opinion Here is an interesting, slightly complex set of circumstances

[BaileyUK]

This type of scenario is what makes domaining really interesting, slightly complex but above all fascinating I thought I'd write it up on namepros because it's only this evening I though OK time to move it ahead. Everything below is absolutely true but just the domain names. missing at the moment. Please, any wise heads that can work it out (the domain/s) Please don't post them

So I've held a generic descriptive, that also makes quite a nice branding since 2006 both .com and the co.uk. I love the art work and word balance of certain lettering and word pairs. I knew you would never get a trademark on this particular word pair because it was too descriptive of the business. But I thought a local business would love to run with it sooner or later.

Anyway, I was approached by email in 2016 asking if I would sell the com. Guy said it was for his son who wanted to start a business, So please go easy on the price. He went off on some distraction technique, telling me it wasn't for the obvious word use but for a health project.

Anyway that inquiry went dead after I quoted a $2k price for the .com. A year later I accidentally dropped the co.uk . I was just moving into my new retirement complex. Two years later the .co.uk gets registered. And what do you know. It's now a very successful franchise growing in leaps and bounds. Yep you guessed it the same guy that emailed me about the .COM is the managing director. The franchise looks brilliant, really professionally put together, Vehicle, lovely word branding, tools, uniforms, training, Central call center the works. so far in it's first year of business he has gained about 100 franchisees. I think he will easy go to 500+ (or far more, the demand is certainly there) The trade reports are excellent, even local Authorities and National businesses are choosing his franchise for contracts.

I do wonder why he didn't go for a term that he could've trademarked, but I've come to realize his business is growing so fast and with al the branding effort it's far to late for him to change anything now. Don't get me wrong this guy is some expert in building this franchise. So tonight I couldn't believe he didn't pick-up the shorter and new .uk,(it wouldn't have shown as available at that time) so I did tonight . I still have the .com, which obviously he wanted to run with in the first place. I know I'm in the clear as far as the generic usage goes but obviously my plan is to sell him the .com (give him the .UK as part of the deal) I know he's going to want them. perhaps he just didn't have the confidence to pay my asking $2k at the start. and thought Christmas arrived when he saw the .CO.UK available. There is no online booking service at the moment but. I'm also confident that will be his next step - it has to be (just a freephone at the moment) He's expanding his offering in leaps bounds as far as product support goes.

Sorry for all this blog like post but it's hot on my mind at the moment. Do I wait or do I go in now - For all his expertise his clearly not Internet or web minded. Any comments welcome. thanks

 

[Truespin Domains]

Well, as a Brit, a few observations.

For domestic services, most of us trust the co.uk extension more. If I was looking for a local builder / contractor, the .co.uk extension would actually be more reassuring than a .com, that might imply I am dealing with a faceless multinational. If I'm having work done, a clear local presence is important.

Also, the .uk extension really isn't used (yet) in the UK. Everyone here is familiar with co.uk and most people would still assume .uk is a typo. I suspect it will be decades before .uk becomes the norm. Note that no significant businesses are branding under .uk yet.

I actually have a side business that I operate off a .co.uk. The .com was and as far as I know still is available, but even I haven't bothered to register it. If it was my main source of income I might, just in case, but it says something about the value of a local ccTLD in some instances.

So actually, for this guy's business, the co.uk might well be the best bet, unless he has international aspirations.

I think as domainers we often get so preoccupied with the ".com is king" mentality, that we forget the way that domains are actually used by real people.

 

[lock]

Do nothing and wait again with a much higher quote on next enquiry.

 

[BaileyUK]

Well, as a Brit, a few observations.

For domestic services, most of us trust the co.uk extension more. If I was looking for a local builder / contractor, the .co.uk extension would actually be more reassuring than a .com, that might imply I am dealing with a faceless multinational. If I'm having work done, a clear local presence is important.

Also, the .uk extension really isn't used (yet) in the UK. Everyone here is familiar with co.uk and most people would still assume .uk is a typo. I suspect it will be decades before .uk becomes the norm. Note that no significant businesses are branding under .uk yet.

I actually have a side business that I operate off a .co.uk. The .com was and as far as I know still is available, but even I haven't bothered to register it. If it was my main source of income I might, just in case, but it says something about the value of a local ccTLD in some instances.

So actually, for this guy's business, the co.uk might well be the best bet, unless he has international aspirations.

I think as domainers we often get so preoccupied with the ".com is king" mentality, that we forget the way that domains are actually used by real people.

Thank you for your reply whenpillarsfalland I do strongly agree with all your sentiments in general. The thread opener was already a bit long so I had left-off a few other observations that still make me think there is a good sale to be had here. The first when I held the.COM and the .CO.UK and all the registrant information was available, the .CO.UK was never asked about or mentioned, I didn't mention it because I assumed it was an American buyer.

The actual 'term' sits far better with the .COM. That's a difficult one to explain here without mentioning the domain.

The potential buyer is using the .CO.UK purely to recruit for the franchisee A very nice recruitment website I might add, But there is no mention anywhere of his service offering to the public. There is absolutely no promotion of its services. I realize he can switch that at any time but I don't think he intends to.

With one hundred franchisees and vehicles to date. I note not one of them shown has a contact domain on it's branded livery just a call center number. He appears to be solely focused on the co.uk domain for recruitment and listings of franchisee trade-shows.

While digging through his expansion to date. I've read about all the new and related product services he is expanding into including products by post , These are all very related to his initial franchisee service offering.

Last but not least, I'm well-aware that this .com sale opportunity has only come into being due to him running with the .CO.UK. In other words if he hadn't found the .co.uk available - it probably wouldn't be his chosen name. In other words the sales opportunity is there for me because I dropped the .CO.UK.
Hope that makes sense.

These particular domain has never been listed for sale in the past. So I'm going to list it today, check traffic etc and probably play it be ear

 

[BaileyUK]

Do nothing and wait again with a much higher quote on next enquiry.

Thanks lock that does seem the appropriate action at the moment. I was probably getting a bit ahead of myself last night. PS i've sent you a rather funny coincidence in a PM

 

[Bob Hawkes]

First of all thank you for an interesting case @BaileyUK and for explaining it so clearly!

If I was looking for a local builder / contractor, the .co.uk extension would actually be more reassuring than a .com, that might imply I am dealing with a faceless multinational.

Based in Canada exactly the same is true. Surveys have repeatedly shown that for most types of services there is a clear preference for .ca over .com, partly because people have more trust in both the extension (and that is well placed with abuse stats much better than .com) and as you say dealing with a local business so if things go wrong there are more avenues to resolve the issue. As you say, that is different if the business goes international, and any business that thinks that is even remotely possible should secure both .ca and .com as early in process as possible.

In other words the sales opportunity is there for me because I dropped the .CO.UK.

If someone read only this they would say What!?!! But within the whole context I agree completely with your reading of the situation, and I think that part of your message is what makes this something valuable for us all to think about. Thank you.

Bob

 

[BaileyUK]

First of all thank you for an interesting case @BaileyUK and for explaining it so clearly!
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In other words the sales opportunity is there for me because I dropped the .CO.UK.
If someone read only this they would say What!?!! But within the whole context I agree completely with your reading of the situation, and I think that part of your message is what makes this something valuable for us all to think about. Thank you.

Thank you Bob, Indeed while many a new domainer goes about securing all the best extensions thinking it holds the best value as a sales package. I learnt long ago that isn't the case (took me about 7 years) You need development on a lower extension to create desire and need for the top one . All be it my case above came about by accident rather than design

 

[BaileyUK]

There is no online booking service at the moment but. I'm also confident that will be his next step - it has to be (just a freephone at the moment) He's expanding his offering in leaps bounds as far as product support goes.

Must have been something I said, the domain switched to a fully functional online booking service today. With the franchise offering now just a heading

 

[lock]

Thanks lock that does seem the appropriate action at the moment. I was probably getting a bit ahead of myself last night. PS i've sent you a rather funny coincidence in a PM

Now I know the domain you definitely need to wait it out as said and your cheap btw.