From ugly to $1 million, guy wants to trade up his ugly domain name

[domaindigger]

I just saw this on digg and wanted some perspective. This guy wants to trade up his oneuglydomain.com for a more "beautiful" one worth $1 million. It's like that oneredpaperclip idea, but with domains.

My question is, does he have a chance or is this just a parody? I have a couple of dead domains I wouldn't mind trading for if I can feed off the publicity this might generate.

Thoughts?

 

[domaindigger]

Voting is under way
and it's now only
3 days instead
of the week
long event...

I actually prefer it this way, keeps things moving.

I like the offers in this round too, especially TriGuard.com.

 

[Archangel]

I actually prefer it this way, keeps things moving.

I like the offers in this round too, especially TriGuard.com.

Most votes are cast in the first 3 days anyway... it's faster just using a 3-day voting period. I like this

Edit:

SpeedWebHosting.com -- Too random IMO

 

[briman1970]

TriGuard.com (plus 4 exts.) - 9 Votes
HotMom.co.uk - 2 Votes
>>> F9Y.com (plus 4 exts.) - 1 Vote
PodcastLab.com - 0 Votes
InvalidSyntax.com - 0 Votes

Pretty good for only 9 hours in. It's early, but I think TriGuard is gonna win this one. If so, I will be putting up some names for trade in the next round.

:kickass:

The Mum vs. Mom comment has made a big impact on my vote BTW. Thanks for your insight Uber. I didn't take that into consideration when I made my first comments about the name. :red:

 

[RogueWriter]

Me too, Briman!

 

[holdem8]

If Triguard wins this round, (I am sure it will) I would love to start offering some domains to swap. But I have this jittery feeling in me on potential trademark problems.

Anybody can help me get rid of this worry? Any opinions? Thanks!

Al.

 

[Archangel]

TriGuard.com (plus 4 exts.) - 9 Votes
HotMom.co.uk - 2 Votes
>>> F9Y.com (plus 4 exts.) - 1 Vote
PodcastLab.com - 0 Votes
InvalidSyntax.com - 0 Votes

Pretty good for only 9 hours in. It's early, but I think TriGuard is gonna win this one. If so, I will be putting up some names for trade in the next round.

:kickass:

The Mum vs. Mom comment has made a big impact on my vote BTW. Thanks for your insight Uber. I didn't take that into consideration when I made my first comments about the name. :red:

The mom/mum thing changed my vote. It is still a good domain but I had to vote for TriGuard.com. If it wins, I'll offer up a few, possibly my VOAL.NET. Similar sales have been early $xxxx (I've seen a LLLL.com go for about $17,000 on SEDO no long ago lol) and I might have another to offer up.

 

[Ben42]

If Triguard wins this round, (I am sure it will) I would love to start offering some domains to swap. But I have this jittery feeling in me on potential trademark problems.

Anybody can help me get rid of this worry? Any opinions? Thanks!

Al.

Nope can rid the worry, but can offer this...

Lots of live TM's on the Triguard name, but the thing is, lots of TM's, so who has rights to the domain? Whoever owns it I'd say.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfiel...h&a_search=Submit+Query&a_search=Submit+Query

 

[Archangel]

If Triguard wins this round, (I am sure it will) I would love to start offering some domains to swap. But I have this jittery feeling in me on potential trademark problems.

Anybody can help me get rid of this worry? Any opinions? Thanks!

Al.

I've seen a lot of companies use the term TriGuard. That doesn't make this safe but I don't forsee this domain as problematic so long as you don't use this in a way that defaces the others that use the term.

 

[holdem8]

Now I am worried! Thanks Ben42!

"I've seen a lot of companies use the term TriGuard. That doesn't make this safe but I don't forsee this domain as problematic so long as you don't use this in a way that defaces the others that use the term."

Archangel... but most of the people here are domainers.. at least I think I am. :D So to resell the name at a good price at retail is going to be a task IMHO. But still, I am getting very interested to offer in the next round.

Can anybody give a rough appraisal on the Triguard set? Thanks!

Al.

 

[domaindigger]

Lots of live TM's on the Triguard name, but the thing is, lots of TM's, so who has rights to the domain?

They all do. If any of them give you trouble, just offer it to their TM-competitor.

This is a great domain.

 

[Rom]

YOG.mobi -> F9Y.com and now F9Y.com -> TriGuard.com?

Did he decide to stop from $250 and go down to 1 cent?

 

[MinionDH]

The Mum vs. Mom comment has made a big impact on my vote BTW. Thanks for your insight Uber. I didn't take that into consideration when I made my first comments about the name. :red:

Interesting. I lived in London for 6 months and heard both "mum" and "mom" used frequently. So I went ahead and did a little research:

"mom" 5,734 (UK Overture)
"mum" 4,702 (UK Overture)

Google Trends also shows the two terms are close in the number of searches in the UK.

Regardless, my vote is for TriGuard.com

 

[domaindigger]

YOG.mobi -> F9Y.com and now F9Y.com -> TriGuard.com?

Did he decide to stop from $250 and go down to 1 cent?

Are you saying TriGuard.com is worth 1 cent? If so, I recommend reading the posts above and doing your research before making such a silly statement. Plus, he didn't decide anything, we made the offers and we are the ones voting for TriGuard.com.

Also, notice how several people mentioned they would be making offers next round if TriGuard.com wins. That's because they know how easily they could flip the name for a nice profit by selling it to one of the TM holders.

 

[dontknow]

Is asking a trademark owner
to buy their trademarked name ok?

 

[Rom]

Are you saying TriGuard.com is worth 1 cent? If so, I recommend reading the posts above and doing your research before making such a silly statement. Plus, he didn't decide anything, we made the offers and we are the ones voting for TriGuard.com.

Also, notice how several people mentioned they would be making offers next round if TriGuard.com wins. That's because they know how easily they could flip the name for a nice profit by selling it to one of the TM holders.

I'm not saying that TriGuard.com is worth 1 cent. I'm just saying he keeps getting worse and worse names. TriGuard.com is worth less at reseller value than the previous domain.

 

[Archangel]

I'm not saying that TriGuard.com is worth 1 cent. I'm just saying he keeps getting worse and worse names. TriGuard.com is worth less at reseller value than the previous domain.

There is truth in that. A 3char .com could sell for early $xxx as-is and at reseller, TriGuard.com is of lesser value. You need to remember that some things are solid and other things are speculation/guess work. You'd be ignorant to call the value of any 3char .com less than $100 as-is; the same if you branded any random LLL.com as having a value under $1,000. TriGuard.com is a domain that would need/require a special, intereted buyer. That lowers the value only by those concerned with guaranteed values. I suppose many will say "a 3 letter .info --> 3 letter .net --> 3 letter .com is the only way to trade-up" while these same ppl will see a domain WITHOUT a generally accepted value as an automatic trade-down. YoG.mobi --> F9Y.com .net .org .biz .info --> TriGuard.com does not appear to be a trade-down to me. My guess is ppl like you wouldn't see a trade-up unless someone offered a LLL.net.

This is why I've always had my doubts about OUD -- domain value is too subjective.

 

[domaindigger]

This is why I've always had my doubts about OUD -- domain value is too subjective.

But that's exactly why I think this can work, because domain value is subjective.

If domain value was objective, and everyone knew the exact price of every domain, then no one in their right mind would offer a higher-value domain for a lesser-valued one.

 

[Rom]

If domain value was objective, and everyone knew the exact price of every domain, then no one in their right mind would offer a higher-value domain for a lesser-valued one.

It's a common sense / reseller value.

It will be too hard for OUD to target end-users.

Best way is to keep going up by reseller value and not thinking about end-users.

 

[Archangel]

But that's exactly why I think this can work, because domain value is subjective.

If domain value was objective, and everyone knew the exact price of every domain, then no one in their right mind would offer a higher-value domain for a lesser-valued one.

But that's not the case. Some ppl see ABC.com as being worth at least $100k while others might think it's limited and wirth $10k and others would see it as $3k max (the standard for LLL.com's). Why would ppl think ABC.com to be worth more/less than others perceive? Because everyone has an opinion. We all DON'T know the value of domains, hence ppl selling tnftnthbdj6ux6jj6ufnujr6.cc for $10,000 and GoodDomain.com for $100. It is far too subjective, domains, and opinions vary FAR too widely. I still believe OUD could succeed but it'll be harder to get a $1mil domain than he thinks. Let's not argue that he's already up to a $xxx domain. To many, it's not worth close to it. Why is that? Because domains are subjective. His theorectical $1,000,000 prized domain might be worth about $5k to many others.

 

[domaindigger]

But that's not the case. Some ppl see ABC.com as being worth at least $100k while others might think it's limited and wirth $10k and others would see it as $3k max (the standard for LLL.com's). Why would ppl think ABC.com to be worth more/less than others perceive? Because everyone has an opinion. We all DON'T know the value of domains, hence ppl selling tnftnthbdj6ux6jj6ufnujr6.cc for $10,000 and GoodDomain.com for $100. It is far too subjective, domains, and opinions vary FAR too widely. I still believe OUD could succeed but it'll be harder to get a $1mil domain than he thinks. Let's not argue that he's already up to a $xxx domain. To many, it's not worth close to it. Why is that? Because domains are subjective. His theorectical $1,000,000 prized domain might be worth about $5k to many others.

I think we're arguing 2 different things.

Regardless, I have a feeling a lot of people will be making very good offers for TriGuard.com because they will feel that domain is particularly valuable with so many trademark holders.

 

[mktgmark]

While I already think OUD has been a success even if it stopped today, I think the only way to achieve the stated goal ($1mil domain) or get even close is the marketing of the process and the site. Offers will increase dramatically if international/national news is made or massive amount of traffic finds OUD by another means (digg, stumble, etc.). When there is an added advertisement value for the trading process itself, the offerings will get noticeably better.

Example: I'd be more than willing to trade my domain I value at $5K for his domain that I value at $3K if I thought by participating in the process I was going to get $1K-$3K of marketing/advertising value by having my name/domain names associated with the OUD project.

By getting the word out and making it a "buzz"worthy site, he will increase the value of the domain he is offering that week, no matter what it is... for it will also come with this added exposure value.

Without this, to achieve the stated goal, it is going to take a far far greater amount of time than most people will give it and the core watchers of the site will probably trickle away from boredom.

Just my opinion.

 

[advaita]

I've lived in the UK all my life and I've never heard anyone use the word 'mom'. The only people who would use it I would imagine would be North Americans living over here. However, hotmum.co.uk just doesn't sound sexy enough.

 

[tristanperry]

Which part of the UK do you live in advaita?

I live in Swansea (used to live in Merthyr, and before that London) and have heard "mom" used quite a bit

 

[Archangel]

I think we're arguing 2 different things.

Regardless, I have a feeling a lot of people will be making very good offers for TriGuard.com because they will feel that domain is particularly valuable with so many trademark holders.

You seem to think that the subjectiveness of domain value will help while I contend that it'll hurt. I suppose we'll just have to see how OUD turns out.

While I already think OUD has been a success even if it stopped today, I think the only way to achieve the stated goal ($1mil domain) or get even close is the marketing of the process and the site. Offers will increase dramatically if international/national news is made or massive amount of traffic finds OUD by another means (digg, stumble, etc.). When there is an added advertisement value for the trading process itself, the offerings will get noticeably better.

Example: I'd be more than willing to trade my domain I value at $5K for his domain that I value at $3K if I thought by participating in the process I was going to get $1K-$3K of marketing/advertising value by having my name/domain names associated with the OUD project.

By getting the word out and making it a "buzz"worthy site, he will increase the value of the domain he is offering that week, no matter what it is... for it will also come with this added exposure value.

Without this, to achieve the stated goal, it is going to take a far far greater amount of time than most people will give it and the core watchers of the site will probably trickle away from boredom.

Just my opinion.

I'm already growing bored -- not jaded as I've been before. There just isn't much entertainment in seeing a $100 domain traded-up for a $110 domain.

I've lived in the UK all my life and I've never heard anyone use the word 'mom'. The only people who would use it I would imagine would be North Americans living over here. However, hotmum.co.uk just doesn't sound sexy enough.

Agreed.

 

[mktgmark]

I agree, after a quick self-analysis I've determined that I find this thread about OUD more interesting than the OUD project itself. Not saying I'm done with it at all, as I'm very interested in unusual marketing techniques.

I'm already growing bored -- not jaded as I've been before. There just isn't much entertainment in seeing a $100 domain traded-up for a $110 domain.