once/if domain investing and domain aftermarkets become more mainstream (which I think it will overtime) I think the term "cybersquatter" will become obsolete.

Domaining could be a pastime or a sleeping giant, time will tell.

 

[alcy]

I'm sure we all know that Domainers are often seen (by non-domainers) as Cybersquatter whicjs has a very negative connotation.

How do you see the different between a Domainer and a Cybersquatter, and how do you explain it to a non-domainer?

u do not explain it to them.. u ignore them if they aren't buyers for your domains. and if they are, you tell them it'll cost them $1000 more for the domain they want from you, for calling you stupid names. they'll probably understand what this is all about and how it works at that point.

 

[FPForum]

Squatting is an action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building – usually residential – that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. -Wikipedia

Cyber squatters are someone who occupies a piece of internet real estate (domain name) which they do not have lawful permission to use. This would normally include people buying TM infringing domains and typos. Most of the time this is done with the purpose of feeding off the companies name and/or traffic for the purpose of making money. In SEO terms, I guess you would call these guys "black hats"

Domainers are those who prefer to go the more legit route by investing in domains that do not infringe on any other businesses name. Whether it be liquid/acronym domains such as short domains, brandables, or two/three keyword domains which target a specific area or product. In SEO terms, I guess you would these guys "white hats"

 

[ttfan]

That's the best explanation I've seen FPForum, very nice, thank you!

 

[nomen]

Couldn't care less if someone calls me a cybersquatter... I usually just immediately whois their name, and if the stars are aligned, I just register their name and tell them to f#%* off or 5k. Which ever works for them.

 

[Domain Lead Finder]

I remember the first time somebody called me a "squatter" English is not my first language and even though I am very fluent, I was not familiar with that term. I was puzzled as to how he knew I went to the gym, and for a few moments I was pondering whether he found my info on the net and thought my thighs were over developed (which they are not LOL). It was such a strange thing to be called

I looked the term up and found out what it meant, and tried to explain that the early Apple investors are squatters too! They should give up them Apple shares because I think I should buy them cheap because I am self entitled. Needless to say I never got an answer back, but it was very funny to me.

 

[uberdomainer]

I'm sure we all know that Domainers are often seen (by non-domainers) as Cybersquatter whicjs has a very negative connotation.

How do you see the different between a Domainer and a Cybersquatter, and how do you explain it to a non-domainer?

I'm gonna tell those non-domainers, "To hell with your opinion! I'm gonna be rich! KFC is gonna buy my friedchicken.com domain. Don't even dare ask a hitch on my brand new sportscar".

 

[brindle123]

Like others have said, it's mainly a trademark issue! If you own a domain that uses or infringes on a trademark or brand then you are a squatter.

There are very many new people in this business that don't get this and they are always posting in the domain appraisal section.

The general public is afraid to buy domains due to being called a squatter. They just don't understand the laws.

 

[bytedo]

If people could make an industry out of buying private car licence numbers and reselling them why not domains.

 

[cocaseco]

The difference is intent. If you purchased a name with the knowledge and intent to profit, either through sale or traffic, on the brand, intellectual property or goodwill of another entity, then you are a cybersquatter.