How'd you get your start?

[RO88]

Hey, I enjoy collecting domains. Whether they are worth something or not, it doesn't really bother me. Fairly new to the whole domain scene. Anyways...

How did you get your start?

What was your first success sale and/or biggest blunder?

Love to hear all your stories!

Alex

 

[mycontrepipol]

i'll say it all depend on you. generally people get involve in domaining for profit, but if you prefer collecting name for pleasure it's another deal. if you want to make profit though, i'll advise you to reconsider this hobby and dive into deep blogs and article readings for domaining is more scientific than it seems

 

[Name Trader]

..

 

[baldonius]

Made a website on a crap hyphenated dot co dot uk domain, learned on reddit that people bought domain names for thousands of dollars. Found it pretty fascinating that people spent so much money on the rights to a few characters.

Initially bought a lot of worthless domain names, but managed to offset that with one single £100 sale, a geographic/generic dot com. Felt pretty good about that, considering I just sat at a computer checking droplists.

Then got into brandable dot com-only domains and made a few big sales with some absolute beauties I'd hand-reg'd.

 

[Mr.Natwarlal]

I enjoy collecting domains. Whether they are worth something or not, it doesn't really bother me.

End user for all of my expiring domains spotted..!! Lets deal $100 each.. (Ultra special discount of flat 1% on total)

Let's get serious,

I haven't dealt big amounts yet but couple of deals brought $XXX each for me. In first deal end user contacted me by noticing domain in my signature (not here)..
And my second deal is in progress (payment is in transit).

By the way the journey stared from my blogging hobby and I really don't know I entered in Domaining (It's almost year before this started)..!!

Currently I am running on surplus revenue (I have 30-40 hand reg domains and cost is already covered through parking revenue)..

 

[lock]

Very broad question as started buying isn't started selling. Developing can make more than selling.
If you want to start find an industry and buy the relevant keywords in your domains titles and buy most generic words suited to the niche your targeting.

 

[ezcoms]

I bought a domain in 2003 with stinkfinger and my last name as a joke. Made a one pager, let it expire. Then in 2012, I was told by my current employer (non tech related) that my heart is in tech and web related things. I had mounting bills like kid in daycare (which if you're not a parent, you won't know 'yet') and had to make additional income.

So, me being me, and not doing much research, I bought a couple .CM domains which had the same names as very well known .COM domains. I wasted a bunch being fooled by Godaddy's fake traffic counter etc. My initial spending in the beginning was probably $2200.00. And I probably do not have any of those domains at all.

Two years ago I was editing html with Dreamweaver and then I made a friend who introduced me to Wordpress. And ever since then, it's been profitable. Meaning -- I've made my money back and a lot more, not job replacement money, but good as secondary income. Coming with ZERO experience 2 years ago, I am doing ok.

People mislead others because it is so saturated. But, once you figure out something for yourself you can make money.

Parking is ok if you buy a TYPO or an expired (used to be developed) domain. But, then you make pennies unless you have insider knowledge like some on here. Listen to SMURGE and others. Some just like to type in Godaddy coupon codes to get their posts up and immediately they call themselves knowledgeable domainers.

Just save money and buy good domains. Don't buy iLiketofeedsquirrels.condo and park it and expect people to visit and click on stuff.

 

[baldonius]

I bought a domain in 2003 with stinkfinger and my last name as a joke. Made a one pager, let it expire. Then in 2012, I was told by my current employer (non tech related) that my heart is in tech and web related things. I had mounting bills like kid in daycare (which if you're not a parent, you won't know 'yet') and had to make additional income.

So, me being me, and not doing much research, I bought a couple .CM domains which had the same names as very well known .COM domains. I wasted a bunch being fooled by Godaddy's fake traffic counter etc. My initial spending in the beginning was probably $2200.00. And I probably do not have any of those domains at all.

Two years ago I was editing html with Dreamweaver and then I made a friend who introduced me to Wordpress. And ever since then, it's been profitable. Meaning -- I've made my money back and a lot more, not job replacement money, but good as secondary income. Coming with ZERO experience 2 years ago, I am doing ok.

People mislead others because it is so saturated. But, once you figure out something for yourself you can make money.

Parking is ok if you buy a TYPO or an expired (used to be developed) domain. But, then you make pennies unless you have insider knowledge like some on here. Listen to SMURGE and others. Some just like to type in Godaddy coupon codes to get their posts up and immediately they call themselves knowledgeable domainers.

Just save money and buy good domains. Don't buy iLiketofeedsquirrels.condo and park it and expect people to visit and click on stuff.

Damn. But look at it this way, you spent $2,200 in training yourself. I think a lot of people get taken in by the promise of riches. In today's internet you're lucky to make pennies with parking.

Today's equivalent of parking is paying some guys on iWriter to write 10 articles, set up a WordPress site on the domain with AdSense units directly under the article title tags, and rank it in Google. Easy passive income.

Right now it's even worse because it's so much more saturated and competitive, and users are 10x more internet-savvy than ten years ago. They insta-bounce if they see a parked page. And no end user in their right mind wants to buy some of the real horse **** I see in the appraisal threads in domaining forums.

 

[ezcoms]

Damn. But look at it this way, you spent $2,200 in training yourself. I think a lot of people get taken in by the promise of riches. In today's internet you're lucky to make pennies with parking.

Today's equivalent of parking is paying some guys on iWriter to write 10 articles, set up a WordPress site on the domain with AdSense units directly under the article title tags, and rank it in Google. Easy passive income.

Right now it's even worse because it's so much more saturated and competitive, and users are 10x more internet-savvy than ten years ago. They insta-bounce if they see a parked page. And no end user in their right mind wants to buy some of the real horse **** I see in the appraisal threads in domaining forums.

If I would have read these forums a little better, I would have spent a lot less!! There has been a couple of times I just threw in the towel and said, "not for me." Then I make a sale or things go my way. One thing is to stay away from the elaborate salesmen on Warrior Forum and Black hat world. Those smooth talkers can sell anything to anyone.

Niche, SEO, time and effort will bring in money.

Parking good if you have an old website with a medical keyword. I've only had luck with that. 12 cents a week just doesn't cut it. And it's not lets by 100 domains and multiply that by .12 cents. That's not rational thinking.

 

[gina ferrano]

I found out about domaining on a date in 2004, the guy told me he flipped names in college to make tuition money. We never went on a second date but I was intrigued (with domaining) I gave it a go, made some money, dropped out b/c of other personal setbacks, let some good names expire. Now it's crazy competitive...many more people in the game. Names that I would have gotten for $15 in the aftermarket are bid up to 1k. There are more automated sites for selecting names. I'm beginning to think...too rich for my blood. So I'm reconsidering things...I'm better off developing sites, with a 100-200 domain portfolio for investment; brandables, keywords, and future tech prospects.

 

[mycontrepipol]

you're

I found out about domaining on a date in 2004, the guy told me he flipped names in college to make tuition money. We never went on a second date but I was intrigued (with domaining) I gave it a go, made some money, dropped out b/c of other personal setbacks, let some good names expire. Now it's crazy competitive...many more people in the game. Names that I would have gotten for $15 in the aftermarket are bid up to 1k. There are more automated sites for selecting names. I'm beginning to think...too rich for my blood. So I'm reconsidering things...I'm better off developing sites, with a 100-200 domain portfolio for investment, currently brandables, keywords, and future tech prospects.

right but keep in my that the secret with domaining is that new words and concepts appear as time passes so just be ready and fast to hand reg the incoming next big concept just like selfie and many others used to be.

 

[ezcoms]

Like the medicinal marijuana domains. New trends every week. If you can reg a niche or make a site based on that, then you're good.

 

[gina ferrano]

you're

right but keep in my that the secret with domaining is that new words and concepts appear as time passes so just be ready and fast to hand reg the incoming next big concept just like selfie and many others used to be.

Definitely, as is my plan I will continue to hang reg upcoming trends and hold for a period of time. This is something I didn't really do in 2005, but I'm doing so now, and going forward. My focus is more in technology, science, and futuristic concepts where I have a genuine interest.

 

[mycontrepipol]

Definitely, as is my plan I will continue to hang reg upcoming trends and hold for a period of time. This is something I didn't really do in 2005, but I'm doing so now, and going forward. My focus is more in technology, science, and futuristic concepts where I have a genuine interest.

good luck, gina!

 

[N-A]

How did you get your start?

I got my start in domaining in the mid-to-late 90's. I started on AOL/AIM selling/buying/trading premium names. I then realized from that point in time, domain names were being registered. I hopped on getting in the same "niche" of names I collected primarily (LLL) and a few generics. I still own the generic (which was my last username on this forum before I changed it) because I liked the ring of it and have an unverified list of names (~100) that may still work that are generic and LLL's.

As if an AOL name is worth anything anymore...

I wasn't able to renew the names I had at those prices back then being so young.

After that, I went strictly development.

Fast forward, I got into formal sales, made quite a few dollars in commission which was enough for a nest egg and investing back into what I spent hundreds on (that now costs thousands).

What was your first success sale and/or biggest blunder?

I think success stories are... nevermind.

I'll just share my biggest blunder as people can learn from those more than success stories. I say this because a success story happens once in a lifetime and is unlikely to repeat itself.

A blunder however is likely to be repeated by someone else if not shared.

Mine was developing a website in which I was investing $1000+ a month in over a period of a year or so (not including back end costs, including the domain name) which was low-to-mid $$$$$ total. I believe I made around $2000 off of it with a contract advertiser and AdSense.

Moral of the story, don't compete in high competitive niches if you're not prepared to pay more than $5000 a month in advertising (I could barely hold on to the second page at a $1000 monthly budget).