discuss How long should I continue to renew a domain?

[garptrader]

Several years ago industry turnover was estimated in the 1-2% range though I believe now with all the new TLDs options average portfolio turn has declined. Some developers and end users are buying cheap new TLDs rather than aftermarket .COMs and many domain investors are buying new TLDs rather than cheap aftermarket domains in legacy extensions. There is far more inventory available for sale but has end user demand for premium-priced domains mushroomed at the same rate? I don't think so. Inevitably many domain investors are faced with high renewal bills and few sales to pay them. So if you have 25 domains or 2500 domains, how long do you keep renewing hoping for that deep-pocketed end user to buy your domains?

 

[Kate]

At some point you might as well develop the domain. I try to pick names that I could use for some project. If you have only 25 domains, your cost is only $250/year and it can be written off as a business expense for tax purposes...
Trimming the portfolio is a good thing, because you save money in the long run. It's true, you've lost money by buying and renewing some domains. But by dropping them you cut losses.
You can't always win.
It's normal to have doubts but if you are questioning the value of all your domains, you might be in the wrong business. Buy better domains so you won't be on the fence on whether to keep them.

Lots of gut feeling involved indeed.

 

[hookbox]

All it takes is one person to want a name but that one person may never come. I always base it on how much interest the name gets by either inquiries, traffic etc.....

I may love the name but if no one shows interest after a few years and I have no use for it then I kick it to the curb and HugeDomains picks it up! LOL

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Good domains usually show their results (offers, sales) within 1-3 years...

 

[frank-germany]

most domains I sell for good money
I actually own for 5 to 15 years

it all depends on the domain
and how much you where ahead of time
when you registered it

 

[Ang]

All depends on the name.

If it's crap it will always be crap regardless of TLDs or inventory, etc.

 

[DomainVP]

It's a hard question to find one single answer for, because at the end of the day nobody really knows if a domain will sell.

Here is what I follow:

If a domain has a liquid value above the renewal price, then renew.

Other than that, you really just have to go with your gut. If you can't envision another business wanting that domain, then let it drop.

After a while your portfolio should consist of domains that you will continuously maintain ownership of long-term, and dropping a domain won't even be a consideration.

 

[Bram C.]

I have domains that I drop after a year (usually domains that I handregged for $2 or less with a promo code), ones that I will at least keep a couple of years (usually .com domains that I purchased on the aftermarket or through a dropcatcher for $99 or less) and ones that I will never drop (usually aged one word or liquid .com domains, such as CVCV domains, that I purchased on the aftermarket or directly from an end user for $XXX, $X,XXX and up).
The domains that I renew are domains that have plenty of potential end users, traffic,... and/or domains where my gut tells me they will be sold one day. I also renew any domains that I could use for a project myself.

 

[Aamsra]

Depends on the domains plus price you planned to sell them on

 

[doubleU]

All depends on the domain, the parking stats may give an indication of its popularity but it takes many years to sell most domains.

 

[baseballworld]

Depends on a lot of factors. For me if it does not make the cash parking and if i knew would be hard to sell I would at the least put it up for sale here to recover some expense cost.

 

[canswift]

The answer is more complicated than it seems. There are domain names which receive relatively few inquiries that will one day sell suddenly at end user pricing - even years after little action.

Very true. I had a short two-word name that was an exact match to a financial product. Almost no inquiries on it over the 10 years I held it. I tried selling it on NP domains wanted, but got "sorry, not interested" if I even got a reply. I just knew this was a good name, which is why I hung on to it. This year I finally did something I should have done all along, and stuck it on Afternic with a decent BIN price. A few months later, it sold for full BIN to a major financial institution. I was certainly happy I'd hung on all those years and hadn't sold it for way (way) less on NP.

 

[DnEbook]

If investing in new tech you need to allow up to ten years, I have one or two I have held for about this length of time. Other names such as brandables will always be a lotto, just depends on your patience. If you have a good mx in your portfolio you will not be boxed in to one genre, meaning you have more sales fronts

 

[Asfas1000]

I concur with Bram C.

 

[Arca]

Post the list of names you’re not sure if you should renew or not in the appraisal thread. You’ll get far more specific feedback on whether or not they are worth renewing.

 

[biggie]

How long should I continue to renew a domain?

until you run out of money




but maybe start thinking about "extending" the registration period, at time of acquisition, rather than waiting until it's almost time to renew?

for flippers, that's probably an inconceivable idea, but for investors, a way to minimize the effect of increases in renewal pricing.


imo....

 

[daica85]

For me, it's less than 3 years for the fast invest.

 

[DnFolk]

depends on which domain name it is, which extension it is, how potential valuable or worth it can be, combining with current trends, your knowledge, experience and skills you can decide to keep the particular domain or get away with it. Though sometimes even when you take your decision well, it can go against you easily, because there is always be certain luck factor involved in domains. There will always be crappiest of names which will suddenly sell upto XXXX dollars and other potential super brandable names remain useless with you. You can't simply always predict it right, there is not 100% guarantee of everything, For me this is the catch and highlight as a domainer.

So its all about taking the right decision depending on the name and everything else. and then hoping your decision is proven right.

Btw appraising your particular domain on namepros can give you fair idea.

 

[Carlton]

The answer is more complicated than it seems. There are domain names which receive relatively few inquiries that will one day sell suddenly at end user pricing - even years after little action. This is especially true for quality one word generics. Case in point: Earlier this year I let a one word .biz drop that had been in the portfolio for 7 or 8 years with 1 or 2 low ball offers. 4 months after it dropped, it sold on Sedo for $9500.

 

[PoliticalVII]

You should stop renewing if its crappy domain name. Its that simple.

"But ..but how do i know if its crappy? "

The moment you start thinking about not renewing it...

 

[GoKaizen]

DiggingIt

 

[WatchDogue]

For the most part I do lots of self-satisfying research prior to acquiring a name, so am content to keep 'em renewed into perpetuity if necessary while awaiting their sale.

That said I am small time and have less than maybe 200 renewals a year or so, a number of which are EMD in the king.

Recently sold a BN name I believed in and renewed for about 16 years - loyalty was finally rewarded.

My more speculative .net / .org / . new extensions have a shorter shelf life - a year to five tops and off to the domain rendering plant they go.

I operate with the philosophy that as long as I believe a .com name has the same merit & marketplace as when I initially acquired it, I'll renew, renew, and continue to renew the name.

 

[The Durfer]

you should renew at least once to give it a time to be seen, then either develop it into a site or let it go.

and it depends on the name, the easy its a gem ones, just hold like investment, the ones that are going to be hard to sell then .. above

 

[frank-germany]

...

There are domain names which receive relatively few inquiries that will one day sell suddenly at end user pricing - even years after little action.

4 months after it dropped, it sold on Sedo for $9500.

yes thats true!

I can feel your pain..
next you'd better let me know what you goanna drop ...

 

[Gus Woltmann]

The issue is not about having collections of domain, what if the domains are not profitable. Its a thing to have a domain, and also another thing to have a marketable domain. If the domains are awesome, i can assure that you won't be the one to renew it.